Holden-Ried was born in Pickering, Ontario, Canada, in 1973. He studied at Montreal's Concordia University School of Business, but he ultimately decided to pursue a career in acting.

Holden-Ried made his acting debut in 1995, with a starring role in the television movie Young Ivanhoe. He went on to appear in several other television movies and television series, including The Outer Limits, The Dead Zone, and Smallville.

In 2007, Holden-Ried was cast as William Compton in the Showtime series The Tudors. He appeared in the first seven episodes of the series, and his performance was praised by critics.

In 2010, Holden-Ried was cast as Dyson in the Syfy series Lost Girl. He appeared in all five seasons of the series, and his performance was one of the most popular aspects of the show.

In 2012, Holden-Ried played Quint Lane in the film Underworld: Awakening. He reprised the role in the 2016 film Underworld: Blood Wars.

Holden-Ried is also a voice actor. He has voiced characters in several animated television series and video games, including Captain Canuck, Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, and The Legend of Korra.

Holden-Ried is married to actress Erin Krakow. They have two children.