Actor Kai Bradbury Returns in Netflix’s Virgin River, Talks “High-Stakes Scenarios” That Attracted Him To The Series

Dark secrets and spooky situations aren’t always easy territory for any actor, but this type of subject matter is turning into something that Kai Bradbury has a knack for.

Over the course of his acting roles, he’s been part of a bleak alternate reality where the Nazis won World War II in “The Man in the High Castle,” part of a scary world where monsters roam suburbia in “Supernatural,” and part of a secret military unit that recruits witches to fight extra-special evildoers in “Motherland: Fort Salem.”

His recent role in “Virgin River” on Netflix lacks these obvious supernatural elements but it does require deeper dives into human emotions and motivations, all set in a remote, rural town in Northern California.

Kai Bradbury joined the cast in Season 4 as Denny Cutler, the long-lost grandson of Doc, one of the main cast members. Audiences learn that while pleasant and wanting to connect with family, Denny has his secrets that will add to the often-explosive personal drama taking place in Virgin River – and that’s perfect.

“Many of the projects I have worked on deal with the supernatural, alternate realities, and the occult,” he said. “I think the most attractive thing about shows with darker themes would be the challenging high-stakes scenarios. It’s so much fun to explore worlds far from our own.”

At the same time that Kai Bradbury has come to enjoy the darkness, he also likes new situations where he can grow as an actor and work with other pros. This also means looking for ways to be a little different in his acting as well.

“Lately I’ve found myself hoping to challenge and redefine what the ‘All-American boy next door’ looks like in 2022: I don’t want to fit in molds, I want to cast my own,” he said. “Honestly, I am as strikingly different as the next person because everything that we are is unique to ourselves. Everyone is inherently different and though we should continue to celebrate our rich individuality, the future of our world also depends on finding how we are all one and the same.”

Kai Bradbury was born and grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He became interested in acting when he was 14 and was involved in a variety of improv shows and plays, including the Vancouver and Edinburgh International Fringe Festivals. He completed the musical theater program at Capilano University.

He’s especially proud of his cultural background, which includes Japanese, Venezuela, and Scot heritage.

“Tradition is tremendously important in my family, and my parents took special care that I was immersed in all the culture, travel, and language possible,” he said. “Growing up in Vancouver, seeing multi-racial and blended families was always the norm — I often wonder what being Canadian really means since most people seem to come from somewhere else. I always have my international identities to turn to.”

He currently enjoys the storytelling part of acting, but someday he’d like to do more in the industry, including direct and produce.

“I’ve got some stories to tell,” he said.

Follow Kai Bradbury on Instagram @kaibury.