Dylan Neal
View on WikipediaDylan Jeremy Neal (born October 8, 1969[1]) is a Canadian actor. He is known for his portrayal of the character Dylan Shaw on the soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful, Doug Witter on Dawson's Creek, and Detective Mike Celluci in the supernatural series Blood Ties. He also played Aaron Jacobs on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch.
Key Information
In 2013, Neal landed the lead role opposite Andie MacDowell in the Hallmark Channel's first scripted TV series, Cedar Cove.[2][3][4] The series premiered on July 20, 2013, and is based on the series of books by the same name, written by Debbie Macomber. In 2014, he sold a TV movie franchise to the newly rebranded Hallmark Movies and Mystery Channel and began writing, executive producing and starring as Henry Ross in Hallmark's original mystery series Gourmet Detective.[5][6] Since 2018, Dylan has written, produced and starred in many Hallmark films.
Personal life
[edit]Dylan Neal was born in Richmond Hill, Ontario, in 1969. Four months after his birth, his family moved to Oakville, Ontario. He attended Appleby College in Oakville and initially wanted to become a professional squash player.[7]
Neal transferred to T. A. Blakelock High School in Oakville for his last two years of schooling. It was there that he gained an interest in the performing arts and participated in his school's drama program. On the advice of his drama teacher, Neal decided he wanted to make a career of acting.[7]
Before becoming an actor, Neal was a caterer and delivered lunch baskets to private businesses in industrial areas around Toronto.[8] He also delivered pizzas for a living before making it as an actor.[1][8] He has been passionate about furniture making.[9]
Neal is married to TV writer and producer Becky Southwell who has co-written some of the Gourmet Detective films with him. They were married on 21 September 1996 and have two children together.[10][11]
Career
[edit]Neal has said that after finishing his work on The Bold and the Beautiful, he was initially concerned about his ability to find another acting job. "There are certain expectations--or a certain lack of expectations--of soap opera actors," he said.[8]
From 1998 to 2003, he portrayed Doug Witter, a small-town police officer, in the WB television drama Dawson's Creek. In the final season of the series, his character was revealed to be homosexual.[12]
In 2000, Neal played a secret agent opposite Chuck Norris in the television film The President's Man.[13] It premiered on April 2 on CBS.[14]
In 2007, Neal played Detective Mike Celluci in Lifetime's Canadian vampire fantasy show Blood Ties, in which he starred alongside Christina Cox and Kyle Schmid. The producers of the show ultimately chose Neal, Cox, and Schmid as the three leads of the show over other auditioning actors after observing the natural chemistry among the trio.[15] Neal later commented that fans often compliment the three actors for their charming on-screen chemistry and camaraderie.[15]
Neal played the male lead opposite Andie MacDowell in the television series Cedar Cove for the Hallmark Channel. Neal played Jack Griffith, a Philadelphia reporter. He played Bob Adams, stepfather to the main character Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson), in the film adaptation Fifty Shades of Grey (2015).[16]
Neal and his wife, Becky Southwell, write and produce their own projects through Southwell Neal Entertainment. They write and executive produce the Gourmet Detective original films for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, based on the novels by Peter King. As of February 2020, Neal has made five television movies based on the character.[17][18]
Filmography
[edit]Films
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | I'll Never Get to Heaven | Carl | |
| 1997 | Taylor's Return | Robert | |
| 2001 | XCU: Extreme Close Up | Lew Constant | |
| 2002 | 40 Days and 40 Nights | David | |
| Landspeed | Young Brian Sanger | ||
| 2005 | Locusts | Dan Dryer | Main role |
| Mute | James | Short film | |
| Extreme Dating | Sean | ||
| 2010 | Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief | Hermes | |
| The Traveler | Detective Alexander Black | ||
| My Family's Secret | Jason Darcie | ||
| 2015 | Fifty Shades of Grey | Bob Adams | |
| 2017 | Fifty Shades Darker | Unrated Edition | |
| 2018 | Fifty Shades Freed | ||
| BOULEVARD | Hayden Glass | short film |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 | Learning the Ropes | Student Hunk | |
| Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future | Jon Power | 2 episodes | |
| Summer Storm | TV miniseries | ||
| 1989 | War of the Worlds | Scavenger 1 | |
| My Secret Identity | Sean Casey | ||
| 1990 | E.N.G. | Kevin Wilkes | |
| Prom Night III: The Last Kiss | Andrew Douglas | video | |
| Maniac Mansion | Bo Riddley | ||
| 1991 | Top Cops | Robert Schaller/Ricky Grim/Corky | |
| 1992 | Catwalk | ||
| 1993 | Sweating Bullets | River Rhodes | |
| Class of '96 | Phillip | ||
| Kung Fu: The Legend Continues | Jim Reardon | ||
| 1996 | Golden Will: The Silken Laumann Story | John Wallace | TV movie |
| 1994–96 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Dylan Shaw | 119 episodes |
| 1997 | Moloney | ||
| Life with Roger | Collin, the Exterminator | ||
| Pacific Palisades | Cory Robbins | 7 episodes | |
| 1998 | Profiler | Philip Nichols | |
| Honey, I Shrunk the Kids: The TV Show | Roger Persimmons | ||
| Working | Royce | ||
| You Wish | Ken | ||
| 1998–1999 | Hyperion Bay | Nick Sweeny | 17 episodes |
| 1998–2003 | Dawson's Creek | Doug Witter | 20 episodes |
| 1999 | JAG | Lt. Dalton "Boomer" Jonas | 3 episodes |
| It's Like, You Know... | Kevin | ||
| 2000 | The President's Man | Sgt. Deke Slater | TV movie |
| 2001 | Thieves | Drew | |
| 2002 | Flatland | David White | |
| Babylon 5: The Legend of the Rangers | David Martell | TV movie | |
| Relic Hunter | Zack | ||
| She Spies | Dr. Ellison | ||
| 2003 | Sabrina, the Teenage Witch | Aaron Jacobs | 10 episodes |
| I'm with Her | John | ||
| 2004 | LAX | Harley's Date | |
| Kevin Hill | Trevor Mallard | ||
| 2005 | Chupacabra Terror | Lance Thompson | video |
| CSI: Miami | Patrick Hale | ||
| Vampire Bats | Dan Dryer | TV movie | |
| 2006 | The War at Home | Dr. Jonathan Vogel | |
| Cradle of Lies | Jack Collins | TV movie | |
| The Jake Effect | Robert | 2 episodes | |
| 2007 | No Brother of Mine | Stuart St. Clair | TV movie |
| Matters of Life and Dating | Guy DeMayo | ||
| 2007–08 | Blood Ties | Detective Mike Celluci | Main role, 22 episodes |
| 2008 | Psych | Jann | |
| Stargate Atlantis | Dave Sheppard | ||
| 2009 | The L Word | Caleb Cooper | 2 episodes |
| Wild Roses | Dillon Parker | 8 episodes | |
| Storm Seekers | Ryan Stewart | TV movie | |
| 2009 & 2017 | Murdoch Mysteries | Sergeant Jasper Linney | 2 episodes |
| 2009–10 | Smallville | Ray Sacks | |
| 2010 | Human Target | Wes Gibson | |
| Life Unexpected | Bruce Jackson | ||
| 2011 | He Loves Me | Nick | TV movie |
| CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Mr. Culver | ||
| Another Man's Wife | Brian Warner | TV movie | |
| Ice Road Terror | Neil Conroy | ||
| Rizzoli & Isles | Dr. Hanson/Russell Dempsey | ||
| A Trusted Man | Tom | TV movie | |
| Haven | Hugh Underwood | ||
| Flashpoint | Cpt. Simon Griggs | ||
| 2012 | 90210 | William Paddington | |
| Bones | Lt. Col. Ben Fordham | Season 8 Episode 6 | |
| 2012 | Ringer | Washburn Milter | Season 1 episode 21 |
| 2013–2015 | Cedar Cove | Jack Griffith | Main role; Hallmark Channel series |
| 2013 | Bones | Ben Fordham | |
| 2013–2014 | Arrow | Professor Ivo | 7 episodes |
| 2014 | A Wife's Nightmare | Gabe | Lifetime TV movie |
| 2015–2017; 2020 | Gourmet Detective film series | Henry Ross | Also writer and executive producer; Hallmark movies |
| 2016 | Looks Like Christmas | Terry Evans | Hallmark movie |
| 2018 | Truly, Madly, Sweetly | Eric | |
| 2020 | Christmas She Wrote | Tripp | |
| 2021 | 9-1-1 | Dr. Sampson | 1 episode |
| 2023 | Ride | Daniel Booker | 4 episodes |
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Catching up with....Dylan Neal". Soap Opera Digest. July 22, 2013. p. 73.
- ^ "Dylan Neal Joins Cast of Hallmark Channel's Original Movie CEDAR COVE". Broadway World. 12 June 2012.
- ^ "Home & Family - Actor Dylan Neal talks about his on-screen Romance with Andie MacDowell". Hallmark Channel's Youtube Channel. 4 August 2014.
- ^ "The People of Cedar Cove - Dylan Neal as Jack". Hallmark Channel's Youtube Channel. 1 July 2015.
- ^ "'B&B' Alum Dylan Neal Writes And Stars In Hallmark's 'Gourmet Detective'". Soap Opera Network. 13 January 2015.
- ^ "Dylan Neal stars in 'Gourmet Detective' on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries". Herald Extra. 16 May 2015.
- ^ a b "Dylan Neal Biography". Retrieved 2 May 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link) - ^ a b c "Dylan Neal at RingCon". YouTube. Retrieved 2 May 2012.
- ^ "'Cedar Cove' Star Dylan Neal Is Passionate About Furniture Making". Woodworking Network. 15 September 2015.
- ^ "Big Picture: Dylan Neal in high gear". Times Colonist. 24 March 2016.
- ^ "50 Shades of Grey star Dylan Neal opens up about his married life, wife Becky Southwell, and family". frostnow.com. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
- ^ Shaw, Gabbi (November 4, 2020). "WHERE ARE THEY NOW: The cast of 'Dawson's Creek' 22 years later". Insider. Axel Springer. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
- ^ Preece, Michael; Norris, Eric; Donner, Richard; Meyer, Gerald (2013). 5 Film Chuck Norris Collection (DVD). Echo Bridge Acquisition Corp LLC. Event occurs at The President's Man. 09600922143.
- ^ "Sunday Night". Herald and Review. April 1, 2000. p. Tv-7.
- ^ a b "Dylan Neal and Kyle Schmid at Fan Convention". YouTube. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
- ^ "On the Cover: Dylan Neal talks about starring in Fifty Shades of Grey and his Richmond Hill roots". Post City Toronto. 29 July 2014.
- ^ "Gourmet Detective Movies". Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Retrieved 1 February 2020.
- ^ "DYLAN NEAL". Hallmark Channel. Retrieved 11 January 2018.
External links
[edit]Dylan Neal
View on GrokipediaEarly life
Childhood
Dylan Neal was born on October 8, 1969, in Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada.[2] Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Oakville, Ontario, a suburb west of Toronto, where he spent his early childhood.[5] This relocation established his roots in the Greater Toronto Area, immersing him in a suburban Canadian environment during his formative years.[6] In Oakville, Neal attended Appleby College, a preparatory school that provided a structured academic setting from an early age.[5] As a young student, he discovered a passion for squash, quickly excelling in the sport and committing to it as a potential lifelong pursuit. This early involvement in competitive athletics highlighted his disciplined and active upbringing, fostering skills like focus and perseverance that would later influence his career path.[5] While specific family dynamics remain private, Neal's childhood emphasized physical activities and education in a supportive community setting.[7]Education
Neal attended Appleby College, a prestigious preparatory school in Oakville, Ontario, during his early high school years. There, he developed a strong interest in squash, excelling to the point of representing Canada in international competitions as a junior player.[8] He later transferred to T.A. Blakelock High School in Oakville for his final two years of secondary education, where he shifted his focus toward the performing arts. Enrolled in the school's drama program, Neal participated actively in theatrical productions and extracurricular activities, discovering his passion for acting under the guidance of an encouraging drama teacher.[8][9] Influenced by his high school experiences, Neal made the pivotal decision to pursue acting professionally rather than continuing with higher education or a career in squash. During his senior year, his drama teacher recommended he sign with a Toronto-based talent agent, leading to early auditions and the eventual relocation to Los Angeles in 1992 to launch his career full-time.[8][10]Career
Early career
In 1992, Neal relocated to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities in the U.S. market, arriving during the pilot season and initially supporting himself through various jobs due to visa restrictions on employment.[11][12] Neal achieved greater visibility with his portrayal of Dylan Shaw on the CBS daytime soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful from 1994 to 1996, under a contract role as a series regular. Introduced as a UCLA college freshman and baseball scholarship student interning at Forrester Creations, Shaw's arc involved a passionate romance with Jessica Forrester (played by Maitland Ward), including eloping, facing family opposition, and Shaw turning to male stripping after financial hardships; their storyline culminated in marriage and dramatic conflicts before his departure. This role on the long-running soap provided Neal with substantial exposure to a wide audience, establishing him as a recognizable face in daytime television and paving the way for further opportunities in primetime series.[13][12]Breakthrough and prime-time roles
Neal's breakthrough came with his recurring role as Doug Witter on the WB teen drama Dawson's Creek, where he appeared in 20 episodes from 1998 to 2003.[1] As the uptight Capeside police deputy and older brother to Pacey Witter (played by Joshua Jackson), Doug provided comic relief and familial tension, often clashing with Pacey's rebellious nature while embodying small-town authority. In the series' final season, the character underwent significant development, coming out as gay and beginning a relationship with Jack McPhee (Kerr Smith), which added depth to the show's exploration of identity and acceptance. This role marked Neal's transition from soap operas to prime-time network television, significantly raising his visibility among young audiences and establishing him as a versatile supporting actor in popular teen programming.[2] Building on this momentum, Neal joined the cast of the long-running ABC/WB sitcom Sabrina the Teenage Witch in its seventh and final season (2002–2003), portraying Aaron Jacobs in 10 episodes as a recurring series regular.[14] Aaron, a charming mortal music promoter, becomes Sabrina Spellman's (Melissa Joan Hart) love interest and eventual fiancé, bringing a grounded romantic arc to the magical comedy amid the show's signature blend of witchcraft and everyday teen dilemmas. The series, which aired for seven seasons and attracted a dedicated teen demographic through its whimsical humor and relatable coming-of-age themes, helped solidify Neal's presence in family-oriented network fare during the early 2000s.[15]Later career and production work
Following roles in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including series regular parts in Pacific Palisades (1997) as a plastic surgeon and Hyperion Bay (1998–1999), Neal continued building his resume with guest appearances on shows like JAG (1999) and Stargate Atlantis (2008). He earned acclaim for his series regular role as Detective Mike Celluci in the supernatural drama Blood Ties (2007–2008), portraying a skeptical police detective partnering with a private investigator and a vampire to solve crimes. Neal also guest-starred as Ray Sacks in two episodes of Smallville (2009–2010). In 2013–2014, he played the recurring villain Dr. Anthony Ivo on The CW's Arrow, a mad scientist experimenting on super-soldiers in a storyline tied to the protagonist's origin.[1] In the 2010s, Neal shifted his focus to cable television, securing leading roles in Hallmark Channel productions that emphasized romantic and small-town narratives. He portrayed Jack Griffith, the editor of the local newspaper and romantic lead opposite Andie MacDowell's Judge Olivia Lockhart, in the series Cedar Cove from 2013 to 2015. The show, adapted from Debbie Macomber's bestselling novels, ran for three seasons and 36 episodes, marking Hallmark's inaugural scripted primetime series and earning praise for its wholesome storytelling and coastal Pacific Northwest setting.[16] Neal's performance as the charming yet principled journalist contributed to the series' appeal, solidifying his association with the network's family-friendly content.[17] Building on this success, Neal expanded into production and creative roles through the Gourmet Detective TV movie franchise for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. He co-created the series with his wife, Becky Southwell, whom he collaborated with on writing and executive producing the five films released between 2015 and 2020.[18] Starring as Henry Ross, a culinary consultant turned amateur sleuth who teams up with detective Maggie Price (Brooke Burns) to solve food-related crimes, Neal appeared in all installments, including The Gourmet Detective (2015), A Healthy Place to Die (2015), Death al Dente (2016), Eat, Drink & Be Buried (2017), and Roux the Day (2020). Adapted from Peter King's novels, the series blended mystery with gourmet themes, allowing Neal to infuse personal interests in cuisine into the scripts while directing aspects of production alongside Southwell.[9] This project showcased his multifaceted talents, transitioning from actor to key behind-the-scenes contributor in Hallmark's mystery lineup.[19] Neal's later Hallmark involvement further demonstrated his growth in the romantic mystery genre, where he continued executive producing and co-writing alongside acting. In Truly, Madly, Sweetly (2018), he co-wrote the screenplay with Southwell and Ron Oliver, executive produced, and starred as Eric, a chocolatier helping rival siblings revive their family business in a story of competition turning to romance.[11] This film exemplified his ongoing collaboration with Hallmark, emphasizing heartfelt narratives infused with light suspense and culinary elements. By the early 2020s, Neal extended his range into neo-Western territory with a recurring role as the antagonistic rancher Daniel Booker in the Hallmark Channel series Ride (2023), appearing in four episodes that explored family dynamics on a struggling Wyoming cattle ranch.[20] These endeavors highlighted his evolution toward genre-blending projects, maintaining a strong presence in cable television as of 2023.[21]Personal life
Family and relationships
Neal has been married to television writer and producer Becky Southwell since September 21, 1996.[22] The couple met in the mid-1990s and have collaborated professionally on projects including the Gourmet Detective film series through their production company, Southwell Neal Entertainment.[11] Neal and Southwell are parents to two children: a daughter named Bella and a son named Griffin.[23] In a 2014 interview, Neal discussed the challenges of maintaining family life amid his acting schedule, noting that his wife often manages their household in Los Angeles while he works in Vancouver, allowing them to co-write scripts remotely.[24]Residences and interests
Neal maintained a long-term residence in Los Angeles starting in 1992, when he relocated there to pursue television opportunities in the United States.[18] This move allowed him to secure series regular roles and build his career in American media, where he lived for nearly three decades until approximately 2021.[18] In 2021, Neal relocated to the Lisbon area of Portugal with his family, seeking a change in lifestyle while remaining close to the ocean.[25] As a dual citizen of Canada and the United States,[3] this transition leverages his Canadian roots and American professional experience. Neal's personal interests include cooking, which draws inspiration from his role in the Gourmet Detective series that he co-created and starred in as a culinary consultant turned sleuth.[26] He enjoys outdoor activities, often engaging in such pursuits during visits to coastal areas.Filmography
Films
Dylan Neal has appeared in a select number of feature films, primarily in supporting capacities, spanning from horror and thriller genres in his early career to high-profile franchise entries later on. His roles often highlight his versatility in dramatic and antagonistic parts, though he has balanced this with his extensive television work.[27] The following table lists his feature film credits chronologically, including character names, role distinctions (lead, supporting, or cameo), release years, and notable directors.| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Prom Night III: The Last Kiss | Andrew Douglas | Supporting role; high school student killed by the antagonist's supernatural force | Ron Oliver, Paul Ziller[28] |
| 2003 | Chupacabra: Dark Sea | Dr. Luther | Supporting role; scientist investigating creature attacks | John Shepphird[29] |
| 2005 | Extreme Dating | Sean | Supporting role; in a comedy-thriller about blind dates gone wrong | Mary Lam[30] |
| 2005 | Mute | James | Lead role; husband searching for his abducted wife in a horror thriller | Jennifer Nordstrom[31] |
| 2010 | The Traveler | Det. Alexander Black | Lead role; police detective interrogating a mysterious confessor amid escalating horrors | Michael Oblowitz[32] |
| 2010 | Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief | Hermes | Supporting/cameo role; the Greek god aiding the protagonist in a brief appearance | Chris Columbus |
| 2015 | Fifty Shades of Grey | Bob | Supporting role; Ana's stepfather in the erotic drama adaptation | Sam Taylor-Johnson |
| 2017 | Fifty Shades Darker | Bob | Supporting role; reprising stepfather character in the sequel | James Foley |
| 2018 | Fifty Shades Freed | Bob | Supporting role; final appearance as stepfather in the trilogy conclusion | James Foley |
