Brian Van Holt is an actor and advertising model. Van Holt has a degree in Sociology from UCLA.  At 18 years of age, he struck the perfect image of a Huntington Beach, California surfer. Discovered first by producer Stephen Douglas in front of a GAP store in a strip mall, Douglas invited him to participate in a sportswear modeling contest he was promoting. Van Holt won the contest, beating over 200 other participants and Douglas signed him to the Jack Rose Agency in Hollywood.

Van Holt did a few print ads and commercials as a model over the next seven years, but then began to be cast in several movies and TV series beginning with A Very Brady Sequel in 1996 followed by episodes in LA Johns, Beverly Hills, 90210, Spin City, Homicide: Life on the Street, Martial Law, and Sex and the City. He then hit his stride in a string of martial-themed, A-list films beginning with Black Hawk Down and Windtalkers, interspersed with Confidence, and continuing with Basic and S.W.A.T.. He has since appeared in Man of the House and  House of Wax. Brian currently appears as Bobby Cobb on the hit series Cougar Town as the good-natured ex-husband.