Dedicated to Craft
With Ben Ahlers
After a whirlwind year on stage and screen, The Gilded Age actor Ben Ahlers sits down with Todd to discuss letting go of perfection, how to recharge creatively, and watching the Knicks win the NBA championship — but then, Lagavulin’s newest brand ambassador has to get right back to work.
TODD SNYDER: You’ve had quite the year: Baltimore Center Stage, Death of a Salesman on Broadway, Little Brother on Netflix with John Cena and Eric André, and obviously season 4 of The Gilded Age is finally about to air. What’s stood out most for you from the past 12 months?
BEN AHLERS: I feel so fortunate to have played such a wide range of characters, in stories from each end of the genre spectrum and across mediums. It’s been a really exciting and demanding year. And I have a tremendous amount of gratitude for the opportunities, as well as for my support system — family, friends, and loved ones who’ve showed immense patience in having an actor in their life. I’ve also been thrilled by the amount of people who have followed my work from project to project, who might be exposing themselves to something they wouldn’t have normally seen otherwise. I’m lucky.
Coming Soon
Suede Stable Jacket
We only made 50 of this limited-edition, Italian calf suede jacket, inspired by traditional fieldwear and lined in the official Lagavulin wool plaid, woven at Scotland’s Lovat Mill.
BA: I know you keep close ties to Iowa. How do you feel like your Iowan upbringing influences your work and lifestyle after living for so many years in the city?
TS: Iowa is still a huge part of who I am. I go back often to see my family, and honestly, it’s my reset. It keeps me grounded. There’s something about the people there. They’re honest, they’re smart, and most of all they’re nice. There’s no pretense. Growing up around that shaped the way I work, the way I lead, and most importantly, the way I treat people. I still believe you work hard, you mean what you say, and you treat people with respect.
New York has given me so much — ambition, culture, energy, and an incredible education in style — but Iowa is still my foundation. Going home reminds me of where I came from and what actually matters. And I think that’s part of why I felt such a connection to Islay and Lagavulin. You described it beautifully the other day: There’s a sense of place here — the landscape, the people, the pace, the lack of pretense — that reminds me of home. And Lagavulin itself feels rooted in those same values: craft, patience, provenance, and respect for time.
It’s funny that two Iowa guys could travel all the way to Islay and find something that feels familiar. Maybe that’s part of the bond. After all these years in New York, places like Iowa — and now Islay — remind me to slow down, stay grounded, and appreciate things that take time.
“New York has given me so much — ambition, culture, energy, and an incredible education in style — but Iowa is still my foundation.”
Todd Snyder
TS: You’ve obviously been working at a pretty furious pace. How do you stay charged?
BA: I recently watched an interview with my friend, Vincent D'Onofrio, talking to a young actor, and he encouraged the young man to “fill himself with art.” I found that so moving. I’m trying to fill myself with art. This past year has been full of output, and I haven’t been able to take in as much as I’d like. So, my side project for the rest of this year is to read books across genres, watch the movies my film-nerd friends recommend to me, and try to round out my creative intake as best I can, be it fashion, music, poetry, etc. I find broadening my references allows for far more choices at my disposal when it’s time to get back to work.
“My friend Vincent D’Onofrio [was] talking to a young actor, and he encouraged the young man to ‘fill himself with art.’ I found that so moving. I’m trying to fill myself with art.”
Ben Ahlers
TS: Let’s make a toast. What should we toast to?
BA: To two Iowa boys in the big city. Go Cyclones!
