Martin Henderson
Martin Henderson
Martin Hendersonis a New Zealand actor, known to American audiences for his starring role in the ABC medical drama Off the Map, for starring in the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy as Dr. Nathan Riggs, and for his performance as Noah Clay in the critically lauded 2002 horror film The Ring, while remaining known in his home country for his teenage role as Stuart Neilson in the soap opera Shortland Street...
NationalityNew Zealander
ProfessionSoap Opera Actor
Date of Birth8 October 1974
CityAuckland, New Zealand
Martin Henderson quotes about
As soon as I got off the plane in L.A., I heard they'd cast the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy and that it was all being shot in New Zealand! That was pretty ironic.
I've become a lot more relaxed about my career, but maybe that's a part of growing up. I realise there are things I hold dear and value, aside from professional achievements.
You've got to not care about what people think. You learn that as an actor. If you get a bad review, will you be destroyed by it? Or will you think you're God's gift when you get a rave review?
Sometimes America gets tempted by the glitz and glamour.
There is nothing I feel that connected or passionate about that would take me away from acting.
You just hope that somebody makes it scary or you're going to look like an idiot!
You are always invested in a film, but there is always a different feeling you get when you are portraying a character that is based on real life and you are re-telling events that actually took place.
You are constantly looking for ways to do something you haven't done before, whether it's a particular role or doing theatre. As a person, I'm really open to experience.
I'm quite proud of growing up in New Zealand where, from quite early on in primary school, you're learning to count in Maori, Maori mythology and dances and colours and history, and I think that gives a child a really good grounding.
There's something incredibly primal about facing something treacherous but doing it anyway.
I love new places, new people, new ideas. I love cultural differences, and I'm fascinated by the truth - all the different versions of it.
Most horror films fail to scare me. I think "The Ring" plays more as a psychological thriller. It's smarter, there's more character development and some of the themes explored go a little deeper.
Heath, I believed in him when I first met him, and helped and supported him. He went on to obvious success in the States and then I had him support me. It can be a lonely, horrible, hard place. It's great just to have someone to call to say 'I know, man, I was there'
Definitely, I'd love to do more in New Zealand if it was the right time.