Television audiences and horror buffs are about to see much more of Manhasset child actor Ben Hyland.
Ben, who in 2013 appeared in three episodes of the direct-to-Netflix series “House of Cards” as the son of Corey Stoll’s troubled United States Rep. Peter Russo, is set to reprise his role of Stoll’s offspring in the upcoming FX series “The Strain,” which premieres July 13.
“It was pretty cool to work with him again because I’ve worked with him on ‘House of Cards’ and knew him,” said Ben, 12. “Our relationship is not too different from the one on ‘House of Cards.’ On [‘The Strain’], nobody really likes him all that much, but I do, and it was like that on ‘House of Cards’ too.”
Ben this time plays Zach Goodweather, whose father leads an investigative team from the Center for Disease Control against a virus set to turn New York City into a vampire breeding ground.
Ben said his storyline centers around the aftermath of a divorce between Stoll’s Dr. Ephraim Goodweather and Zach’s mother, Kelly Goodweather, played by actress Natalie Brown.
“It’s probably one of the scariest shows ever,” said Hyland, who added he’s already seen the series’ pilot episode. “It’s a bit like ‘The Walking Dead,’ but I think it’s scarier and better, to be honest.”
In the pilot, helmed by series co-creators Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan, Stoll’s Canary Unit scopes out an airplane that lands in New York with each of its passengers already dead.
When it is revealed the passengers died due to the virus, Ephraim is told to destroy the bodies out of fear of an outbreak.
“It doesn’t start off with a lot of horror. It really builds up,” Ben said. “If I wasn’t in it, I don’t know if I would be able to watch it, but I’d find a way to watch it. It’s that good.”
Ben began acting at age 3 and was cast in the 2008 film “Marley and Me” when he was 5.
He has worked alongside actors like Jeff Goldbum and Kevin Spacey and said he would one day like to work with Adam Sandler.
Ben last year starred in the Ralph Macchio-directed short film “Across Grace Alley,” – as a boy who copes with his parents’ divorce through a series of profound chance encounters with an attractive woman he sees through his neighbor’s window – alongside four-time Academy Award nominee Marcia Mason and “Dancing With the Stars” pro Karina Smirnoff.
Ben appears in eight episodes of the “The Stain’s” 13-episode first season. Filming for the show took place in Toronto from September 2013 to May 2014, with Ben and his father John jetting back and forth sometimes for up to two weeks at a time.
“The Strain” is based on a trilogy of novels by Hogan and del Toro, who also directed the pilot, entitled “Night Zero.” The books have also been adapted into graphic novels.
“[del Toro] was really nice. He was one of the nicest people I’ve ever met on a set,” Ben said. “[‘The Strain’] has been his vision for a long time and he knew a lot about what he wanted us to do.”
In between filming, Ben completed sixth grade at Munsey Park Elementary School and will attend the Manhasset Secondary School in September.
He also recently auditioned for an upcoming Steven Spielberg production and an untitled Marvel Studios project.
This summer, Ben plans to attend summer camps and promote “The Strain” on press junkets, at its premiere and the upcoming Comic-Con International trade show from July 24-27 in San Diego, Calif.
“Doing interviews is fun,” he said. “On ‘The Strain’ there was a press table, and you would move from seat to seat. On set there were a couple of people from TV Guide. I’m kind of used to it now.”
