Josh Holloway's true loves

JOSH HOLLOWAY APOLOGIZES for arriving a few minutes late. The long-haired hunk and star of the hit sci-fi saga Lost was catching a few winks while his baby daughter, Java, was sleeping. One of TV's top sex symbols, the first-time father is on baby time now.

But he's not complaining. The birth of “my little sweet pea” in April 2009 is one of many happy milestones for Holloway, including marriage, during his six seasons playing conman-with-a-soul Sawyer on the mystery-adventure series, which wraps up May 23 with a hugely anticipated finale.

Fatherhood “is amazing, indescribable,” says Holloway, 40, meeting for a beer — “man juice,” as he calls it — at a canal-side restaurant in Honolulu. “In the beginning, it's very difficult when you're used to total freedom, and then your freedom is suddenly ripped away. But the blessings are continuous, and with each day, she becomes more expressive. She gives me love eyes. I give her love eyes. She has me wrapped around her finger.”

He values his years on Lost, especially as his character evolved from a bitter, insulated man to one who was more mature and involved in a committed relationship with Juliet (played by Elizabeth Mitchell). But with her death at the beginning of this season, the old Sawyer bile came back. “He's a dead man inside,” he says. Now, the character just wants to get off the island.

Holloway also appreciates the financial stability that comes with a hit show; he bought a house on Oahu, his first. “In my experience, a single man doesn't need much to be satisfied,” he says, brushing back his hair in a losing battle with the warm patio breeze. “You could have a tent and a six-pack of beer, and you're pretty good.”

But not necessarily good for his six-pack abs, which he needs in his frequent bare-chested scenes. “My wife [Yessica] and I love food, especially rich French food,” he admits. “That doesn't go with sex symbol, either.

She may not help curb his eating, but Yessica does help keep the actor grounded. “She is the first to remind me of how non-sex symbol I am,” he says.
When the show wraps, Holloway plans to explore feature films, which likely will mean more time spent in Los Angeles. Still, he plans to keep his place in Hawaii.

“We're going to stay, for sure,” Holloway says. “We live on the water. Our boat's in the backyard. It's kind of everything I dreamed of that could happen.”