Martin Henderson

Early life

Henderson was born in Auckland to Ian and Veronica Henderson. They divorced when he was five. He began acting at the age of thirteen, appearing in Strangers, a local television production. He attended Birkenhead Primary Northcote Intermediate and Westlake Boys High schools. He played rugby as a flanker and his team won the championship in 1990 and 1991. He turned down going to study at university when he was 17, in favour of acting. He initially considered studying science and business.

Career

Early work

At age 17, in 1992, Henderson starred as Stuart Neilson in the New Zealand prime-time soap opera Shortland Street. He played the role until 1995. Shortland Street became New Zealand's longest-running drama and soap opera. He subsequently lived in Australia for three years and appeared in a number of Australian films and television productions including Echo Point and Home and Away.

Move to the United States

Henderson moved to the United States in 1997 to pursue a career in Hollywood films and to train in a two-year program at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York City with a student visa. To pay the tuition, he took a job at night as a restaurant food runner. While at school, he starred as Hamlet in the off-Broadway play Ophelia Thinks Harder. He left the school halfway through the two-year course and moved to Los Angeles.

Heath Ledger helped him financially during a period of numerous auditions without securing any role. Henderson first landed a voice over part in a Fanta commercial, speaking with an Australian accent. In 1999, he appeared in Kick, for which he was nominated for an AACTA Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in 2000. After more than a year unsuccessfully auditioning for film roles in Los Angeles, in 2001 he was cast in a supporting role in the John Woo-directed war film Windtalkers. In 2002, Henderson starred opposite Naomi Watts in the horror film The Ring. Following the box office success of the film, he was cast as Drew in Perfect Opposites, and subsequently as the lead character in the biker film Torque, released in early 2004. In 2005, he appeared in the award-winning Little Fish starring Cate Blanchett. In 2006, Henderson received rave reviews in London's West End in a theatre production of Fool for Love with Juliette Lewis.

He was set to star alongside Jordana Brewster in the television series adapted from the 2005 film Mr. & Mrs. Smith. However, the series was not picked up by any network. In 2006, he appeared in the movie Flyboys. He also appeared in a commercial for the 2008 Cadillac CTS, and the House episode "Painless". In 2010, Henderson was cast in Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes' short-lived television series Off the Map as a New Zealand doctor. In 2014, he starred in the multi-platform Australian drama television series Secrets & Lies and in the SundanceTV drama series The Red Road.

In 2015, Henderson appeared in Everest, with Jake Gyllenhaal. In June that year, he joined the cast of Grey's Anatomy, as a potential love interest for series lead Ellen Pompeo's Meredith Grey, making his first appearance in November, as Dr. Nathan Riggs. The actor exited two years later, his final appearance in October 2017. Henderson told Deadline that his departure was a storytelling-based decision, adding, "This [was] my final year so I was expecting Nathan’s storyline to be wrapped up." In 2016, he starred in the film Miracles from Heaven opposite Jennifer Garner.

Since 2019, Henderson has co-starred on the Netflix series Virgin River alongside Alexandra Breckenridge, playing the role of Jack Sheridan, a former marine with PTSD. The seventh season commenced filming in spring of 2025. He was cast in A24 horror film X (2022) as Wayne Gilroy.

Personal life

As of 2017, he lives in Los Angeles with his dog.

Filmography

Film

Television

Web series

Music video appearances

References

References

1. (19 December 2018). "'Virgin River': Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Tim Matheson & Annette O'Toole To Star In Netflix Series".
2. (18 January 2011). "Shorty Street actor is the new McDreamy". Stuff.
3. (7 January 2016). "Martin Henderson returns to hospital".
4. (4 May 2010). "Past Pupil Martin Henderson Visits Westlake".
5. (4 May 2010). "Star visits school".
6. (11 July 2006). "My Hollywood nightmare". The Telegraph.
7. (25 May 2017). "Martin Henderson on his return to Shortland Street: 'I feel like an alien'".
8. (25 May 2017). "25 Years of Shortland Street: Martin Henderson".
9. (22 February 2022). "Virgin River star Martin Henderson's accent in first ever role is jaw-dropping".
10. (4 January 2007). "Ledger digs deep for a pal".
11. (9 April 2017). "Martin Henderson: When US immigration locked me up".
12. (1 July 2003). "Martin Henderson - Now that I'm older I don't give a ....".
13. (25 January 2007). "Heath lends mate Martin Henderson a helping hand".
14. "Past Awards".
15. (14 June 2002). "FILM REVIEW; Of Duty, Friendship And a Navajo Dilemma". [[The New York Times]].
16. [http://www.cubicao.tk/theory/principleopposites.html Martin Henderson in Perfect Opposites] {{webarchive. link. (8 December 2007)
17. Kaufman, Gil. (25 August 2004). "Yes, Britney Really Is Naked In The 'Toxic' Video: VMA Lens Recap – News Story | MTV News". MTV. MTV Networks.
18. (21 June 2006). "Fool For Love – Review". London Theatre Guide.
19. (16 June 2006). "Fool for Love, Apollo, London". The Guardian.
20. (8 February 2011). "From Shortland St to medic in Guatemala jungle".
21. (10 September 2015). "Martin Henderson: Surviving Everest and rhino attack".
22. Boardman, Madeline. (16 June 2015). "Martin Henderson takes Patrick Dempsey's spot in Grey's Anatomy".
23. Ausiello, Michael. (27 October 2017). "Grey's Anatomy Shocker: [Spoiler] Exits". tvline.com.
24. (22 June 2015). "Martin Henderson Joins Jennifer Garner in 'Miracles From Heaven' (EXCLUSIVE)".
25. (19 December 2018). "'Virgin River': Alexandra Breckenridge, Martin Henderson, Tim Matheson & Annette O'Toole To Star In Netflix Series".
26. https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/virgin-river-season-7-cast-release-date-news
27. (12 January 2022). "'X' Trailer: Mia Goth Stars in Ti West's A24 Horror Movie About a '70s Porn Shoot". Indiewire.
28. (9 April 2017). "Martin Henderson: When US immigration locked me up".
29. "Past Awards".
30. Petski, Denise. (20 December 2019). "'Virgin River' Renewed For Season 2 By Netflix".
31. (29 September 2023). "Rachel Griffiths leads NZ dramedy Madam | TV Tonight".