The Untold Truth Of Scott Speedman

Scott Speedman first rose to fame in the late '90s on the hit WB show "Felicity." He starred as Ben Covington, the man who essentially wins Felicity's heart (kind of, sort of) over Noel Crane (Scott Foley). When "Felicity" ended its four-season run, Speedman went on to star in projects that were more under the radar, like the 2010 film "Barney's Version" and 2011's "Citizen Gangster."

Speedman appeared on the TNT drama "Animal Kingdom" for three seasons as Barry "Baz" Blackwell, but it was a 2018 guest appearance on a Season 14 episode of "Grey's Anatomy" that had Speedman's name on everyone's lips again. He starred as Dr. Nick Marsh, a doctor who needed an organ transplant performed by Dr. Meredith Grey (Ellen Pompeo). The chemistry between Nick and Meredith was palpable, making the character unforgettable for many fans.

So, Speedman reprised the role of Dr. Marsh four seasons later in 2021, becoming a series regular on "Grey's Anatomy" for Season 18. It's the same year he starred as a suspicious widower on the hit Netflix series, "You." These two roles launched the actor back into the spotlight in a big way, but London-born, Canadian-raised Speedman is so private, there's still a lot to learn about his life. A deep dive is required to learn the untold truth of Scott Speedman.

Scott Speedman may have become a household name because of his role as Ben on "Felicity," but it doesn't take much digging to find out that this was not the first time he appeared on the WB. According to IMDb, Speedman's second acting role ever was as Ned Nickerson on a 1995 television version of "Nancy Drew" that was syndicated to the WB. The show only aired for one season and Speedman appeared in five of 13 episodes.

Goodreads says Ned is "often referred to as Nancy Drew's boyfriend." It's difficult to find much information on the short-lived series, but Nancy (Tracy Ryan) and Ned do appear to be dating in a clip of the show that shows an uptight Nancy trying to plan their day as easy-going Ned makes a case for skipping all of the rigidity and going to the beach. The couple's plan appears to be derailed when money starts falling from the sky and they suddenly have a mystery to solve.

Felicity's (Kerri Russell) love life may not have been the biggest draw on "Felicity." Russell had long, curly locks on Season 1, which she cut over the summer after a breakup with Noel (Scott Foley). On "Armchair Expert," Russell explained that the monumental choice started as a joke when she found a short wig on set and sent a picture of herself wearing it to the creators of the show, J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves over hiatus.

Her bosses called her while she was on vacation and asked her if she would actually cut her hair. "We thought, 'that is what every college girl does, they break up with their boyfriend and they cut their hair'" Russell explained the creators' choice on the podcast. She said that the media took a joke about it out of context and all of the sudden it became one of the "25 Biggest TV Blunders" of all time according to TV Guide (via The Futon Critic).

Scott Speedman was dating Russell at the time and admitted on a "Jimmy Kimmel Live" appearance with her that he wasn't a fan. Speedman called himself a "disaster of a boyfriend" and said he wanted to "put on a good show" of support when he saw her. But, "She turned around the corner and my face sort of froze in a half-panic half-smile situation." He said Russell had a "chia [pet] sort of vibe" when she had the short hair.

It's hard to imagine anyone other than Scott Speedman playing Ben Covington, the guy that Felicity Porter (Keri Russell) follows to college in New York. But Scott Foley, who played Noel Crane on the show, revealed that he was originally cast as Ben at a 2018 "Felicity" reunion panel at ATX TV Festival. But, they couldn't find anyone right for the part of Noel. "I think they liked this guy as Ben better," Foley said at the event (via E!). "Nobody could have played Ben Covington better than Scott Speedman."

Speedman revealed in a 2021 interview with People that he almost didn't join the cast of "Felicity" at all. "I said 'No' originally," Speedman admitted. It's unclear exactly what part he was asked to read for, but he said his agent found out and changed his mind. Ultimately, Speedman is glad things worked out. "I was kind of really right for the part," he said. "It was kind of a good fit for where I was as a young dude." Speedman praised the pilot script and said that as he's gotten older he realizes just how special the cast was, and how unique it now feels to shoot scenes on film.

Even though Scott Speedman starred in two of the most popular shows of the year in 2021 — "Grey's Anatomy" and "You" — he told Elle Canada in 2012 that he was very selective about his career at the start, and doesn't think he excels in roles that appeal to the masses. "I've been blessed, and cursed, with reasonably good taste, which, in a way, keeps my career from progressing-and may have held me back a little bit," he said. "I just generally gravitate toward stuff that interests me. But that's also practical, because I'm terrible at stuff that is manipulative and purely commercial."

"When I was younger, I had a chance to make my mark in bigger movies and get myself into a position where I could be a little more picky, but then I went down a different road," Speedman continued. In 2021, he admitted to People that choosing more obscure roles helped his career in the long-run. The actor said he's "at ease with doing popular things like 'You,' and then at the same time being able to go do not just indie movies, but indie movies that I think will land."

Scott Speedman has earned a place in TV history with his role as Ben Covington on "Felicity," but it took a bit of unfortunate fate to get Speedman's face on the small screen in the first place. He was a competitive swimmer until a neck injury set him on a path as an actor. "I had a good couple of years of competing at a prime age and then my arm just kind of gave out," Speedman explained his nerve injury to Men's Journal. "It was definitely one of the best things that has happened to me."

Since Speedman had more time on his hands without training, he began hanging out with a dancer who had actor friends and auditioned for his first movie "on a whim." He didn't get that part, but he got connected to agents in Toronto, and the rest, as they say, is history. Speedman could have been a famous Olympic swimmer, though. Before his injury, he competed in the 1992 Olympic trials for Canada (via PopSugar).

The role Scott Speedman told Men's Journal he auditioned for "on a whim" could have changed his life instantly. He read for the part of Robin in "Batman Forever." Chris O'Donnell played the world's most famous sidekick instead. Speedman called the experience "hilarious."

"It was a very stereotypical thing: You went to this hotel and there were like 100 kids on the top floor and you do this improv with Mali Finn, who's a great casting director," he continued. "I got a callback and then another callback and I knew that was going to be kind of it. I knew I wasn't great but I definitely was hungry and wanted it and she helped me out."

Speedman eventually went on to star as a human named Michael in the "Underworld" vampire franchise alongside Kate Beckinsale (via IMDb). His character is chased by werewolves for mysterious reasons. It's not a superhero movie, but Beckinsale is definitely a worthy co-star.

Scott Speedman has kept details of his love life private throughout much of his time in the spotlight, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been linked to some very high-profile ladies. He has dated actor Heather Graham (via Elle Canada) and had a "fling" with Gwyneth Paltrow, whom he starred alongside in the dramedy "Duets" in 2000 (via Daily Mail). The couple were seen "holding hands and nuzzling" during a party at the Playboy mansion, but ended their flirtation quickly.

In 2014, InTouch reported (via Daily Mail) that "The Animal Kingdom" actor was dating comedian Kristen Wiig. The pair were reportedly seen together at Toronto Film Festival and "spent the entire night laughing and talking," according to a source. Wiig was "totally into Scott!" 

But on the same day that the dating reports were published, a source told E! that the actors were not dating, but "have been friends for a long time." So, only Speedman and Wiig will know the truth about their relationship.

As mentioned above, Scott Speedman thought he was going to find success in the water as an Olympic swimmer, not constantly under the spotlight as an actor. He described himself to People as "somewhat introverted" and "shy."

"It is a process to get used to people knowing you and then the expectations career-wise that comes with that," he continued. Something Speedman will never get used to is people prying into his romantic life, which is probably why it's hard to find details about his previous prominent relationships.

"I hate stuff that breaks the wall between a movie or a TV show and the people it's made for," Speedman elaborated to Playboy (via E!). "You want people to buy in, to believe this fiction we're working so hard to make. So when you have cameras at rehearsals, people blogging and tweeting everything behind the scenes, what happens to the magic? 'Hey, everyone, Scott's eating a sandwich.' Your personal life becomes your currency."

Scott Speedman has been dating his current partner, Lindsay Rae Hofmann, for "four years" he told People. Unlike many of his former girlfriends, Hofmann is not an actor. According to LinkedIn, she's the co-founder of Juillet, a high-end swimwear brand.

Speedman has had a leading role on Hofmann's Instagram profile for the past year especially. She sends him sweet, simple messages in the captions like, "Another year around the sun my love — happy birthday," when Speedman turned 46 on September 1, 2021.

Perhaps it was Hofmann convinced Speedman to give in and get an Instagram account of his own. The pair aren't married, but Speedman told People Hofmann is "amazing" and he knew he was ready to take the next step in life with her. Hofmann announced on her Instagram account in May 2021 that she and Speedman were expecting a baby girl together.

Scott Speedman announced on Instagram that his daughter, Pfeiffer Lucia Speedman was born on October 26, 2021, via a home birth. Before her birth, the father-to-be told Drew Barrymore on "The Drew Barrymore Show" how he was preparing for the unconventional birth. He said they had to pick up a tub from their neighbors, whom they didn't know. "I just knocked on the door and this guy just delivered this tub and now I'm in charge of blowing it up and getting the water in and all that stuff," he said. "It's kind of a weird experience, I'm not gonna lie."

Speedman told People that even though he's in his 40s, it's the right time in his life to have a child. "Everything feels right with her," he said of girlfriend Lindsay Rae Hofmann. "The timing just feels great." He said he's "ready" to "give over" to parenthood. 

Hofmann explained Pfeiffer Lucia's name in an Instagram caption announcing her birth. Pfeiffer is meant to connect her to "nature and sea," and Lucia "to forever be our little 'light.'"

Scott Speedman has been in a mix of commercial hit TV shows, movies, and independent films. Each of these projects can have wildly different budgets, so it's only natural to wonder exactly how much the actor is worth.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, Scott Speedman is worth $3 million as of 2021. Considering he joined "Grey's Anatomy" as a series regular for Season 18, there is a chance that his worth will increase dramatically soon. His co-star Ellen Pompeo became the "highest-paid actress on a primetime drama" when she signed a $20 million dollar contract with Disney and ABC to continue starring on the medical drama in 2017.

"Grey's Anatomy" showrunner Krista Vernoff told Deadline, Speedman is "here for this season, and that's what we know right now." It's impossible to know how much money is in Speedman's bank account because we are not signing his contracts on the bottom line. But seeing as he also just starred in a season-long arc on Netflix's popular hit show "You," we imagine he's doing just fine.