Dylan Neal

Dylan Neal is a Canadian actor whose career spans over three decades, beginning in the late 1980s and continuing robustly to the present day. Born Dylan Jeremy Neal on October 8, 1969 in Richmond Hill, Ontario, he spent his early childhood in nearby Oakville where his family relocated when he was only four months old. Though initially aspiring to become a professional squash player, his enrollment at Appleby College and later T. A. Blakelock High School sparked a passion for the performing arts through the school drama program. Encouraged by a drama teacher, Neal abandoned his early ambitions and pursued acting, even taking odd jobs as a caterer and pizza delivery driver to support himself before landing his first roles. He made his professional debut in 1987 and quickly gained recognition for his portrayal of Dylan Shaw on the long‑running soap opera The Bold and the Beautiful. The visibility of that role opened doors to prime‑time television, most notably the character Doug Witter, a small‑town police officer who later came out as gay in the final season of the seminal teen drama Dawson's Creek (1998‑2003). Neal continued to diversify his résumé with a guest turn as Aaron Jacobs on Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and a lead as Detective Mike Celluci in the supernatural series Blood Ties (2007). In 2013 he secured the male lead opposite Andie MacDowell in Hallmark Channel's inaugural scripted series Cedar Cove, portraying Jack Griffith, a determined Philadelphia reporter. The following year he and his wife, writer‑producer Becky Southwell, created the Gourmet Detective movie franchise for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, where Neal stars as Henry Ross while also serving as writer and executive producer. Their collaborative venture has yielded multiple installments, solidifying Neal’s reputation not only as an actor but also as a creative force behind the camera. He expanded his film work with a supporting role as Bob Adams in the 2015 adaptation of Fifty Shades of Grey, demonstrating his ability to transition between television and feature films. Beyond acting, Neal maintains a strong interest in furniture making, a hobby he cultivated during his early years and occasionally integrates into his production designs. He remains an active member of the Hallmark family, continually writing, producing, and starring in new projects, a testament to his enduring versatility and work ethic. Married since September 21, 1996, Neal and Becky Southwell share two children, balancing a bustling family life with a prolific entertainment career.