Say helloto Nicholas Sparks' newest leading man, Benjamin Walker. The 33-year-old, whohails from Georgia, stars in the author’s latest romantic book-to-film adaptation,The Choice, following in the footsteps of Ryan Gosling, Liam Hemsworth, JamesMarsden, Channing Tatum, Zac Efron and other Hollywood hunks.
“Whodoesn’t love movies about falling in love?” Benjamin told HELLO! of why it was special to participate in a Sparks film. “Are there people out there who arelike “'ugh love?’”
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The actor,who plays small town vet Travis, shares the screen with actress Teresa Palmer. “I thinkwe had the best chemistry,” he admitted at the film's Los Angeles premiere on Monday. The movie’s location also made the film that much more romantic, Benjamin said: “We shot it in Wilmington, NorthCarolina which is the most beautiful place on the planet and the easiest placein the world to fall in love.”
And as acharacter in a Nicholas Sparks film, Benjamin knows that a dating applicationis not how you go about finding love. “Tinder is not where you fall in love,”he said. “Tinder is where you make mistakes. Great mistakes.”
The romantic film’s star, who was previously married to Meryl Streep’s daughter Mamie Gummer, is already looking forward to celebrating hisfirst Valentine’s Day with his new wife, Skinsactress Kaya Scodelario — whom he married in December. Though Benjamin admitted that celebratingthe holiday as a married man doesn't make it easier. “It adds pressure because you’ve got to continue courting for therest of your life," he said. "Just because you’re married doesn’t mean that you give up.”
The Choice opens in Theaters Friday, February 5.
- Reporting by: Alex Cramer
