Since "Fire Country" premiered on CBS in 2022, viewers have been swooning over Max Thieriot, who portrays convict Bode Donovan. The network's hottest drama portrays the lives of firefighters at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as well as the lives of the inmates who participate in a firefighter program to reduce their prison sentence. Donovan is among those in the latter category and joins the program after he's convicted of armed robbery.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Thieriot started acting as a teen, appearing in "Catch That Kid" and "The Pacifier" in the early 2000s. You may recognize him from his roles in "Nancy Drew," starring Emma Roberts; one of Jennifer Lawrence's earlier movies, "House at the End of the Street"; and more. He has also appeared on television, starring as Dylan Massett in A&E's horror series "Bates Motel" and as Clay Spenser in the CBS drama "SEAL Team."
As Thieriot becomes more recognizable, his fan base has become interested in his personal life, especially his romantic history. Unlike most public figures in the entertainment industry, he and his wife are examples of the storybook romance we all hoped for growing up. It's a love story unlike any other you'll find in Hollywood.
How Did Max Thieriot Meet His Wife?
Mike Coppola/Getty Images for Entertainment Weekly
Thieriot met Lexi Murphy in 2005 when they were both just 16 years old. The teenagers were vacationing with their respective families in the Caribbean and hit it off. Coincidentally, they both were born and raised in Northern California. Thieriot grew up in Occidental, roughly 30 minutes from Santa Rosa, where Lexi lived.
When they met, Thieriot's acting career was just getting started. He had starred in the action-comedies "Catch That Kid" alongside Kristen Stewart and "The Pacifier" with Vin Diesel and Britney Snow. That didn't deter either of the teens from pursuing each other, though, and they've been in a relationship ever since.
When Did Max Thieriot Propose To His Wife?
After seven years together, Thieriot proposed to Lexi in 2012 during a two-week trip to the Caribbean. The couple adorably went back to the place they first met to take this next step in their relationship. But, according to the "Fire Country" actor, he still caught Lexi off guard.
"I think she expected it was coming," he told Flaunt Magazine according to US Weekly. "Then, she ended up thinking it wasn't going to happen because I waited a whole week before I asked."
That's one way to make sure she was surprised!
When Did Max Thieriot Get Married?
Instagram/maxthieriot
Lexi and Thieriot didn't wait long to tie the knot and got married on June 1, 2013, just a year after getting engaged. According to People, the couple had an outdoor ceremony in Lake Tahoe, surrounded by friends and family. This included Thieriot's childhood friend and "Catch That Kid" co-star Kristen Stewart.
The "Fire Country" actor later announced his marriage on X (formerly Twitter) with a post that read:
"Best weekend of my life. Married the most beautiful and amazing woman in the entire world."
How Kids Do Max Thieriot and Lexi Murphy Have?
Thieriot and his wife have two children together. Their first son, Beaux, was born in December 2015; and their second son, Maximus, was born in January 2018. Maximus was likely named after his father, whose full first name is Maximillion.
The boys are the spitting image of their father and are often featured on the "Fire Country" actor's Instagram page.
What Does Max Thieriot's Wife Do for Work?
Michael Loccisano/Getty Images
In addition to acting, Thieriot also owns a winery with two of his childhood friends. Considering he's from Sonoma County and his parents owned B.A. Thieriot winery in the '80s, it's no surprise that he invested in his own and opened Senses Wines in 2011. "Growing up around wine country, this is something that I'd always hoped I'd have the chance to do," he told Town & Country in 2018.
Also from Northern California, Lexi shares her husband's passion for winemaking. She graduated from Loyola Marymount University with a business degree in 2010, after which she landed a job at Landmark Vineyards. Three years later, she joined the team at Senses Wines and currently manages the company's customer relations.
Who Came Up With the Concept Behind 'Fire Country'?
As creator and co-writer of the series, Thieriot has allowed viewers to peek inside a world they likely otherwise would know little about. Fans may not even realize that the inmate firefighter program depicted in the show exists in real life. In fact, Thieriot is quite familiar with the program in California, but not for reasons you may think!
In an interview with "Keep Hammering" podcast, the "Fire Country" actor explained that the idea for the show came from his wife. "My wife's cousin is a CEO at an inmate fire camp and so I knew about [California's inmate firefighter program]." After he had the idea in mind, the rest followed.
Is It True Max Thieriot Almost Didn't Appear in 'Fire Country'?
Sergei Bachlakov/CBS
When Thieriot began to flesh out the concept for the show, he was still starring in "SEAL Team," so he wasn't thinking about adding another acting gig to his plate. He explained what he was thinking in an interview with Collider:
"In the beginning, my intentions were to try to create this world and pitch it, and then have them make a show, best case scenario. And then, the more into it I got, and the deeper I got, and the more time I spent with it, the more I became attached to it. ... At the time, I was fully involved with SEAL Team, so it was hard to imagine being able to go do something else, especially because this ramped up pretty quick."
Fortunately, with the encouragement of his wife and his "SEAL Team" co-star A.J. Buckley, Thieriot changed his mind.
What Makes 'Fire Country' Different From Other Firefighting Shows?
According to the creator and star, it's the show's authenticity that has viewers raving about it. Not only does the show work with technical consultants, but it also has seasoned firefighters with decades of experience working on the show.
"The biggest thing that I want and hope to achieve with this series is not only to shine the light on firefighters for being the heroes that they are," Thieriot explained to Collider, "but also just everything that they go through as humans. It's important to realize that even though Superman wears a cape, when he takes that cape off, there's a man underneath it, and it's important to peel back those layers too."
He also credits the cast for taking their roles to the next level and working as a team to make the show what it is today.
Who Stars in 'Fire Country'?
Sergei Bachlakov/CBS
In addition to Thieriot, the "Fire Country" cast also stars Kevin Alejandro (best known for "True Blood" and "Southland"), Jordon Calloway (best known for "Black Lightning" and "Riverdale"), Stephanie Arcila (best known for "Don't Breathe 2"), Jules Latimer (best known for "Guilty Party"), Diane Farr (best known for "Numb3rs" and "Rescue Me") and Billy Burke (best known for portraying Charlie Swan in the "Twilight" franchise).
When Does Season 2 Of 'Fire Country' Premiere?
Season 2 of "Fire Country" premieres on Friday, Feb. 16, at 9 p.m. / 8 p.m. Central on CBS. You can catch up by streaming Season 1 on Paramount+, Amazon Prime, and Hulu with a premium subscription.
