Who is Mel's dad on Virgin River? Mystery character explained

In the show Virgin Rive­r, there's a captivating side story about Mel's mysterious dad. At the start, viewers are left wondering about his identity, sparking many guesses. People started thinking Vernon 'Doc' Mullins, a close friend of Mel and old enough to be her dad, could be the one. Some theories also considered Calvin.

The show cleverly holds onto the secret, just whispering little­ clues like the word 'Champ' addressed to Mel’s mom, Sarah, and the surprise­ announcement that her dad is still in Virgin Rive­r.

Finally, the mystery is solved through Everett Reid, played by John Allen Nelson, an outsider in Virgin River. When Mel’s sister comes to town, she intends to find out about their real father. Aided by a retired postman, they lead to Everett Reid’s doorstep.

At first, Everett is shown as unwilling to interact with Mel, which makes their connection even more complicated. The unforeseen plot in Virgin River adds not only intrigue to the story but also enhances the characters’ personal growth, proving how sophisticated and touching it is.

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Who is Everett Reid on Virgin River?

John Allen Nelson (Image via IMDb)

In the series Virgin River, it is revealed that Everett Reid is Mel’s biological father. He lives in a cabin by the border of the town. At first sight, he does not want to associate with Mel. Nevertheless, as time goes by, his attitude changes, and he comes to his cabin with Mel to greet her and tell her that he is ready to meet with her. John Allen Nelson plays the character of Everett Reid.

Mel’s backstory relates to her mom as an old love, and thus Mel was born. Mel’s mom chooses her husband over the lover, thus keeping the family united.

It is not clear whether Mel’s late father, the one who raised her, knew that Mel wasn’t his blood. After the tragic demise of Mel's mother, Everett went through severe episodes of mental and emotional turmoil, which further froze his emotions.

Everett is presented as an emotionally troubled individual who has positioned himself off the grid. He is a new character brought in to create new chemistry in the series, especially for season six. He was selected to represent someone who had closed himself and broken a heart that Mel could understand.

Rather than opting for the more obvious solution of Doc being her father, it was decided to provide Mel Everett as her father to fuel new storylines and conflicts.

The decision to cast the right artist for the character of Everett Reid was a big challenge as the series was still being shot. Mel is one of the characters whose depth was of interest, and therefore casting someone who looks similar to Mel's character holds maximal importance.

John Allen Nelson came in and displayed the character with the needed expertise and detail, after which Reid’s character was carefully laced with precision.

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Who plays Everett Reid on Virgin River?

Everett Reid, who plays a character in the known Netflix show Virgin River, is brought to life by the American actor John Allen Nelson. Nelson, born on August 28, 1959, in San Antonio, Texas, is not an actor but a skilled screenwriter. He has taken on roles throughout his career, showcasing his versatility as a performer and earning him a reputation.

John Allen Ne­lson is known for his career on TV, acting in several shows. He's re­membered for his role­s such as Warren Lockridge in the show Santa Barbara, John D. Cort on the series Baywatch, Walt Cummings in the drama 24, and Silas Bunch in the sitcom Crazy Ex-Girlfriend.

Apart from television, Nelson has also been in the film industry. He’s also quite a talented writer, with a cameo in the 1988 cult/sci-fi movie Killer Klowns from Outer Space, co-writing the script for 1993's martial arts classic, Best of the Best 2, and American Yakuza.

In 1994, he co-wrote and co-starred in Criminal Passion, starring Joan Severance and Anthony Denison. Further, he appeared in the first episode of the popular sitcom Friends as Monica Geller’s boyfriend, also referred to as "The Wine Guy." His last role before Virgin River was in a single episode of Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, which aired in 2017.

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All seasons of the Virgin River are available to stream on the streaming giant Netflix.