Biography
Ben Barrington (born January 14, 1977, New Zealand) is a New Zealand actor best known for his decade-long portrayal of Dr. Drew McCaskill on Shortland Street and as the lovable Norse god Olaf Johnson in The Almighty Johnsons. Standing 6'4" (193 cm), he has built a versatile career spanning theatre, television, and international film productions over more than two decades.
Early Life & Training
Barrington grew up in Hamilton with no initial aspirations toward acting. The spark came at Waikato University when he impulsively auditioned for Caryl Churchill's Cloud Nine — landing the role transformed his trajectory. He applied to Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School without realizing how competitive it was, becoming one of 18 selected from 300 applicants. He graduated in 2001 with a Bachelor of Performing Arts and promptly won a Chapman Tripp Theatre Award for his Wellington stage work.
Personal Life
Barrington lives in Titirangi, Auckland, with his wife Kristie Fergus — a makeup artist he married in March 2019 in a bohemian-themed ceremony featuring a choreographed disco routine. Their daughter Harley was born in June 2016; Fergus's son Ollie from a previous relationship completes their blended family.
He's been candid about early career struggles — going bald at 24 and being 6'4" with a "baby face" initially made him "uncastable." Time proved those distinctive features assets rather than obstacles.
Career Highlights
Barrington's TV breakthrough came with The Insider's Guide to Happiness (2004), earning two award nominations. He followed with Outrageous Fortune (2006–2007) as gang leader Tyson before spending three years in England.
His international film credits include uncredited roles in Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy — as a Gondorian Soldier and Ranger in The Two Towers (2002) and Return of the King (2003) — and as a Centaur in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005), alongside James McAvoy.
The Almighty Johnsons (2011–2013) brought him widespread recognition as Olaf Johnson. Ironically, the casting brief initially specified they didn't want "anyone who looks like Ben Barrington" — they sought normal-looking guys as Norse gods. Only after exhausting other options did creator James Griffin give him the chance.
Since 2015, Barrington has starred as plastic surgeon Dr. Drew McCaskill on Shortland Street, New Zealand's longest-running soap — accumulating over 1,560 episodes through 2025. That same year, he competed on Dancing With the Stars NZ, describing it as "24/7 stress and fear."
Other credits include Top of the Lake (2013), Offspring (2014), The Brokenwood Mysteries (2015), and My Life Is Murder (2021).
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Career timeline
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