In the early days of Greyston Holt’s career — years before he took on the role of Detective Hudson Riley in Prime Video’s action thriller “Neagley” – the actor made guest appearances in a long list of fantastical shows such as “Stargate Universe,” “Once Upon a Time,” and “Supernatural,” just to name a few. He’d eventually work his way up as a series regular in another supernatural drama you might not remember: Syfy’s “Bitten.”
Based on author Kelley Armstrong’s “Women of the Otherworld” novel series, “Bitten” tells the story of Elena Michaels (played by “Supergirl” star Laura Vandervoort), the world’s only known female werewolf. Desperate to escape her violent past, she flees Upstate New York to live a quiet life as a human photographer in Toronto. However, obligations to her pack force her back into the fold of her former werewolf family, Stonehaven. Holt costarred as Clayton Danvers, the protective second-in-command of the pack who was responsible for biting Elena — a forbidden act that sets their rocky romance, and her werewolf transformation, in motion.
During an interview with Bleep Magazine, Holt opened up about just how seriously he took his audition process for the physically demanding role. In fact, he even got up close and personal with nature before his screen test. “I went hiking to the edge of the wilderness, got off the trail, stripped down naked and ran through the forest, howling,” Holt said, adding that the unusual technique “allowed me to feel that raw, true spirit in nature.”
Greyston Holt said he had major chemistry with Bitten costar Laura Vandervoort
When asked how “Bitten” stands apart from other competing supernatural TV shows, Holt said its core focus was unique. “We are a show about a family,” he told the outlet, emphasizing that it boiled down to “concepts of family loyalty.” Meanwhile, building his on-screen chemistry with Vandervoort was a key highlight. He told Collider that during their initial screen test, the two “hit it off” immediately, noting they “definitely had a little spark there.” He was also drawn to the character’s deep connection to nature, telling Collider that growing up on a rural West Coast island helped him relate to Clay’s wilder impulses.
When the first season of the show debuted, unfortunately, a lot of critics felt that “Bitten” lacked bite, with the show landing a middling 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes. On the positive side, Den of Geek praised the pilot’s visual effects and straightforward approach to lycanthropy, calling the computer-generated transformation sequences spectacular and noting that the series brought a grounded spin to the overcrowded supernatural genre.
On the opposite side, IGN brushed the series off as a low-quality, predictable nighttime soap with hammy dialogue, even arguing that the show takes itself too seriously to be fun. At least the fans mostly ate it up. The show’s average audience score for all three seasons sits at 69% on Rotten Tomatoes. After “Bitten” ended its three-season run in 2016, Holt continued his streak of appearances on TV shows like “The 100,” “Batwoman,” “Riverdale,” and “The Night Agent” before landing his starring role on “Neagley.”
