Josh Duhamel, 52, and Minka Kelly have teamed up for the first time onscreen in Netflix’s new Western romance series, Ransom Canyon. Stationed in Texas, the series (which debuted on April 17) is rooted in Jodi Thomas’ beloved book series. FNL’s Minka Kelly, meanwhile, confesses she has no memory of ever having met either actor previously. Yet, they’ve been at odds before.
Duhamel still clearly recalls the 10-year-old flight from New York to Los Angeles. He was fortunate to be able to ride alongside Kelly on that trip. As one of his few warm acceptances from the primates, he fondly remembers their short exchange on the jet. To his shock, Kelly has no recollection of it whatsoever. This epiphany hit them as they were filming production scenes for Ransom Canyon, when Duhamel first raised their meeting on set.
“It’s kind of scary that she didn’t recall meeting me,” Duhamel added. He said it was funny to see how things had developed. With a chuckle, he quipped that Kelly had to scrub the file because she didn’t think he was chatting her up at the time.
“I never thought he’d be talking to me,” Kelly said when reflecting on her mindset during their initial meeting.
Though one can hardly forget such a memory oops, their chemistry was undeniable while making Ransom Canyon.”I remember, we got together just to see what our chemistry would be like before we started shooting, and immediately, it was just like butter,” Kelly stated. She was excited to get on set with Duhamel. After their initial meeting, she fired off an enthusiastic text to him, “I’m so stoked that I get to go through this with you!” I feel so safe with you.”
In Ransom Canyon, Duhamel plays Staten Kirkland, an earthen figure that meets the hard-boiled thespian’s granite facade as though cast from a mold. Kelly was over the moon at the casting of Duhamel. She giddily exclaimed, “This is just what you hope for — seeing him in a cowboy hat, on a ranch, on a horse!”
The duo says that their upcoming collaboration is an exciting new chapter for both of their careers. It mixes new experiences with a collective past that, as Kelly was amazed to learn, started much farther back than this project. As they navigate their roles in Ransom Canyon, fans are eager to witness the dynamic that has developed despite the initial memory lapse.