Virgin River‘s Ben Hollingsworth broke her silence on her costar’s shocking off-screen exit — including why she’s worried ahead of season 8.
Hollingsworth was mentioned Lauren Hammersley again Marco GrazziniSurprise comes out, it says Entertainment Weekly on Monday, March 16, “We found out about a month ago, when [showrunner] Patrick Sean Smith touched the cast. He didn’t want us to find out about a certain topic, and I immediately contacted Marco and comforted him. But also, I appreciate how much the show wouldn’t be the same without him, and how much he means to all of us.”
Hollingsworth noted that this is “just the beginning of good things” for Grazini.
“He’s a very talented actor and he can do a lot of things, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s leading his own series this time next year,” he added. “What people may not understand about Marco is that he is a sweetheart and a great guy. We will all miss him. He adds this special flavor and texture to our set that will be sorely missed.”
After season 7 premiered on Thursday, March 12, Smith confirmed that Hammersley and Grazini will not be returning for more episodes of the show.
“For me, I’m just trying to look at the length of the show and make sure that the characters that we keep have enough of a story engine to keep them going,” Smith told Deadline. “So I can’t say that there are certain characters planned, but I think we’ll have to start – as the characters go through their studies – make decisions and bring in new blood.”
Meanwhile, Hollingsworth, admitted that it “bites a little bit” saying goodbye to two costars.
“But I know he’s going to do great things after this,” he said before considering his concerns about his future on the show. “You never know. There are so many characters and stories in the shows. Part of what makes any show great is the unexpected!”
Hollingsworth said the on-screen changes make him “a little worried” about the fate of his character Brady. At the end of season 7, Brady ended up in a shocking motorcycle accident after meeting Brie (Zibby Allen).
“That has a lot to do with Brady’s luck,” Hollingsworth said during an exclusive interview with Us Weekly. “I think I can’t have nice things. I think Brady can’t have nice things.”
Hollingsworth revealed that “it’s not going to be all right” when Netflix’s longest-running series returns for season 8, adding, “But it’s just fun to see. [Brady and Brie] together.”
While fans are hopeful that Brady will survive the incident, Hollingsworth teased that viewers won’t “think anything” about his character’s fate.
“I can’t fault that. I think that’s going to be something the audience has to wait another year to find out,” Hollingsworth told Us before confirming he knew where Brady would end up.
He added: “I’d like Brady to come back. That would be great. I’d like him not to die – especially because he finally got what he wanted.”
Virgin River is currently streaming on Netflix.
