Spy: Kiwi actors on fire across the ditch

Kiwi actors are increasingly popular in Australia, and now it's the turn of
Almighty Johnsons star Ben Barrington to sizzle up the small screen in an Aussie soap.

Barrington is Nina Proudman's new love interest in the hit drama, Offspring, which returns to TV One on Thursday. He joins mate Ido Drent, reprising his role as Nina's counsellor.

Award-winning actress Asher Keddie plays obstetrician Nina, and the show picks up six months after last season's finale, which saw the death of her fiance, Patrick. Nina is raising their baby.

Barrington plays Thomas, a construction project manager, who catches Nina's eye. He wasn't giving away any storylines but did warn Spy: "Viewers will get to see my arse." Nothing new there, then.

He had a great time working with Keddie when they filmed in Melbourne last year. He said the cast was friendly to a "stranger joining the show".

"But it was great already knowing Ido. We went to the same high school in Hamilton plus we both came from South Pacific Studios.

"He was great to run lines with off the set and to go out with for a drink."

Before Offspring, Barrington unsuccessfully auditioned for George Mason's role on Home and Away. "I knew I was too old for it, but it was great dipping my feet into the Aussie auditions, which led quickly to my role on Offspring."

Barrington is stoked with Kiwi actors' success over the ditch, citing Danielle Cormack's trailblazing roles in Underbelly and Wentworth as inspirational.

He said there was a "huge amount of digital auditioning going on by Kiwi actors, hence our growing success internationally".

Barrington has spent the summer with his best buddy, actor Will Hall and Barrington's family in Mt Maunganui. On Thursday he left his idyllic holiday to fly to Sydney for an audition.

Meanwhile, Kiwi expats Mason and Kyle Pryor were this week stars in a women's mag centrespread to promo Home and Away.