{{short description|American actor (born 1974)}} {{other people||Barry Watson (disambiguation)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2025}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox person | name = Barry Watson | image = | birth_name = Michael Barrett Watson<ref>[https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxGecTEn4b-SqcWilhWrTNRfFlh3YUwG8m?si=YPCsPBzeNi2a7vW4 Catching up with the Camdens: Barry Watson part 2]</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|4|23}} | birth_place = Traverse City, Michigan, U.S. | occupation = Actor | years_active = 1990–present | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Laura Payne-Gabriel<br />|1996|2002|reason=divorced}} * {{marriage|Tracy Hutson<br />|2006|2010|reason=divorced}} * {{marriage|Natasha Gregson Wagner|2014}} }} | children = 3 }}
'''Michael Barrett Watson''', known professionally as '''Barry Watson''', (born April 23, 1974)<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sourhern |first1=Nathan |title=Barry Watson |url=https://www.allmovie.com/artist/barry-watson-p319870 |website=AllMovie |access-date=June 23, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622102805/http://www.allmovie.com/artist/barry-watson-p319870 |archive-date=June 22, 2013}}</ref> is an American actor known for his roles of Matt Camden on ''7th Heaven'', Brian Davis in ''What About Brian'', Todd Deepler in ''Samantha Who?'' and Lachlan Murdoch in ''The Loudest Voice''.
==Early life== Watson, the third of four children, was born in Traverse City, Michigan.<ref>{{cite book|first=Julie|last=Albrecht Royce|title=Traveling Michigan's Sunset Coast|year=2007|publisher=Dog Ear Publishing|isbn=9781598583212|page=448}}</ref> His father worked as an attorney and his mother as a paralegal.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tauber |first1=Michelle |title=Life: Take Two |url=http://people.com/archive/life-take-two-vol-63-no-6/ |access-date=December 15, 2021 |work=People |date=February 14, 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210713051756/http://people.com/archive/life-take-two-vol-63-no-6/ |archive-date=July 13, 2021}}</ref> At the age of eight, his family moved to Dallas, Texas. Watson was fourteen when his parents divorced. When he was fifteen, he moved to Burbank, California, where he immediately landed a six month contract on the soap opera ''Days of Our Lives''. After his contract ended, Watson moved back to Texas, and graduated from Richardson High School in 1992.
==Career== Watson had guest spots in several television series such as ''Baywatch'' and ''Sister, Sister''. Eventually he was chosen for a minor role on the Aaron Spelling series ''Malibu Shores''. Though his role was brief, it led him to Aaron Spelling's next project, ''7th Heaven''.
It was on The WB's ''7th Heaven'' that Watson finally gained much recognition for his portrayal as Matt Camden. Watson said in 2016 that his mindset at the time was one of wanting to get paid despite his unsureness in the project or why the people involved wanted him to participate in the first place.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.refinery29.com/2016/08/120706/barry-watson-actor-7th-heaven-anniversary|title=Barry Watson Tells Us What Advice He'd Give To His 7th Heaven self|date=August 25, 2016|publisher=Refinery29|first=Leigh|last=Raper}}</ref> He stopped being a full-time regular after the sixth season, mainly due to his cancer diagnosis, but continued in a recurring and guest star status on the show until its 10th season. In his break from acting on ''7th Heaven'', he was brought in to write an episode by series creator and producer Brenda Hampton.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-aug-22-tv-coverstory22-story.html|title=WB's heavenly series adds black-sheep theme|date=August 22, 2004|work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref> He did not appear at all during the eleventh and final season.
In 1999, he starred in his first feature film with fellow WB star Katie Holmes in ''Teaching Mrs. Tingle''. Watson hoped that his role in the film would help him avoid being pigeonholed by his role in ''7th Heaven''. During the production, Watson felt "strange" at times due to his being the only male on set, but had "an amazing experience" working with his co-stars.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/1999/08/17/barry-watson-thinks-role-change-is-heavenly/|title=Barry Watson Thinks Role Change Is Heavenly|date=August 17, 1999|publisher=Chicago Tribune}}</ref> Watson directed two episodes of ''7th Heaven'' in 2005, and likewise directed one episode of ''The Secret Life of the American Teenager'' in 2010.{{Citation needed |date=July 2023}}
In 2002, Watson had a starring role as Dave and his alter ego Daisy in ''Sorority Boys''; his performance was met with a mixed reception amid the film being panned.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2002/03/21/review-of-sorority-boys|title=Review of Sorority Boys|date=March 21, 2002|publisher=IGN}}</ref> In a negative review, Lindy Keffer of pluggedin.com lamented that Watson's presence in the film would bring it additional attention.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pluggedin.com/movie-reviews/sororityboys/|title=Sorority Boys Movie Review|first=Lindy|last=Keffer}}</ref> From 2006 to 2007, Watson starred as the lead character, Brian Davis, in the ABC series ''What About Brian''. Watson also starred as Todd in the ABC series ''Samantha Who?'' In 2011, he played Pax in ''My Future Boyfriend'', an ABC Family original movie. In 2012, Watson appeared on ''Gossip Girl'' as Serena Van der Woodsen's boyfriend.
In 2014, he enjoyed guest-starring roles on the television shows ''Masters of Sex'' and ''Hart of Dixie''. He also starred in the television films ''Far from Home'' and ''The Santa Con''.
In 2019, Watson starred in the Showtime drama ''The Loudest Voice'', which tells the story of Roger Ailes and the rise of Fox News. Watson played Lachlan Murdoch, the son of media mogul and owner of News Corp, Rupert Murdoch.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/the-loudest-voice-barry-watson-recur-lachlan-murdoch-showtime-roger-ailes-limited-series-1202550246/|title='The Loudest Voice': Barry Watson To Play Lachlan Murdoch In Showtime's Roger Ailes Limited Series|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=2019-02-05|website=Deadline|language=en|access-date=2019-12-22}}</ref>
==Personal life== Watson has been married three times. His first marriage was to Laura Payne-Gabriel, whom he met through actress Tori Spelling.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/1113449/Barry_Watson |title=Barry Watson at Hollywood.com<!-- Bot generated title --> |access-date=2010-07-21 |archive-date=2010-09-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100901095855/http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/1113449/Barry_Watson |url-status=dead }}</ref> He and Tracy Hutson had their first son, Oliver, in May 2005, and their second son in November 2007, Felix Watson.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://people.com/parents/barry-watson-an/amp/|title=Barry Watson and Tracy Hutson welcome second son, Felix|website=People|author=<!-- Staff -->|date=April 14, 2008|access-date=January 16, 2019}}</ref> They parted in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|title=Seventh Heaven, Indeed! Natasha Gregson Wagner Expecting First Child With Barry Watson|url=http://www.eonline.com/news/seventh_heaven_indeed_natasha_gregson/312997|publisher=E! Online|date=May 2, 2012|access-date=June 4, 2012}}</ref> In May 2012, Watson and girlfriend Natasha Gregson Wagner, daughter of producer Richard Gregson and actress Natalie Wood, had a daughter.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://people.com/parents/barry-watson-natasha-gregson-wagner-welcome-daughter-clover-clementyne/|title=Natasha Gregson Wagner and Barry Watson Welcome Daughter Clover Clementyne|magazine=People|date=June 4, 2012|access-date=January 25, 2021}}</ref> They married on December 21, 2014.<ref>{{cite magazine |first=Liz|last=McNeil |url=https://people.com/celebrity/natalie-wood-daughter-natasha-gregson-wagner-mothers-day/ |title=Natalie Wood's Daughter Reveals How Her Family Helped Her Cope with the Loss of Her Mom |magazine=People |date=May 11, 2017 |access-date=September 16, 2021}}</ref>
==Filmography==
===Film=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1999 | ''Teaching Mrs. Tingle'' | Luke Churner | MTV Movie Awards (nominated) <br />Teen Choice Awards (nominated) |- |2001 | ''When Strangers Appear'' | Jack Barrett | |- | 2002 | ''Sorority Boys'' | Dave/Daisy | Teen Choice Awards (nominated) |- | 2004 | ''Love on the Side'' | Jeff Sweeney | |- | 2005 | ''Boogeyman'' | Tim Jensen | |- | 2012 | ''Kiss at Pine Lake'' | Luke | |- | 2014 | ''Far from Home'' | Nicholas Bell | |- | 2015 | ''Ominous'' | Michael | |- | 2017 | ''An Hour Behind'' | Parker | |- | rowspan=2|2019 | ''A Dog's Way Home'' | Gavin | |- | ''My Mom's Letter from Heaven'' | Connor Johnson | |- | 2021 | ''Highway to Heaven'' | Bruce | |}
===Television=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- ! Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |- | 1990 | ''Days of Our Lives'' | Randy | 3 episodes |- | rowspan=2|1993 | ''Fatal Deception: Mrs. Lee Harvey Oswald'' | Young Guy at TV Station | Television film |- | ''Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman'' | Teen Boy | Television film |- | 1994 | ''The Nanny'' | Greg | Episode: "Everybody Needs a Bubby" (uncredited){{citation needed|date=September 2021}} |- | 1995 | ''Sister, Sister'' | Barney | Episodes: "Thanksgiving in Hawaii: Parts I & II" |- | rowspan=4|1996 | ''Baywatch'' | Thomas Edward 'Cowboy' O'Hara | Episode: "The Incident" |- | ''Co-ed Call Girl'' | Jack Collins | Television film |- | ''Nash Bridges'' | Trent | Episode: "Home Invasion" |- | ''Malibu Shores'' | Seth | 4 episodes |- | 1996–2006 | ''7th Heaven'' | Matt Camden | Main role (seasons 1–6 & 9); special guest star (seasons 7, 8, & 10) |- | 2006–2007 | ''What About Brian'' | Brian Davis | rowspan=2|Main role |- | 2007–2009 | ''Samantha Who?'' | Todd Deepler |- | 2010 |''Drop Dead Diva'' | Evan | Episode: "Good Grief" |- | rowspan=2|2011 | ''My Future Boyfriend'' | Pax |rowspan=2|Television film |- | ''The Chateau Meroux'' | Chris |- | rowspan=2|2012 | ''Gossip Girl'' | Steven Spence | Recurring role |- | ''Wedding Band'' | Boboroff | Episode: "We Are Family" |- | 2013 | ''Wilfred'' | Michael | Episode: "Suspicion" |- | rowspan=2|2014 | ''Hart of Dixie'' | Davis Polk | Recurring role |- | ''Masters of Sex'' | Shelley Decklin | Episodes: "Fight", "Blackbird" |- | rowspan=2|2017 | ''Date My Dad'' | Ricky Cooper | Main role |- | ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6133806/ An Hour Behind]'' | Parker | TV Movie |- | 2018 | ''[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8295976/ A Very Nutty Christmas]'' | Chip | TV Movie |- | 2019 | ''The Loudest Voice'' | Lachlan Murdoch | Recurring role |- | 2020 | ''Into the Dark'' | Henry Cameron | Episode: "The Current Occupant" |- | 2022 | ''Naomi'' | Greg McDuffie | Main role |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{IMDb name|5538|Barry Watson}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Watson, Barry}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:American male film actors Category:American male television actors Category:20th-century American male actors Category:21st-century American male actors Category:Richardson High School alumni