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If you’re a diehard fan of “Reacher,” there’s a good chance you’ve already started binging “Neagley” — Prime Video’s all-new spin-off, which dropped all eight episodes on September 16. One of the new characters we’re introduced to is Detective Hudson Riley, played by Canadian actor Greyston Holt. If his face looks familiar to you, it’s because he’s taken on a variety of TV roles both big and small for the past two decades.
In “Neagley,” private investigator Frances Neagley (Maria Sten) assembles a posse to help her uncover answers surrounding the mysterious death of a childhood friend. A key player on her team is Hudson Riley, a Chicago detective who has ties to a notorious family of career criminals, which fuels his drive to prove himself as an honest man of the law.
Holt is no stranger to the crime genre, either. One of his first breakout roles was in the Canadian crime drama “Durham County,” where he played Ray Prager Jr., a performance Holt cited as a pivotal moment. “The role where I really felt validated was my first recurring role on ‘Durham County,'” he told Bleep Magazine. “I am really proud of what we accomplished and made on that show. It also showed me how fun of a job this is.” Early in his career, Holt had a string of single-episode guest-starring appearances in shows like “Smallville,” “Fringe,” “Stargate Universe,” and “Supernatural,” which all paved the way for more substantial recurring roles.
Greyston Holt played werewolf scholar Clayton Danvers in Syfy’s Bitten — his biggest role to date
CW fans likely remember him as FBI agent Glen Scot in the wild teen drama “Riverdale,” while Hallmark regulars will recognize him as the charming and down-to-earth Jay Ross in “Chesapeake Shores.” He’s also become somewhat of a staple in the channel’s holiday movies, most notably playing Zane in “A Very Country Christmas” and its sequels. However, fans of Syfy’s “Bitten” undoubtedly know him as the hunky werewolf scholar Clayton Danvers — a role he played for 33 episodes, his biggest role to date. It’s also career a moment he says helped stretch his action abilities.
“At the beginning, I’d never done any fight choreography,” Holt revealed to Bleep Magazine. “Learning that was a part of building up my tools as an artist, so when I’m on another set that requires the same thing, I’m ready for it.” That action-heavy training certainly came in handy years later when he found his way into the “Reacher” franchise.
In an interview with Collider, Holt talked about how “Neagley” carves out its own identity within the universe, adding that the spin-off digs deeper into psychological territory while honoring the source material and keeping the signature combat intact. “What sets our show apart is that it’s a little more sinister and a little more psychologically testing,” Holt told the outlet. “We still have all the action and fighting and all the things I think ‘Reacher’ fans love about ‘Reacher,’ but we delve into a darker, more evil side of the ‘Reacher’ universe.”
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