Benjamin Hollingsworth made a stop in NYC to do some press and catch some theatre before the New Year and just before his show Virgin River was about to premiere on Netflix. You can catch season six streaming now (it has been renewed for season 7) and his great performance playing firefighter Dan Brady alongside his love interest Brie played by Zibby Allen. Scroll on down and check our NYC winter street photo diary including Benjamin in front of his Virgin River billboard in Times Square. He chats with us about his feelings on the horrific LA fires, getting tips from Ashton Kutcher on being in front of a camera when they worked together in on The Beautiful Life, personal style, side passions/escapes, partnering up with Melanoma Canada, being a doting dad and his bare essentials.

pants, coat and boots: giorgio armani sweater: aknvas

The Bare Magazine: You play a firefighter this season in Virgin River. With the recent wildfires in LA, what aspects of the job were you surprised by?

Benjamin Hollingsworth: My heart goes out to all those who’ve been displaced both emotionally and physically. The scale of destruction is beyond comprehension. A number of good friends of mine now find themselves homeless and starting over from scratch.

As a kid, my family had a small fire in the basement of our house. It was a traumatic event that has stuck with me all these years. I can only image the impact this will have on the youth in the area experiencing this tragedy.

As far as playing a firefighter, a lot of these heroes are simply ordinary people with the same struggles and complicated lives as the rest of us. The difference is when tragedy strikes, they turn into extraordinary people doing extraordinary things. That factors into the hero aspect. I believe there is a hero in all of us. Some are built to turn it on easier than others. It’s built into the fight or flight response.

Bare: What are you most excited about people getting out of season 6 of Virgin River? What do you find most compelling about it?

BH: I hope that after watching this season people are able to empathize with my character struggles. I hope they can see that Brady is trying to do the right thing, although he’s not perfect - really none of us are. Every season I get a little closer to Brady. As an actor on a long running series, in a way, I end up becoming friends with the characters I play. I get to know them more and more, I get to essentially play with them. I love Brady and I hope I get to keep playing with him for years to come. Does that sound weird? Maybe. But it’s true.

Bare: We had fun shooting in Times Square. You are a fantastic model! Is it true you learned a few pointers about being in front of a camera from Ashton Kutcher?

BH: We did. I love shooting outside the studio. There’s something about a location that takes a photo shoot in a unique direction. I don’t think it’s just a backdrop. It becomes more than that. I think the quality of and the textures of the environment all become part of it. The people, the sounds, the movement all become a part of the image.

I love what we did and I’m glad we were able to find my billboard in the background. It never gets old seeing a billboard of the show you’re in, in Times Square. It’s kind of a measuring stick.

Yes, Ashton Kutcher did give me a few pointers on how to stand in front of the camera. I did a TV series which he produced for the CW back in 2009 called The Beautiful Life. It was about models living in New York. My character was based off of his real life experiences, coming from a small town in Iowa and vacationing with his family in NYC when he was spotted by modelling agent. It followed his struggles as he navigated the cutthroat world. Unfortunately, the series didn’t last long. But I still use some of the things he taught me today when I do photoshoots, or when I’m on the red carpet.

coat: justin jacob louis / justin jacob louis clothing

Bare: Do you enjoy discovering new fashion or trying something you never thought you'd like to wear? Describe your usual personal style?

BH: Yes. I used to do it more when I was younger. There’s something about being young that gives you permission to screw up. It’s important in fashion to be reckless. You need to experiment and try new things. That's what fashion is about, isn’t it?

My style nowadays is rather boring unless I’m going out to a premiere or industry event. Even during those times, I often have a stylist help me decide what to wear. The only time I really put my style to use is in fittings for characters I play. In a sense that’s where I get to be creative. It’s less about fashion, though, and more about creating a character.

Bare: You have a super-full life between family and work. How do you find balance? Are there certain side passions you like to escape into?

BH: Yes, my life is a bit chaotic, but I am here for it. I love chaos and in some ways thrive in that environment. I have three young kids who are just as busy as I am. Their zest for life fuels my drive both creatively and personally. My kids often influence decisions I make about which role or project to take on. How can they not? They’re such a paramount part of my life. I love them more than I’ve ever loved anything before. That love fuels and informs my work.

As far as a balance goes, I try to make sure that if I’m away from them shooting a project, when I return, I give myself fully to them. I try and etch out time to go on a family vacation or take some special one on one time with each of them. It helps to anchor my relationship with them.

Bare: How do you take care of your skin? When filming, are you careful about sun protection and cleansing makeup off? What are some products you love?

BH: First and foremost, the best skin care anyone can do is protection from the sun. I usually wear a lot of hats so I have a bit of built-in sun protection, in a way. I think sometimes people forget that even when it’s a cloudy day, there are still UV rays that penetrate the clouds.

Sun exposure is one of the greatest detriments to our skin. So along with applying sunscreen when I am out in the sun, I try to make sure that I’ve got a hat on, especially when the UV rays are the highest. I’ve recently partnered with Melanoma Canada, a cancer charity, and the current statistics about skin cancer are alarming. There’s been an increase of 20% year-over-year on skin cancer diagnosis. The ozone above us is constantly thinning so every year UV rays become that much stronger.

Aside from sun protection, I try to make sure that my skin care routine is fairly minimal. I think a lot of times people overuse products and their skin becomes dependent upon them. I try to use water as much as possible to cleanse my skin throughout the day. I know it’s boring, but it seems to work for me. I also take a lot of omega-3 and flaxseed oil supplements.

coat: abercrombie & fitch scarf: stylists own

Bare: Can you share some of the qualities that you most admire about your wife? Do you have any tips on keeping the relationship healthy?

BH: My wife is the rock in our relationship. She is someone I can always rely on to make sure our family is taken care of. She’s the one that books, schedules and registers for everything. She keeps our crazy chaotic life in check. I wouldn’t be able to exist without her. She is a terrific mother and a supportive partner. She always encourages me to follow my passion, even if it means taking a job that offers less money because the character resonates with me.

As far as tips for success? I think one thing my wife and I do is try to take at least a couple nights out of each month to “date each other." There’s something special about the beginning stages of any relationship. Especially ours. It was intense, romantic, and full of passion. When we go on our date nights, we try and rekindle that as much as possible. It reminds us of the early stages of our relationship and connects us to each other.