BEHIND THE CAMERA WITH ON-SCREEN HERO DANIEL HENNEY

A day in the life of this award-winning Korean-American, dog rescuer and Hamilton watch lover

Daniel Henney has starred in outstanding film and TV productions including the Korean drama “My Lovely Sam Soon,” “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” and “Hawaii Five-0.” He is well known for his role as FBI agent Matthew ‘Matt’ Simmons in CBS’s “Criminal Minds” (2015-2020) and “Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders” (2016-2017).

Now that “Criminal Minds” has ended, what are you working on next?

I’m back on-screen as Lan (al’Lan Mandragoran) in Amazon Prime Video’s TV adaptation of the “Wheel of Time” novel series. This was an amazing project because the world building was produced on an epic scale and the setting and story are so fantastical and yet so relatable. We’ve actually just begun filming the second season even though the first season won’t premiere until later this year.

That seems like a big switch from investigative drama to epic fantasy!

It definitely was, but that is one of the best things about it. New challenges keep me on my toes, they keep me inspired and excited for what I’ll learn next.

What other passions and interests do you pursue outside of filmmaking?

My family is so important to me and I’m lucky to feel connected to both my dad’s American roots and my mom’s Korean heritage. I have so much love in my heart for South Korea – but I’m also a huge dog lover and for the past few years have been working to raise awareness about the atrocities of the country’s puppy mills and the benefits of dog adoption. Both of my golden retrieves, Juliette and Roscoe, were rescued from dog meat farms and it’s my hope to give more dogs like them a new family. Alongside filming, this keeps me busy! But, I still find time to unwind and have fun, usually with a game of basketball or a ride on my motorcycle.

We’ve beenworking together since 2013 and we love that you are a genuinely into watches. What do you like most about our timepieces?

Hamilton’s watches have this unique balance of the old and new – they celebrate the past without getting stuck there, a tenant that appeals to both sides of my heritage. I love the authenticity and the character you find in Hamilton’s watches; each has a unique story that stands out just the right amount. Most recently, I’ve been wearing PSR digital quartz because it totally changed the way the world told time and very innovative hybrid design which brings game-changing style, so it’s my all-time favorite watch now.
Everything is so fast paced these days and I’m connected globally to so many projects and people. Wearing a watch powered only by the genius of precision engineering is always a reminder to stay in the moment.