‘Virgin River’s Benjamin Hollingsworth on ‘The Christmas Ring,’ Family Life & More

If you’re needing a Benjamin Hollingsworth fix after the dramatic Season 7 cliffhanger of Virgin River, you’re in luck. Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring premieres as part of the Great American Christmas 2026 slate on November 5 via Great American Pure Flix and November 7 on Great American Family and GFAM+. Hollingsworth is part of an all-star cast alongside Jana Kramer, Kelsey Grammer, Megan Ashley Brown, and Jessie James Decker. 

The film, which had a theatrical run last year, centers on a military widow Vanessa Mayfield (Kramer), who has spent years searching for her family’s treasured Christmas ring. It’s a gold-and-ruby heirloom discovered by her great-grandfather in Normandy on D-Day and passed down through generations before Vanessa lost it. 

Her search leads her to Ben Miller (Hollingsworth), a widowed antiques dealer who understands her loss, and a friendship between them gradually becomes an unexpected second chance at love. Ben’s father and business partner, Howard Miller (Grammer), unknowingly acquires Vanessa’s missing ring in a box of antiques and, unaware of its history, plans to sell the valuable find. When Ben realizes the ring his father is about to sell, he races to save it. 

Here, Hollingsworth opens up about being part of the faith-based project. Plus, the father of three shares how becoming a dad changed how he looked at his career. 

What are your thoughts of Great American Media bringing the movie to a bigger audience?

Benjamin Hollingsworth: Seeing The Christmas Ring in theaters and sharing that experience with an audience was really special. There’s something wonderful about a story bringing people together like that. Now I’m excited that people will be able to watch it again, or discover it for the first time, from the comfort of their own homes.

For anyone in the Nashville area, we’re also bringing that sense of connection to Meet Cute Con at Loveless Barn on November 7—the same day as the television premiere. Karen Kingsbury, who wrote and produced the movie, and I will be there talking about the film, sharing stories, meeting fans, signing autographs, and taking selfies. I’ll also be there with my Virgin River co-stars. You can spend the day with the people behind the story and then head home to watch it unfold that evening. It’s a really unique way to experience the movie. Details are at meetcutecon.com.

What do you think makes this movie special? Talk about how the film resonated with audiences and maybe yourself as well.

What makes it special to me is the hope in it. Ben and Vanessa have both lost someone they love, and Christmas can make that absence feel even bigger. Through their connection, they begin to see that there’s still room for joy and love in their lives. I think that’s something people can recognize in their own experiences. I also connected with Ben’s appreciation for history and poetry—those are things I love myself. It gave me a personal way into the character. The film has that warmth of the classic romantic movies I grew up with, alongside a story about loss, healing, and the courage to begin again.

What do you remember about working on the project? How was it building that onscreen chemistry with Jana?

Filming in Tennessee was such a joy. Franklin has these beautiful rolling hills, and the people were incredibly kind and welcoming. I grew up in Ontario, Canada, so the landscape and the kindness of the people reminded me of home. Jana invited my family over for a barbecue before we started filming, and we all hit it off. Her husband, Allan, and I connected, and Jana and my wife, Nila, got along right away. Our kids did, too. It was simpatico from the beginning. By the time Jana and I got to set, we already had that friendship and comfort with each other, and the chemistry carried right onto the screen.

How was it getting to know and work with Kelsey?

I grew up watching Kelsey on Frasier, so there was something wonderfully familiar about working with him. He has such a depth of experience, from his training and stage work to all those years in television. I really admire that dedication to the craft. We also bonded over our shared love of history, which made getting to know him feel very natural.

Acting with him felt a little like playing catch with one of the greats. You throw something his way, he sends something back, and you’re completely in the moment together. As an actor, you long for those opportunities, and you really relish them when they come along. It was a joy.

 

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Do you and your family have any specific holiday traditions around Thanksgiving or Christmas that stand out?

We love finding a frozen lake and taking the kids skating. There’s nothing quite like gliding across that open stretch of ice—the sound of the blades, the fresh air, that feeling of freedom. When the kids were little, I’d tie their toboggans together, strap on their hockey helmets, and pull them around the lake. I was basically a hockey-playing Rudolph. The kids got a sleigh ride, and I got a very good workout. Those are the kinds of memories that make the holidays special for me.

How has being a dad over the last decade changed the way you look at your career?

Perspective is everything. Sometimes life moves so quickly, you lose sight of what’s really important—the people and the relationships that matter. Not box office or how many seasons your show’s going to do or whether you made the right choice between projects. But when I come home after a long day and my kids are excited to see me, all of that stress melts away. All that matters is what’s in front of me. That perspective has completely changed how I live my life and approach my work.

Is there one show you were on for an episode or a couple of episodes you wish you could have been on more because of the character or the vibe on set?

Suits was one of those. I loved playing Kyle Durant in season one. People still come up to me about that. I would have loved to fill him out more, but there was a filming conflict and the longer arc fell through. Sometimes you get a decade with a character. Sometimes it’s a few episodes. It’s bittersweet, but I’m grateful and I’ll always relish being the mock trial champ.

Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring premiere, November 5, Great American Pure Flix

Karen Kingsbury’s The Christmas Ring, November 7, 8/7c, Great American Family & GFAM+