Lyriq Bent misses his car. Having spent the past few months filming the new TV series Copper in Toronto, where he was shuttled around in a production car, Bent then headed to Winnipeg last week where he’ll remain until the end of October, shooting the film Mother’s Day. Then it’s on to Buffalo to film another movie.

But the Toronto native can’t wait to get back to L.A. and reunite with his Audi A6, which he shipped down when he relocated to California three years ago.

“I’ve always loved Audis,” admits the star of such movies as Four Brothers,  Take the Lead and three Saw sequels, as well as roles on numerous TV shows including CSI Miami and Kevin Hill.

“It’s got the sunroof, the heated seats and heated steering wheel,” he says of his five-year-old car, adding, “It looks like the cockpit of an airplane at night because everything glows.”

With its midnight blue exterior and buttery-coloured leather interior, accented with blond wood paneling, and gadgets galore, Bent’s ride is more of an escape rather than just a means to get from point A to B. “Sometimes I’ve got nowhere to go and I just cruise,” he reveals. “I love doing that, taking in the scenery and enjoying the music I’m listening to.”

Having studied at Seneca College to become a computer graphic technician, the chiselled star fell into acting on a dare. “I pursued acting because I wasn’t very good at it,” he explains. “If I think something is a challenge, I’ll stay at it until I overcome it.”

As for contending with the notoriously congested Los Angeles traffic, which can be a challenge at the best of times, Bent doesn’t let it raise his blood pressure. “I really like being in my car, so I don’t mind even though it can be a parking lot at times,” he says. 

And aside from taking on more and more challenging roles, this Canadian export also has his eyes set on an auto upgrade to an Audi R8 one day.  Considering how many roles are coming his way, an it looks like an R8 is on the horizon.

– Heather Buchan is a Toronto-based journalist who has worked at several Canadian magazines, including Hello! Canada, where she cut her teeth in the world of celebrities.