Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland (born St. Mary's Hospital, London December 21, 1966) is a British-Canadian television and film actor.
Biography
Sutherland is the son of Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, both successful actors. He is the grandson of Canadian statesman and inventor of Canadian medicare Tommy Douglas, who was in 2004 voted by CBC viewers as The Greatest Canadian.
He was born in London while his parents were working there. His family then moved to Los Angeles, California shortly afterwards, but his parents eventually divorced in 1970. In 1975, Sutherland moved with his mother to Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where he attended high school at St. Andrew's College (Aurora, Ontario), Martingrove Collegiate Institute and Malvern Collegiate Institute. As a result, he holds both Canadian and British passports.
In 1983, Sutherland moved to New York City in the pursuit of launching his acting career. After being featured in TV commercials, he drove all the way back to California to further his pursuits.
He has a twin sister named Rachel, who has had a few credits in film production but does not work as an actress.
Sutherland is an accomplished musician, but this is mainly a hobby as he considers acting his primary career. He does, however, have connections (co-owner with Jude Cole), to a record label named Ironworks (see [1]). He is also personal friends with, and was the tour manager for his labels band, Rocco DeLuca and the Burden.
Originally known for his work in films, and for being a member of the "Brat Pack" in the 1980s, now Sutherland is probably best known for his role as federal agent Jack Bauer on the hit U.S. television show 24. The fifth season began in January 2006. On January 28, 2006, Kiefer Sutherland won the "Best Actor in a Drama Series" award at the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Sutherland also lent his voice and motion design, along with various other cast members from the series, to 24: The Game. The game is based on events that occurred between the second and third seasons of the show and was released in late February 2006. There was also a graphic novel published by IDW that was released in the summer of 2004. The graphic novel is about Sutherland's character Jack Bauer when he first joins CTU; this takes place before the first season occurs.
After the original broadcast of the November 25, 2003 episode of 24, Sutherland broke character to address the issue of gun safety, possibly to limit the liability of Fox Network in case someone attempted to recreate the Russian roulette scene. Sutherland gave a promotion for an organization called Americans for Gun Safety Foundation.
Sutherland broke character again on 24 during the original broadcast of the February 7, 2005 episode for a PSA addressing Arab-Americans portrayed on the show. He said that Arab-Americans are united with other Americans in their stand against terrorists. This PSA was in response to a complaint and possible lawsuit by an Arab-American group.
On April 18, 2000, Sutherland was a featured speaker at the Friends of Medicare rally in Edmonton, Alberta, which sought to prevent the governing Conservative premier Ralph Klein from amending Bill 11 in a manner which protesters alleged would permit "two-tier health care" in Canada.
As of April 2006, Kiefer Sutherland is the single highest-paid actor for a drama series after he signed a contract with FOX to continue to play Jack Bauer in the network's hit 24 for three more seasons, for an estimated $40 million.
Kiefer Sutherland won a Golden Globe in 2002 for the television series 24 and won Screen Actor Guild awards in 2004 and 2006. Sutherland has also received several Emmy nominations for the series (4 for acting, 3 for producing).
Sutherland was engaged to Julia Roberts, although their relationship ended before they were married. Sutherland has been the frequent object of tabloid gossip, and has a persistent reputation as a hard drinker and carouser. Several episodes of 24 have allegedly been rewritten to work around minor injuries Sutherland sustained when partying.
He has a daughter, Sarah Jude Sutherland, and 2 stepdaughters from his previous marriage to Camelia Kath.
Selected filmography
Sutherland has directed three and appeared in over 50 films. Some of them are listed below.
- 24: The Game (2006) performing voice acting and motion capture design scans.
- 24 (2001) will begin filming season 6 in spring/summer 2006 and has been the main cast member since the first season; recently signed a 3 year deal with Fox to continue work on 24 and work on new projects within Fox
- The Wild (2006) as Samson the Lion, animated film, only voice provided
- The Sentinel (2006), as David Breckinridge, a by-the-book Secret Service agent.
- River Queen (2005) as Doyle
- Taking Lives (2004), as Hart
- Phone Booth (2003).
- The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration (2003), supplied his voice as Bron (Littlefoot's Father).*
- Desert Saints (2002), as hitman Arthur Banks
- To End All Wars (2001)
- After Alice (1999), plays Mickey Hayden, private investigator
- Eye of the Killer (1999), plays Detective Michael Hayden
- Woman Wanted (1999), director and playing Wendell Goddard.
- Dark City (1998), as Dr. Daniel Schreber.
- Truth or Consequences, NM (1997). Director and supporting actor, playing a double crossing criminal who ends up on the wrong side of Martin Sheen's crime lord.
- Armitage III: Poly-Matrix (1997), as voice of lead male character; detective Ross Syllabus.
- A Time to Kill (1996), plays Freddie Lee Cobb a KKK member. He plays alongside his father Donald Sutherland.
- Freeway (1996) in this film loosely based on the famous Little Red Riding Hood Kiefer plays a serial killer who gives Reese Witherspoon's character a ride.
- An Eye for an Eye (1996) playing the rapist and killer of Sally Field's character's daughter in this tale of revenge.
- The Cowboy Way (1994) playing a cowboy named Sonny Gilstrap
- The Vanishing (1993) as Jeff Harriman, a man who is searching for his kidnapped fiancee.
- The Three Musketeers (1993), a Walt Disney film also starring Charlie Sheen, Tim Curry and Chris O'Donnell. Based loosely on the classic novel by Alexander Dumas.
- A Few Good Men (1992). Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick. Supporting actor alongside: Jack Nicholson, Kevin Bacon, and Tom Cruise.
- Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me (1992), the prequel to the acclaimed Twin Peaks series. Sutherland plays the partner of Chet (Chris Isaak) in this supporting role.
- Young Guns II (1990)
- Flatliners (1990), along with Julia Roberts and Kevin Bacon playing a group of medical students experimenting with death. Kiefer Sutherland and Julia Roberts became engaged during filming, however shortly afterwards Julia Roberts broke off the engagement when she ran off with his co-star in The Lost Boys, Jason Patric.
- Renegades (1989)
- Young Guns (1988), with Emilio Estevez, and Charlie Sheen. A story about a group of outcast cowboys trying to defend the land of a man who took them in and helped educate them.
- The Lost Boys (1987) playing the leading vampire (David) in Santa Carla, California in the United States in this cult classic.
- Stand By Me (1986). Critically acclaimed film revolving around a group of young boys search for a dead body. Also starring: River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton and Corey Feldman.
- Brotherhood of Justice (1986)
- The Bay Boy (1984), his first film role, which earned him a Genie nomination for best actor.
He narrarated The Flight That Fought Back (2005). It aired on Discovery Channel on September 11, 2005 and was aired in 16 select theatres across America. It later on aired in England.
Trivia
- During the fall of 2001, Sutherland unintentionally interrupted the filming of the premiere episode of an online series titled The Lonely Island. In the episode "White Power", the main characters develop an addiction to teeth whitener, and eventually mug an old woman to facilitate their addiction. Sutherland, driving by at the time, believed the mugging was real and jumped out of his car to intervene. A portion of Sutherland's appearance is displayed after the credits. This anecdote was recounted by Andy Samberg on an episode of The Late Show with David Letterman.
- Kiefer is named after Warren Kiefer, pseudonym for Lorenzo Sabatini, who directed the Donald Sutherland-starring horror movie "Il castello dei morti vivi" (Castle of the Living Dead').
- During high school, Sutherland's nickname was "Reefer."
- Kiefer's 24-based fame extends to Japan where he reprised his role as Agent Jack Bauer to be the spokesman for Calorie Mate Japan, a nutritional supplement brand ([2], [3])
- Kiefer Sutherland is the narrator for Verizon, Apple, and Ford Canada television commercials.
- Donald Sutherland has told his son Keifer (perhaps jokingly) that he gave him his lengthy name (Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland) to pay off various friends who were owed money; allegedly, Donald Sutherland told his friends he'd pay them back by naming his son after them, and made good on it.
- Wayne Gretzky is one of his closest friends and the two appeared together in Ultimate Gretzky, a two DVD set featuring a look at the hockey legend's career. Gretzky is also prominently featured in Ford Motor Company commercials in Canada.
- Was originally signed to play his own grandfather Tommy Douglas in a 2005 Canadian miniseries. However, he had to pull out due to conflicts with the fourth season of 24.
- Kiefer Sutherland does the voiceover in a new Apple/Intel Mac ad, as of January 11, 2006: "The Intel chip. For years it's been trapped inside PCs. Inside dull little boxes. Dutifully performing dull little tasks when it could have been doing so much more... Starting today, the Intel chip will be set free and get to live life inside a Mac. Imagine the possibilities."
- From 1988-1990 Kiefer was married to actress Camelia Ortiz Kath, widow of original Chicago guitarist, Terry Kath, and they had a child, Sarah Jude, together, before they ended up divorcing.
- In an appearance on the TV show Inside the Actor's Studio Kiefer said that gravitas is his favorite word, and that nigger was his least favorite. This would go on to cause him much grief, as the clip was frequently ridiculed on Howard Stern's radio show, re-cut to make Sutherland say offensive things and edited into song parodies.
- On a 2006 episode of The Late Late Show (CBS), Sutherland said he has never been on the CN Tower because he has a fear of heights.
- Kiefer was recently featured on the cover of the April edition of Rolling Stone, in an article entitled, Alone in the Dark with Kiefer Sutherland. The article opened up with Kiefer revealing his interest to be killed off in 24. However, he had also stated,"Don't get me wrong. I love what I do."
- Kiefer devotes 10 out of 12 months a year working on 24.
- Kiefer once tackled a Christmas tree after drinking too much alcohol, supposedly stating, ""I hate that fuckin' Christmas tree. The tree has to come down." The video can be seen on Youtube.
- In 2005, he became the first Inside the Actors Studio guest to be the child of a former guest. His father, Donald, appeared on the show in 1998.
- He co-stars with Kim Basinger in The Sentinel. Basinger appeared in L.A. Confidential, and had that film been successfully adapted into a TV series, Kiefer would have played Jack Vincennes.
- Co-owns US indie record label, Ironworks.
- Collects vintage guitars, mostly Gibsons and Fenders. He has over 50 guitars in his collection.
- For his role in The Wild, he had to practice roaring like a lion. Instead of doing it at home with his daughter and step-daughter around, he practiced in his car, unaware of a woman watching him from the next lane.
- Is a rabid fan of the British Rock Band Queen
- Kiefer was due to marry Julia Roberts in the early nineties, however she got cold feet and left him literally standing at the alter. She then started a relationship and ran off to Europe with Keifer's best friend at the time, Jason Patric. The movie, Runaway Bride, starring Julia Roberts in the title role, is based on this episode of her and Keifer's life.
External links
Error: No text given for quotation (or equals sign used in the actual argument to an unnamed parameter)