# Brian Hallisay
**Brian Hallisay** (born 1978) is an American actor known for television roles as [Will Davis](https://www.edgepedia.org/will-davis) on [The CW](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-cw) drama *Privileged*, Kyle Parks on the Lifetime drama *The Client List*, Ben Hunter on the ABC prime-time soap *Revenge*, and Doug Kendall on the drama *9-1-1*.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) Before acting, he studied economics and history at Cornell University and worked in finance on [Wall Street](https://www.edgepedia.org/wall-street).[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brian-hallisay/bio/3000171421/) He has been married to his *Client List* co-star, the actress Jennifer Love Hewitt, since November 20, 2013, and the two have three children.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001349/fullcredits)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1978; sources disagree on the birthplace, giving either Washington, D.C.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) or Los Angeles, CA[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) |
| Education | Gonzaga College High School (1996); bachelor's degree in Economics and History, Cornell University (2000)[5](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/brian-hallisay/) |
| Pre-acting career | Worked in finance on Wall Street before switching to acting in his mid-twenties[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) |
| Breakout role | Will Davis, a wealthy Palm Beach bachelor, on *Privileged* (The CW, 2008-09)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) |
| Signature TV roles | Kyle Parks on *The Client List* (2012-13, 22 episodes), Ben Hunter on *Revenge* (2014-15, 23 episodes), Doug Kendall on *9-1-1* (2018-2024, 7 episodes)[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) |
| Marriage | Married Jennifer Love Hewitt on November 20, 2013; three children[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001349/fullcredits) |
| Recent work | Mason in the Lifetime movie *The Holiday Junkie* (2024), directed by and co-starring Hewitt[6](https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/the-holiday-junkie) |
## Early life and education
Hallisay was born in 1978. Most biographical databases, including IMDb, TV Guide, and BuddyTV, place his birth in Washington, D.C.,[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) • [2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brian-hallisay/bio/3000171421/) • [5](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/brian-hallisay/) while the biographical text on Rotten Tomatoes, TV Insider, and Apple TV describes him as born in Los Angeles, CA.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) • [7](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/brian-hallisay/umc.cpc.6i3vgxk2mtqzw9m5i50uqp08b)
He graduated from Gonzaga College High School in 1996, at age 18, and earned a degree in [Economics](https://www.edgepedia.org/economics) and History at Cornell University, graduating in 2000.[5](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/brian-hallisay/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) He then spent several years working on Wall Street before leaving finance to act in his mid-twenties. In an interview quoted by NetflixMovies, he said of the change, "I had always dreamed about seeing what acting was all about."[8](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/brian-hallisay)
## Television career
**Early guest roles.** Hallisay made his television debut in 2005 on the short-lived Fox crime series *The Inside*, playing Jake Carrington opposite Rachel Nichols and [Adam Baldwin](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-baldwin), and appeared on Lifetime's *Strong Medicine* as Dr. George Harmon.[5](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/brian-hallisay/) A string of guest parts on crime and drama procedurals followed: *Without a Trace* (as Alex Stark), *Cold Case* (as Jimmy Bruno), *CSI: NY* (as Emery Gable), *Bones* (as Ben Michaelson), *Bionic Woman* (as Dr. Mark Stevens), *Medium* (as Ryan Haas), *Eastwick*, and *Rizzoli & Isles*.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) • [9](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10382) His break-out appearance came opposite [John Leguizamo](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-leguizamo) in the 2006 television film *A.K.A.*, directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan.[9](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10382)
**Privileged.** In 2008 Hallisay took his first recurring role as Will Davis, a charming, wealthy Palm Beach bachelor and potential love interest of lead character [Megan Smith](https://www.edgepedia.org/megan-smith) (JoAnna Garcia), on The CW's teen drama *Privileged*, which ran 2008-09.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) • [5](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/brian-hallisay/) IMDb credits him with 18 episodes in the role.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999)
**The Client List and Revenge.** After *Privileged* was canceled, Hallisay joined *The Client List* (Lifetime, 2012-13), playing Kyle Parks, the estranged husband of Riley Parks, played by [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-love-hewitt), his future wife; IMDb lists 22 episodes in the role.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) He then played Karen's HIV-positive ex-boyfriend Ben Odell in *Mistresses* (ABC, 2013-16) before being cast in 2014 as Ben Hunter, an earnest police officer, on the prime-time soap *Revenge* (ABC, 2011-15); the German television database serienjunkies notes that after several guest episodes in the fourth and final season he was promoted into the main cast.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) • [10](https://www.serienjunkies.de/person/brian-hallisay/31128/) IMDb credits him with 23 episodes of *Revenge*.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999)
**9-1-1.** Between late 2018 and early 2019, Hallisay had a recurring part on *9-1-1* portraying Doug Kendall, who went by Jason Bailey, an abusive spouse of Maddie Buckley, a role filled by Hallisay's actual wife, Jennifer Love Hewitt.[11](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/brian-hallisay) He returned to the role in later seasons, and IMDb lists seven episodes between 2018 and 2024.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999)
Later guest credits include FBI Agent Pettibone on *Ringer*, Dr. Jeffrey Dante on *Body of Proof*, Bo McLaren on *Major Crimes*, Drew McAdoo on *Code Black*, David Crocker on *NCIS*, and Craig Cameron on *Suits*.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) • [12](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/30391/brian-hallisay)
## Film career
Hallisay made his feature film debut in the comedy *Bottoms Up* (2006), playing Hayden Field, Paris Hilton's boyfriend, alongside [Jason Mewes](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-mewes) and David Keith.[4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) He played the lead role of groom-to-be Scott in the horror installment *[Hostel: Part III](https://www.edgepedia.org/hostel-part-iii)* (2011),[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) then appeared in the supernatural horror film *Jessabelle* (2014) as Mark and in [Clint Eastwood](https://www.edgepedia.org/clint-eastwood)'s Oscar-nominated biographical war film *American Sniper* (2014) as Capt. Gillespie.[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999) The ratings aggregator AuteurGraph lists *American Sniper* as his best-rated film, with a 75.4 average score across databases and $542 million in box office.[13](https://auteurgraph.com/person/brian-hallisay/ratings)
## Marriage to Jennifer Love Hewitt
Hallisay met Hewitt while they were co-starring on *The Client List*, where he played her character's estranged husband.[14](https://www.thelist.com/171710/the-truth-about-jennifer-love-hewitts-husband-brian-hallisay/) The two married on November 20, 2013, and have three children: daughter Autumn and sons Atticus and Aidan.[3](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001349/fullcredits) • [15](https://abc.com/cast/6e4555c8-e649-4b84-a913-25f8afccc69d) [TV Guide](https://www.edgepedia.org/tv-guide) notes that the marriage was kept private, describing the couple as having "secretly married" before the birth of their first child.[2](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brian-hallisay/bio/3000171421/)
The marriage has produced repeated on-screen pairings. On *9-1-1*, Hallisay played the abusive husband of Hewitt's character Maddie Buckley.[11](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/brian-hallisay) In 2024 the two worked together on different terms in the Lifetime holiday movie *The Holiday Junkie*, which Hewitt starred in, directed, and executive produced, with Hallisay co-starring as Mason, a handyman with "his own case of holiday heartbreak," and their children also appearing in the film.[6](https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/the-holiday-junkie) • [16](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jennifer-love-hewitt-returns-lifetime-181500071.html) The film premiered December 14, 2024, as part of Lifetime's "It's a Wonderful Lifetime" slate.[17](https://www.tvguide.com/news/lifetime-christmas-movie-calendar-2024-the-full-schedule/)
## References
1. [Brian Hallisay, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/brian-hallisay/)
2. [Brian Hallisay Biography, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/brian-hallisay/bio/3000171421/)
3. [Jennifer Love Hewitt full credits and personal details, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0001349/fullcredits)
4. [Brian Hallisay, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1878999)
5. [Brian Hallisay, BuddyTV](https://www.buddytv.com/actors/brian-hallisay/)
6. [Watch The Holiday Junkie, Lifetime](https://www.mylifetime.com/movies/the-holiday-junkie)
7. [Brian Hallisay Movies and Shows, Apple TV](https://tv.apple.com/us/person/brian-hallisay/umc.cpc.6i3vgxk2mtqzw9m5i50uqp08b)
8. [Brian Hallisay Movies on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/brian-hallisay)
9. [Brian Hallisay, TVSA](https://www.tvsa.co.za/actors/viewactor.aspx?actorid=10382)
10. [Brian Hallisay: Filme, Serien und Biografie, serienjunkies.de](https://www.serienjunkies.de/person/brian-hallisay/31128/)
11. [Brian Hallisay, VALÉORINE](https://www.valeorine.com/reference/brian-hallisay)
12. [Brian Hallisay, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/30391/brian-hallisay)
13. [Brian Hallisay Ratings, AuteurGraph](https://auteurgraph.com/person/brian-hallisay/ratings)
14. [The Truth About Jennifer Love Hewitt's Husband, Brian Hallisay, The List](https://www.thelist.com/171710/the-truth-about-jennifer-love-hewitts-husband-brian-hallisay/)
15. [Jennifer Love Hewitt cast biography, ABC](https://abc.com/cast/6e4555c8-e649-4b84-a913-25f8afccc69d)
16. [Jennifer Love Hewitt Returns To Lifetime For Tentpole Holiday Movie; Brian Hallisay Co-Stars, Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/jennifer-love-hewitt-returns-lifetime-181500071.html)
17. [Lifetime Christmas Movie Calendar 2024: The Full Schedule, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/news/lifetime-christmas-movie-calendar-2024-the-full-schedule/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames H to Ha*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license