This web page is dedicated to 24's Kiefer Sutherland. You will find articles and web sites relating to him on this page. Hopefully, you will find something that will interest you.
'24' exclusive: Fox nixes movie script
Fans of Jack Bauer who were hoping to get a big screen fix of their favorite anti-hero may be in for a long wait: EW has learned exclusively that 20th Century Fox has nixed a script from Billy Ray (State of Play) that would have continued the storyline of the rogue CTU agent from the long-running drama 24.
“As far as I know, it is in suspended animation,” Howard Gordon, the longtime executive producer of 24 who is also expected to produce the big screen version, told EW exclusively. ”There is talk about re-approaching it. I understand (director/producer) Tony Scott is meeting with Kiefer to talk about ideas. People are still talking about it.”
When 24 ended its eight-year run on Fox in May, Sutherland told EW the series finale would tee up the movie. “We wanted to create a definitive end for Jack Bauer,” the actor explained. “Since we do have the intention to make the feature film, it would lead into that and certainly set that up. Something we’ve dealt with in the series is how the crisis always has to come to us because we don’t have time to move anywhere in a real time world. In a two-hour (movie) representation of the 24 world, planes, trains, and automobiles all of a sudden become a factor because you are not required to go scene by scene in real time. That’s something I can say I am very excited about.”
Gordon is certainly keeping busy while Fox decides Jack Bauer’s next play: Besides having two dramas in development at Showtime and NBC, he’s busy promoting his thriller novel Gideon’s War. (And how’s this for staying loyal to the CTU family: Carlos Bernard, aka Tony Almeida, is reportedly narrating the audiobook version. For Gordon book signing details, click here). But Gordon remains optimistic that Jack’s days are not over.
“I was disapppointed (Fox) passed on the script but I’m certainly hopeful that the movie will get made at some point,” he said. “Anecdotally, I’ve heard from people who are really missing the show and I do think there is more life in Jack Bauer.”
By Lynette Rice
EW.com
December 31, 2010
Three Men Set New Guinness World Records Title for Longest Continuous TV
Die-Hard '24' Fans Stay Awake for 86 Hours, 6 Minutes and 41 Seconds to Break Record
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 7, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Kevin Coon, Victor Lopez and Farris Hodo beat out 100 other hopefuls to win the "24" Marathon Challenge, a contest to see who could watch continuous episodes of the award-wining television series "24" starring Kiefer Sutherland the longest to set a new Guinness World Records achievement.
The marathon, sponsored by Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment to celebrate the release of "24" The Complete Series DVD box set, saw 100 contestants enter a plexi-glass cube to watch "back-to-back Jack" until the last "24" fan remained awake and alert. The marathon began officially at 9:30 p.m. PST on Thursday, December 2, and Guinness World Records adjudicator Kimberly Patrick certified that Coon, Lopez and Hodo set a new Guinness World Record of 86 hours, 6 minutes and 41 seconds of continuous television watching shortly after 11:30 a.m. PST on Monday, December 6. In a surprise twist to the contest, each contestant was awarded $10,000 and shares the new Guinness World Records title. Every participant in the marathon challenge was awarded a "24" complete series box set as a runner-up prize.
Coon, of San Francisco, plans to use the grand prize money to fix his Jeep Wrangler that has been out of service since the summer. Lopez, of Los Angeles, who has played the guitar for 10 years, said he wants to purchase guitars for the Boys & Girls Club where he works as well as buy himself a new Mockingbird BC Rich Electric guitar. Hodo, also of Los Angeles, plans to do some extra Christmas shopping for his family, take care of bills and treat his wife to a nice sushi dinner.
The previous Guinness World Records title holder was Efraim Van Oeveren of the Netherlands, set in 2009. During the "24" Marathon Challenge, participants had to stay awake while watching the hit television series on a plasma screen measuring 6 feet high and 14 feet across. Guinness World Records rules allow for a 10-minute break for every two hours of TV viewing completed, during which time they could exit the theater, take restroom breaks and call friends and family. Some techniques to help them stay awake included dousing themselves in cold water, smoking and pushups.
"If there is one group of people that I know that can break that (Guinness World Records), it is you...the 24 fans," said "24" producer and star Kiefer Sutherland in a video message to the participants. Throughout the marathon, cast and crew from the eight seasons came by to keep the challengers motivated including Gregory Itzin, Carlos Bernard, John Cassar, Carlo Rota, Necar Zadegan, Lou Diamond Phillips and Nazneen Contractor. Fans entered the competition through the official "24" fan page on Facebook. Fans living outside Los Angeles were still able to catch all the videos, photos, participant profiles and updates online at Facebook.com/24 and via Twitter.com.
Fans can relive every heart-pounding second of television's groundbreaking show when "24" The Complete Series DVD box set arrives at retail on December 14 from Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment. "24" The Complete Series is a must-have collectible box set that includes all eight seasons on 56-discs and is bursting with bonus features including deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes footage, a comprehensive retrospective, an epilogue to the series and much more. Additionally, the final season of "24" arrives to Blu-ray and DVD on December 14 with extended and never-before-seen bonus footage.
About Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment:
Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc, Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.
SOURCE Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC
'24' Cast Members Reunite for Marathon Event
By Michael Maloney
TV Squad.com
December 6, 2010
The non-stop action on '24' often left viewers wondering when (or even if) Jack Bauer ever went to the bathroom. Fortunately, fans of the hit series who are taking part right now in a viewing marathon of the show at the Hollywood/Highland complex in Hollywood get restroom breaks every four hours.
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment sponsored the marathon session to promote the series DVD box set release on Dec. 14. Another goal is to break the Guinness World Record by having viewers screen all eight seasons of the Kiefer Sutherland-starring series. (The last viewer sitting wins a substantial cash prize.)
Sutherland wasn't on hand for the event, but he did send a video message thanking fans for their support of the show.
TV Squad was on the scene to talk to '24' cast members about what they've been up to since the Counter Terrorist Unit closed its doors and which series they'd watch from beginning to end (in addition to '24,' of course!).
Gregory Itzin:
He played: President Charles Logan, Days 4, 6, 7, and 8.
What he's doing now: "I'm very lucky. President Logan has opened many doors for me. (Laughs) I consistently play white collar [expletives.] I'm in 9 out of 10 episodes of [the next season] of 'Big Love' as a Mormon politician, a nemesis to Bill Pullman's character. Jean [Smart, who played my wife Martha on '24'] and I talk occasionally. I wish someone would come up with a sitcom for us to do called 'The Logans.'"
Which series he'd watch a marathon of: "I don't know that I'd be patient enough or eager enough to do that for any show. Maybe for 'The Sopranos' or 'Six Feet Under?' I could do it for 'Nurse Jackie.' That's one of the best shows on TV. It actually would be fun as long as I was fed and had the chance to go to the bathroom."
Carlos Bernard:
He played: Tony Almeida, Days 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 7.
What he's doing now: "I'm producing and starring in a pilot with Deran Sarafian ('House.') It's called 'The Blue Wall' and is the true story of an ex-police officer who was chosen by New York mayor David Dinkins to go after corrupt cops. It's a really interesting story. We'll see what happens. I still get recognized as Tony. People yell out, 'Hey, Tony!' That's good. It means they enjoyed me on '24.'"
Which series he'd watch a marathon of: "'Dexter.' I like that show. It has great acting, great writing and really strong directing. That's one of the few shows that I watch."
Necar Zadegan:
She played: Dalia Hassan, Day 8
What she's doing now: "I play Isabelle on 'The Event.' She's quite different from Dalia, but the shows are similar in that I get the scripts and I don't know what's going to happen. I was on the set when we found out we [got a full season order.] It was a celebratory moment. I'm also doing the 'Bangal Tiger at the Bagad Theater' and shot an independent movie called 'Meth Head.' But you wouldn't need [meth] to sit through a '24' marathon -- just a box of popcorn."
What series she'd watch a marathon of: "'Three's Company.' I know every episode by heart having watched them on Nick at Nite. I'm working with Jason Ritter [the son of late the late John Ritter] on 'The Event.' He's such a wonderful actor with a youthful charm, just like his father had. He's got those 'Ritter genes.' He's really cool."
Lou Diamond Phillips:
He played: Mark DeSalvo, Day 1
What he's doing now: "We just finished season 2 of 'Stargate Universe.' The 10th episode just aired. My character is back on the ship. We'll pick up again with episode 11 in the spring. People tend to marathon 'Stargate,' too. I also did a [untitled] pilot for Lifetime with Sherry Stringfield and Jamie-Lynn Sigler. They play homicide detective partners and I'm their lieutenant. We should hear [about a pick-up] in the next month or so.
Which series he'd watch a marathon of: "I'd have to go way back to something like 'The Man From U.N.C.L.E.' or the original version of 'The Prisoner.' I do think that '24' is the perfect show to marathon. It changed the landscape of television."
Jon Cassar (executive producer/director):
On '24's' success: "The show was so popular because of the relationships. It was about a dad, his daughter and the people he worked with. I get a little insulted when people call us 'an action show.' We wouldn't have lasted eight years if that were the case. The show was about relationships. Also, our writers realized very quickly that they had to keep the pace at a level that had never been seen on TV."
What he's doing now: "I'm doing a miniseries called 'The Kennedys' for the History Channel. It'll be on in the spring and is their first scripted drama. It stars Greg Kinnear as John Kennedy, Katie Holmes as Jacqueline Kennedy and Tom Wilkinson as Joe [Sr.] We're still in editing. Then, I'm back with Fox for the series 'Terra Nova.'"
Which series he'd watch a marathon of: "It'd have to be a show I'd never seen. I'd do a marathon of 'The Wire.' I've heard great things about that show [but] I think I'd be done in 8 hours. Good luck to [the '24' marathoners!]"
Television - News - Sutherland feels nostalgic over '24'
By Tom Eames, Big Brother Reporter
Digital Spy.com
November 28, 2010
Kiefer Sutherland has revealed how watching back previous seasons of 24 has been an "eye-opener" for him, and how it has made him feel nostalgic about the last ten years.
The actor - who played counter-terrorist agent Jack Bauer - is currently filming a documentary about the series. He explained that he was shocked by how much he had changed over the course of the show.
Speaking to Empire about his time on the series, he said: "Our ageing is documented through the show - it's a bit of an eye-opener. Though if you actually do the math, Jack Bauer is now about 85 years old!"
He added: "We're putting a documentary together, so I sat down with Rodney Charters, the cinematographer, to look at behind-the-scenes footage from the last eight years. We were laughing, then it got to stuff from the later seasons and it wasn't funny anymore."
'24' Movie Will Be in Production Says Kiefer Sutherland
Get The Big Picture
November 20, 2010
One of the longest running action based TV series might be coming to the big screen. It's been rumored for a while that the hit show 24, has been in pre-production since April and now, Keifer Sutherland confirms that a movie is pending.
Says Sutherland, "It's a little early for me to say, but some amazing filmmakers have made themselves available to make the film. We're very excited," he said. "It's going to be a bad day and Jack Bauer will somehow find himself in the middle of it."
This movie might be a bit tricky to make as the major part of the show is to give an actual 24 hour sequence of events. Obviously, the movie can't be 24 hours so I guess it'll just have to jump time to time which might be a little bit weird for the hardcore fans who now have the belief that so much can happen in a 24 hour period. Says Sutherland, "The main difference with the film is that it will be a two hour presentation of a 24 hour day...it will not be in real-time, which will free the writers up greatly. It is very feasible to fly from United States to Japan and still have a lot of stuff to do. We could never do that in real-time because the flight is fourteen hours. That would just not be very good watching."
Does this mean some international travel is part of the plot? Probably not. Sutherland is probably just giving an example of how they might be able to keep the authenticity of 24 while still making it only two hours long. Personally, two hours is more than enough time and while the hardcore fans may be disappointed, it can still make for a good action flick. You just won't see Jack Bauer interrogate a terrorist for 20 minutes at a time. Dang it, my favorite part of the TV series.
Bauer is back for 24 movie role
Sky News
November 18, 2010
Kiefer Sutherland has confirmed he will be returning as US special agent Jack Bauer for a movie version of hit TV series 24.
The final episode of the action drama ran in May when Bauer, after eight horrifying days, turned into a fugitive from justice and was being forced to escape the country he had suffered so much for.
The cliffhanger ending also undoubtedly left loyal fans guessing about the plot of a planned movie based on the show.
Sutherland said in a press conference in Japan that he and the filmmakers are planning to bring new elements to the 24 film.
'The main difference of the film will be that it will be a two-hour-presentation of a 24-hour-day. It will not be in real time, which will free the writers up greatly,' he said.
'It is very feasible to fly from the United States to Japan, and still have a lot of stuff to do.
'We can never do that in real time because the flight is 14 hours, that would just not be very good watching'.
No details, including the release date, were mentioned as the script is still in development.
24 premiered on US airwaves in November 2001, shortly after the September 11 attacks in America, and over the course of eight seasons, its stories often echoed real-life events and controversies.
Sutherland excited about '24' movie plan
The Mainichi Daily News
November 18, 2010
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Actor Kiefer Sutherland, who played agent Jack Bauer in the American television series "24," said he is excited about a plan to make a movie based on the smash hit drama.
"Some amazing filmmakers have made themselves available to make the film, so we're very excited," Sutherland said to fans in Tokyo of the long-running show during an event Tuesday.
"It's going to look, I think, very different from the show," he said. But the basics won't change. "There's going to be a bad day and Jack Bauer will also find himself in the middle of it," he said.
Sutherland also recalled that the final day of shooting on the show after eight seasons was an emotional one because the crew "felt like a family."
"We had the same crew for Season 1 as we had all the way through Season 8, and I think over the course of making 24 there were 16 marriages, 30 children were born," he said. "It was very hard to say goodbye."
But not to the show, he said, thanks to the plan for the movie, which will be a two-hour representation of a 24-hour day, not in a real time format of the Fox network's television show.
Q&A: The executive producer of '24'!
By Catriona Wightman, TV Reporter
Thursday, November 11 2010, 1:00pm EST
People are certainly starting to miss 24 now! The Kiefer Sutherland counter-terrorism drama kept people excited but all good things must come to an end. Luckily, the DVD boxset is being released today to keep us all entertained. To celebrate, we caught up with the show's executive producer Howard Gordon to chat about the show and the 24 movie.
How long did it take you to write the show's final scene?
"Probably an hour. It was one of those things where if you look too hard for something you'll never find it. I was very, very aware that the last few moments, particularly on a real time show, needed to mean something. I was so inspired by The Sopranos, which I felt commented on the medium. Someone once described it as David Chase as a rockstar who took the guitar and just smashed it on stage. And in this case, Jack has this relationship with screens and with us and the idea of us being in Chloe's point of view. In many ways, Chloe has kind of been our proxy for Jack, and the idea of the words that Chloe says - 'Shut it down' - was to me that punctuation mark. Once I had that image in mind that we were going to use this drone... It was like we had no idea that that was going to be the last governing image of the series, but seeing it blink out to static and then to silence and the clock really felt right, and I knew in that moment it was the right thing to do - Jack looking up at us vulnerable, but still living to fight another day."
How long did you have that image for?
"A week or two before the script was due. This whole series has been this protracted exercise in faith that there's going to be an idea there around the corner even though it looks like there's nothing. So it has required patience and bizarrely enough this belief in one's unconscious or in the creative process. I knew more than the detail. I knew the feeling I wanted to elicit when people watched it. I really wanted people to be leaning forward in their chairs and wanting more. I wanted them to miss the show the moment it ended. I knew the emotion I wanted to conjure - I didn't quite know how I'd conjure it."
So you always had some idea of how you wanted it to end?
"I knew the feeling I wanted to elicit rather than knowing the moment itself. I knew it couldn't be a happily ever after. I didn't want people to feel good and I didn't want people to feel bad. I wanted them to feel somewhere in between."
How do you think the show changed over the series?
"I think it's almost like a romance. A romance is so intense when it begins and because of its newness it's very vivid and it's very exciting and suddenly you're married 25 years. It does gain meaning because of its longevity - because of all that we've been through together, the people behind the scenes and the audience we've shared this show with. It has a context that's very deep and very meaningful. I think the beginning was more exciting, more vivid, more revolutionary and the end was deeper and more wistful and more elegiac."
There was some criticism of the way you changed the character of President Taylor in the eighth season. How do you respond to that?
"To me, because we were ending the show, we had to take some chances. I knew I wanted Jack in this very dark place. And Kiefer and I, we discussed this, that this Renee relationship was going to build up to a point of some kind of consummation and Jack is going to have the hope of something to live for and that will be taken away from him. And again, people hated that too. Everyone's going to hate something. You really have to go with what you believe is the best story and hope in the end that people will still watch. But in the case of President Taylor, her moral compass was so straight and so fixed and so true, and so I thought for her to lose herself is a very human thing to do, particularly under that kind of duress. I felt like the scaffolding for her momentary lapse was there. She wanted this peace accord so badly, she'd lost her own family in the service of this peace. We all get out of joint, we all get disoriented, and she's exhausted. She's a heroic person and she's been so true and that's what's surprising. For her just to continue to make the right choice time after time gets monotonous. For her to have a lapse and to become a monster, to be distorted by her power and by her aspiration and by her fatigue, felt exquisitely human. Believe me, we struggled terribly getting it right. But we got it right, I think. I think at the end, knowing that Taylor could resurrect herself or pull herself out of the nosedive and by the way, not undo the damage she's done, but save her character. But everyone was like, 'What are you doing?'. And I said, 'Trust me'. I didn't know, even when I was saying 'Trust me', that it would work. You must be willing to take chances and fall on your face. That was a liberating feeling to say, 'You know what? F**k it, I'm just going to try it. I think it's right'."
You said you think you got that right, but do you have any regrets about things you've done in 24?
"I hope it doesn't sound arrogant, but I don't. There are things that I'm not particularly proud of, which I'd separate from regrets. There are some bad moments, there are some moments that really don't work and characters that don't work. But a regret implies that I should have made a left instead of a right-hand turn and I can't think what else I would have done. I feel like I explored every possible option, whether it's Kim's cougar moment or whether it's Teri's amnesia or whether it's many parts of season six - I don't know what else I'd have done, even in retrospect, so I can't say that I regret them, just that there are things I'm less proud of."
Aside from Jack, the only other character that appeared in every single season was Aaron (Glenn Morshower), so why wasn't he in season eight?
"We desperately tried to find a place to put him in and just could not find a place to wedge him in without feeling like we'd wedged him in. I love him. These actors have become such great friends and we're so lucky to have been with such great people. And yeah, we talked about it, but couldn't find a place."
Did you think about bringing back Tony (Carlos Bernard)?
"That's another great question because in season seven I think we had perhaps overplayed that hand, so to me his story's been told and probably retold. That was once where you really have to say, 'This is really it'. I mean, look at Logan. Every one of these resurrections are always fraught with their own kind of peril and you have to use them very judiciously. We considered it but something in my head said that's really not going to happen."
Season eight of 24 was obviously the final one but had you seriously discussed a ninth season?
"I had serious discussions with Fox to the extent that I said this was my last season and if they wanted there to be a ninth I would help them find my successor and groom that person or people. So I entertained helping them transition to the infrastructure of a ninth season, but I think in the end Kiefer felt that this was really it and I felt it. Knowing that I was not going to be back may have informed his decision, I don't know."
Why did you decide not to continue for a ninth season?
"I felt frankly that season seven was so challenging for me that I was ready to call it quits, and I was convinced to stay on. But very much to stay on with the idea that this is it for me. I knew it was for the end for me. We had a series of talks about who might take over the show, and I think soon it became pretty clear that it was just not practical to do that."
You've mentioned before that you thought about killing Jack. Did you ever get as far as thinking about how you would have killed him?
"There were two things. I thought of killing Jack in a very off-centre, syncopated way, where you're not expecting it. Kind of in the margin of the scene, just suddenly, and you're left with the rest of the story. But I think that would have been unrecoverable. And then I thought at the very end, the show is a tragedy, and there would have been a moment to kill Jack, where Allison Taylor tries to stop him like Romeo And Juliet but she's too late. She saves herself and stops this crime from happening but Jack has to pay the price. And Jack ultimately would have had to pay the price for all the bad things he's done as well. There was a symmetry to that and I think that might have worked. I think it would have been very depressing and I think that's the reason why in the end this is a superior way to have ended it. We contemplated it and I think Kiefer was up for it if it was the right thing to do, but I think no-one was prepared to say goodbye to that character and that trumped the surprise or the shock or even the symmetry or the narrative correctness of Jack's death."
Freddie Prinze Jr.'s character Cole seemed like a younger version of Jack. Was that the intention?
"We've had a couple of so-called younger Jacks, whether it was Ricky Schroder or James Badge Dale. Jack is Jack. Yes, what they share is they're men of a certain age, they're men who are good at what they do, but they're all different. The person who's closest to Jack would be Renee. I think she's the only one who really had a trial by fire, who really understood Jack's soul. She's probably the closest to a protege that Jack has had. These other guys were partners and you learn pretty quickly that it becomes kind of a buddy movie, and Jack is a solo act."
Did you ever think 24 could have continued with Freddie Prinze Jr. in the lead?
"That was briefly an idea that we flirted with. He's someone who also is a bit of a boy scout when he starts the season and then of course he learns that he's married to a murderous spy and all the assumptions that he began the day with were all false. It was sort of the education of Cole. I think Freddie did a fantastic job. At the beginning of the season, he got some crap for that casting and I think he's actually a real leading man and conducted himself just beautifully."
Moving on, how far along are you with the 24 movie?
"There is a script. It's being read by Fox now. There's no schedule, there's no green light, there's no plans right now in terms of a calendar for it. But we're working on it."
Did you learn many lessons from 24: Redemption when you were working on the movie script?
"Well, Redemption was its own sort of animal in because it was a prequel that was written after seven episodes had been written of season seven so only so much could happen. The only lesson we learned was that it felt like you could take a two-hour chunk outside of the 24-hour framework and present it and have it be compelling on its own merits. We learned too that Jack in an exotic locale is compelling. By and large it was a successful exercise. I was very happy with it. I did it grudgingly. Fox came and said, 'Can you... not can you but you will do this', and I was like, 'First of all, how can you tell me to do it, I don't have an idea yet'. I'm glad they did."
You just mentioned it's good to see Jack somewhere exotic. There have been lots of rumors that the movie will be partially set in the UK. Can you say anything about that?
"Right now the UK is a location, Prague is a location and Serbia. And China."
Do you think there'll be more than one movie?
"I think the intent is actually hopefully to build a franchise and [writer] Billy Ray says he's got three."
When does the movie pick up after the end of season eight?
"It's roughly 18 months."
Can you tell me anything about the plot?
"No. Only because it's such a work in progress that anything I say could be invalid tomorrow. We're a couple of weeks away, I think one way or the other we'll know more shortly."
What about which cast members will be back?
"I can tell you... again even that is way subject to change, but right now I can tell you that Chloe... How about Chloe, I'll give you Chloe."
Go on, you were going to say more then!
"I was, but again that could go away, it truly could."
‘I always felt nervous around Kiefer’
By Tim Nixon - The Sun
November 10, 2010
"I KNOW how to Google and email," says MARY LYNN RAJSKUB of her limited computer skills.
In other words, she's a far cry from her code-breaking, disaster-preventing 24 alter-ego Chloe O'Brian.
The CTU employee has spent the last five years tapping away furiously behind banks of screens, tackling all manner of baffling numbers and patterns.
She's become Jack Bauer's closest ally, often going rogue to help KIEFER SUTHERLAND'S hardman field agent outsmart the innumerable terrorist threats thrown their way.
Off screen, Mary Lynn admits her relationship with Kiefer lacked the closeness of their characters, saying she felt "nervous" in his presence.
Although it's hard to imagine Chloe blubbing her eyes out, the actress/writer/comedian/musician was an inconsolable wreck when the crew called "wrap" on the last ever 24 scene earlier this year.
She's now holding out hope she'll be asked back if and when the 24 movie comes to fruition.
I met up with Mary Lynn in a London hotel and put your questions to her.
How did you get into 24 - did you fall into it or actively seek a part?
Anthony Dawson, Surrey
I did not activity seek a role. The audition came in but the part wasn't written yet. My agent told me I should go in and my mum told me I should go in, because she watched the show. I didn't watch the show. I went in and the creator, Joel Surnow, said that he'd seen me in this Paul Thomas Anderson film starring Adam Sandler called Punch Drunk Love and really liked me and really wanted to create a role for me. I thought that was very nice but I didn't think that he would do it. But he did. I thought it would just be for four shows or six shows and that I'd be fired or killed after that. It kept growing, to my surprise.
How much have you enjoyed your time on 24 and what are your fondest memories?
Nina636
I enjoyed it very much because it was the first time I was able to be a dramatic actress. I always did comedy before that. I just enjoy playing Chloe because she's blunt and rude and says things that you shouldn't say, so that was fun. I really like the people that I worked with. Overall I'm very fond of the whole experience. But after being on 24 for five years, I might do something lighter for a while.
Chloe O'Brian was a very awkward woman who lacked social skills. Could you relate to that side of her?
Lilah Rubywell, Wimbledon
I definitely am close to Chloe being socially awkward. I can relate to that. But I can't relate to that kind of intellect. I'm much more polite in real life.
Chloe spent most of her time at the computer. Were you ever jealous of all the action scenes your castmates got to do?
Amanda Rigby, Kingston
A little bit. I think it would have been fun to have more action. But then they'd be up at night filming at the beach when it was cold outside or on a submarine and I got to be indoors on the computer. I had it quite easy. I got a little bit of action over the years.
How do your computer skills compare to Chloe's?
Sherrie Landreth, Texas
I know how to Google. I know how to email. That's about it. I did see the movie The Social Network, does that count?
Working so closely for such concentrations must test relationships - both personal and professional. Is Kiefer Sutherland a friend in real life or just a colleague?
Bethany Oscar, Hampshire
Kiefer Sutherland is really a nice guy. It's funny how scary he gets when he's Jack Bauer. There's an intensity that always made me nervous to be around. I don't think he understands how tense he can be. He told me way later it was because of having the weight of starring in the show on him, but I thought he was really smart in the way he set that pace for the show. When you're around him, you instantly match that intensity because I would be more inclined to just joke around.
Do you think Chloe had a bit of a crush on Jack?
Neil Fredericks, Devon
I think my character started out as a rule follower who wanted to do the right thing but over time she followed Jack Bauer. She wanted to be more like him. He follows his own code and what he thinks is right. She was so loyal to Jack - to a ridiculous point at times. I think that she would have to on some level have a crush on Jack to act in the way that she acted. I think it's something that she would never really admit to herself. She was in the closet over her crush on Jack.
Kiefer Sutherland said there were lots of tears when shooting ended on season 8. How did you react?
Pauline George, Scunthorpe
I was all of those tears that he was talking about. The whole day I was trying to pretend that it wasn't really the end. I just didn't want to face it. Then when it was the end I just burst into tears. It's a little bit jarring because you get to the point where you're very comfortable. The saddest thing was not being able to see all the people. We'd all got so close.
In the beginning the 24 concept was very original. After 8 seasons, do you think it had run its course as a TV show?
Alice Rufus, Cornwall
I think that it could have gone on a couple more years, just because the fan base was so strong. Even though you knew that certain elements were going to happen - the terrorist threat, how I'd always try to help Jack - I think it worked. But at the same time, that's a long time for any TV show. So it's ok that's over.
There has been a lot of talk about a movie, any idea if and when this will be going ahead?
Nina636
(Joking) I'm writing a movie myself. It involves Jack Bauer and Jack Pack in his underwear. It's something that I'm working on so that if they don't come up with the script quick enough, I've got one I can propose. It involves a lot more action on my part. I have a suit with, like, eight guns on it so I'll be pretty powerful in the movie. Jack would be my sidekick. He can relax and take a break - he's done enough.
If there's going to be a movie, will you be in it?
Barr4
Sure, yeah. I've been asked if I'd continue the series - I think a movie would be more appealing at this point because it would be interesting to see where they started it and how they did it. I'm still interested in my character. I'd be interested to see what more could be done with her.
If you could resurrect any character who has died in 24 for the movie, who would it be and why?
Lucy and Will, Birmingham
I would bring back Edgar, I would bring back Michelle Dessler, and I would like to see President Palmer as president again.
When you're out of public, do people often shout Chloe at you - and what's the strangest encounter you've had with a fan?
Matilda Henry, Yorkshire
People call me Chloe probably more often than they call me by my real name. People are pretty nice, they're all just excited to tell me how many shows they've watched in a row or the get-togethers they have or the different games they play while they're watching 24. Sometimes people hug me which can be nice or strange, depending on what mood I'm in. I try not to talk too much because people are really, really into 24. It's really fun when you get the people who can't stop talking about it and the people who are like: 'I've never seen it - what's the big deal?' in the same room. I just stand there and let the fan go on at the non-fan.
You were recently in a one-woman show called Mary Lynn Spreads Her Legs. Did that shock a few people who only know you as awkward Chloe?
Amanda Grace, Sunderland
I always did comedy before 24 so it's not unusual for me to perform live onstage. This show is a very personal show as you can tell by the title - it's very intimate. But I think I've surprised quite a few people who have come to the show thinking I'm just going to tell stories about being on the set of 24. It's actually quite a personal, dramatic story - so some people are letting themselves in for more than they'd bargained for. The subject matter gets a little bit dark and twisted. It's the other side of having a child and maybe not being into that child. I do it in a funny way but it's a serious subject.
Kiefer Sutherland's last chance to save the world
Features, TV & Radio - The Independent
November 3, 2010
24 is drawing to a close, after eight series. It's time for Jack to kick back, Kiefer Sutherland tells James Rampton.
Since he burst on to our screens just two months after 9/11, Jack Bauer has lived through nuclear blasts, numerous torture sessions, years of abuse in a Chinese jail, heroin addiction, infection with a weapons-grade virus, countless bullet wounds and even, on one occasion, death, to rescue the planet from oblivion several times over. But now his ordeal is drawing to an end. There will be no more series. Fortunately for those billions of us hooked, the eighth series will be released on DVD on Monday and Jack will soon be battling to prevent nuclear annihilation on the big screen.
So why has 24 held viewers in a vice-like grip over the last decade? "One of the predominant issues that defines where we're at was the attack on the sovereignty of the US on 9/11," says Kiefer Sutherland when I meet him in a hotel in New York's Meatpacking district. "There had never been an attack on continental US before. That was a game-changer. It affected everyone because whatever happens to the US affects everyone.
"One of the reasons 24 is shown in 100 countries, is the number one show in Brazil and Japan and has crossed cultural barriers is because it deals with terrorism. Terrorism is like the school bully – it's the one thing everyone is afraid of and no one can do anything about. There's a sense of helplessness but Jack is doing something about it. However helpless we may feel individually, at least this guy is taking care of business."
The 43-year old Canadian actor is equally cogent on the most controversial aspect of 24, the alacrity with which Jack reaches for the instruments of torture. In Torture Team, Philippe Sands' 2008 book about Guantánamo Bay, Lieutenant Colonel Diane Beaver, a military lawyer from the camp, declared that Jack's attitude, "gave people a lot of ideas". In recognition of the changed mood, in season eight Jack is portrayed as a dinosaur whose brutally coercive approach to interrogation is no longer tolerated. "Howard Gordon [the show's executive producer] said, 'OK, if we're going to be dragged into this debate, let's make it an issue in the show.' So instead of running away from the things being lobbed at us, we caught them and threw them back!"
"My own opinion is that you have to behave the way you'd expect to be treated", says Sutherland. "Within the show, torture is a fantastic device to create drama, but I do not subscribe to it. We have a constitution. I believe in the due process of law and the idea that people are innocent till proven guilty and all the tenets that this country stands for. Am I naive enough to believe that this stuff doesn't go on? Of course it does. Do I agree with it? Absolutely not."
At the same time, Sutherland adds, critics should try to keep things in proportion. "We're working within the context of a fantasy TV show. We get pulled into the news, but 24 is not reality. When Jack jumps out of a building and falls underneath a garbage truck going at 45 miles an hour, we're not telling you to try this at home."
Sutherland admits that it feels "bittersweet" to be bringing the TV series to a close. "But even in the second series, people were saying, 'How many bad days can this guy have?' So, creatively, the series had to end for us to go on and make the film."
So how should things conclude for Jack in the movie? "Do I think he should go off to the countryside and have a perfect life? No!" Rather, the actor envisages his alter ego completing a final mission where he once more defeats the bad guys and averts a nuclear cataclysm. Then on his way home, Sutherland says, "Jack is walking across the street and he gets hit by a car!
"Wouldn't that be a great ending?"
Sutherland and Patric Join a Starry Team for ‘That Championship Season’
By Patrick Healy - New York Times
November 2, 2010
The actors Kiefer Sutherland and Jason Patric will play the brothers James and Tom Daley this spring in the first Broadway revival of “That Championship Season,” the 1973 Pulitzer Prize-winning play about friendship, regrets, and basketball, the producers announced on Tuesday. Brian Cox, Jim Gaffigan, and Chris Noth will round out the ensemble cast, under the direction of Gregory Mosher (last season’s “A View from the Bridge”).
The production has some notable bloodlines. Mr. Patric, perhaps best known for the films “Sleepers” and “The Lost Boys,” is a son of the play’s author, the late Jason Miller. Mr. Patric and Mr. Sutherland were in “The Lost Boys” together and are good friends, though they were not always so; when Julia Roberts broke off her engagement to Mr. Sutherland in 1991, she soon began dating Mr. Patric.
And Mr. Mosher has had a decades-long desire to direct the work, he said on Tuesday, having been “blown away” at age 22 when he saw the original Broadway production, which ran for 700 performances and won the Tony for best play.
The revival was also rumored to be reuniting Mr. Mosher with Liev Schreiber, his “View from the Bridge” star. Mr. Mosher said in an interview that he talked about the play briefly with Mr. Schreiber last spring, but they never discussed him joining the cast.
Set in 1972, the play is about a group of men celebrating the 20th anniversary of the state championship won by their Catholic high school basketball team. Four of the members from the starting lineup, gathered at the home of their dying coach (Mr. Cox), have lives that are shabbier than they once dreamed of: Mr. Sutherland as an embittered junior high school principal, Mr. Patric as an alcoholic writer, Mr. Gaffigan (the comedian, who has appeared in films like “Away We Go”) as an empty-suit mayor, and Mr. Noth as a morally compromised millionaire.
The coach also proves to be far less of the hero than he seems at first; Mr. Cox will assume the role played in the original Broadway run by Richard Dysart. Mr. Noth is playing the role that earned a Tony nomination for best actor for Paul Sorvino, the only member of the original cast to receive a nomination.
The play was made into a 1982 movie written and directed by Mr. Miller, as well as a 1999 remake for Showtime directed by Mr. Sorvino. It was also given an Off Broadway revival in 1999 at Second Stage Theater.
Mr. Sutherland, who will make his Broadway debut in the revival, was recruited by Mr. Patric during a conversation in September about Mr. Sutherland’s next project following the end of his Fox television series “24,” according to Mr. Mosher. He added that he did not see the revival as a star vehicle for the Emmy-winning Mr. Sutherland, noting that each of the five roles has roughly the same amount of dialogue and stage time. (Mr. Patric made his own Broadway debut in 2003 opposite Ashley Judd in “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.”)
“It all started with Jason Patric because when I went to get the rights to do the play, I found out that Jason was the executor of Miller’s estate — I didn’t even know they were father and son,” Mr. Mosher said. “We started talking about doing this together, and then we concentrated on getting a great coach, a Teddy Roosevelt figure who would be inspiring to the guys, and quickly went for Brian Cox. After that, Chris Noth came on, then Kiefer, and just last week we solidified things with Jim. So no, the production wasn’t about any one star.
“In fact, while I know it’s just gospel that you can’t do a play, especially a revival, without a monster star, I think and hope it’s possible that in the next year or two we’ll hear audiences saying we just want great stories, not big stars,” Mr. Mosher said.
The producers are Robert Cole, Frederick Zollo, and the Shubert Organization, who produced last season’s “A Steady Rain” with Hugh Jackman and Daniel Craig. “That Championship Season” is aiming to open in March 2011 at a Shubert-owned theater to be announced later.
Kiefer Sutherland to take Broadway role in 'That Championship Season'
David Ng - Los Angeles Times
November 2, 2010
Now that "24" has ended its run on Fox, Kiefer Sutherland has been at work on new projects, some of which are well off the beaten Hollywood track. For one, there's his role in Danish film director Lars Von Trier's new science-fiction film, "Melancholia." And now comes word that the actor will make his Broadway debut next year in a revival of the play "That Championship Season."
[Updated 11:32 a.m.] Sutherland's publicist in Los Angeles confirmed Tuesday that the actor will star in the Broadway production.
An official announcement released Tuesday said the production, directed by Gregory Mosher, will open in March and will co-star Chris Noth, Brian Cox, Jason Patric and Jim Gaffigan. On Tuesday, Deadline Hollywood said the play would open in February and co-star Liev Schreiber. But the official announcement contradicted Deadline's report about the casting of Schreiber and the opening.
Earlier this year, New York Post gossip columnist Michael Riedel reported that Schreiber and Cox were being pursued to star in the revival production directed by Mosher.
The drama, written by Jason Miller, follows a group of high school basketball champions who come together at a reunion to dissect their troubled lives. The play opened on Broadway in 1972 and starred Paul Sorvino and Charles Durning.
Miller won the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize for the play in 1973. He would go on to even greater fame for playing Father Damien Karras in "The Exorcist." In 1982, Miller turned the play into a movie, starring Sorvino, Bruce Dern, Robert Mitchum, Martin Sheen and Stacy Keach.
Kiefer Sutherland Engaged to Siobhan Bonnouvrier?
Showbiz Spy
August 24, 2010
ACTOR Kiefer Sutherland might be getting married again!
The 24 star’s girlfriend, Siobhan Bonnouvrier, was seen flashing what looked like a diamond ring on her engagement finger while the couple dined out together in Portofino, Italy, according to Britain’s Daily Mail newspaper.
The couple have been dating for about two years.
Kiefer, 43, has been married twice before — his first marriage to Camelia Kath, with whom he has a 22-year-old daughter, ended in 1990, while his divorce from Kelly Winn was finalized two years ago.
He also was once engaged to Julia Roberts, who famously broke things off days before their wedding back in 1991.
Reports earlier this year claimed Kiefer was keen to marry Siobhan.
“Kiefer believes in his heart that Siobhan is his soul mate,” a source said.
Even though he’s been married twice before, he says that he’s never felt so strongly about a woman. He even persuaded producers to move the set of 24 from the West Coast to New York because he can’t stand to be away from her.
"When all is said and done, it is the loyal worldwide fan base that made it possible for me to have the experience of playing the role of Jack Bauer, and for that I am eternally grateful" – Kiefer Sutherland
"I also watch BBC news because the American news is so s***."
Good to hear Kiefer enjoys The Office. It is very painful to watch David Brent (Ricky Gervais). He's such a "sad little man", as Dawn puts it.
I have a web page for the BBC and American verions if you happen to enjoy the programs.
Kiefer Sutherland's Brent similarities
Bang Showbiz
May 18, 2010
Kiefer Sutherland is a big fan of British television, in particular 'The Office' and 'Coronation Street'.
Kiefer Sutherland feels like David Brent.
The '24' actor is a big fan of British TV and particularly loves watching 'The Office' because he can see similarities between himself and the embarrassing office manager played by Ricky Gervais.
The Canadian star said: "When I was a kid I always enjoyed 'Coronation Street' and more recently 'The Office'. I love it but I find it very difficult to watch - especially when I see myself in David Brent and think 'I've done that.' "
The 43-year-old actor also admitted he no longer finds playing Counter Terrorism Unit Agent Jack Bauer as easy as he once did because of the injuries he has sustained over the years.
He told the Radio Times magazine: "All of the many injuries I've sustained on set have thankfully healed, but I'm not as fast as I was, I'm not as strong so Jack has had to get older and slower with me.
"How do I unwind? I sleep as much as possible.”
The Associated Press: Kiefer Sutherland and costars say goodbye to '24'
By Mike Cidoni
May 3, 2010
LOS ANGELES — Eight seasons in, "24" was 86'd. But cast and crew were still counting their blessings at the drama series' finale party.
By the time the last episode airs on May 24, there will have been nearly 200 hours of "24." To date, there have been 18 Emmy wins.
"I think over the course of the eight years, we've had 16 marriages and 30-something children have been born," said star Kiefer Sutherland, who portrays federal agent Jack Bauer on the series. "We were like a family. So, it's very hard to say goodbye."
Dozens of the show's cast and crew members joined Sutherland to celebrate in Hollywood Friday night. Among them was longtime show regular Mary Lynn Rajskub, who plays Bauer's go-to colleague, Chloe O'Brian.
She recalled her final day on the set. "When they said, 'Cut!', I don't know what I was thinking," Rajskub said. "And then they said, 'This is Mary Lynn's series wrap.' And I just looked around. The crew was surrounding me. And I just kind of burst into tears."
Sad as the end may be, Sutherland said the time is right.
"It was a lot of different things. It's a very, very difficult show to write. And (executive producer) Howard Gordon . . . normally halfway through the season will say, 'I've got a great idea for next year.' And he just wasn't feeling it. And all his energy was focused on this season eight. He said, 'This is where I feel it should end, and we should be making the films.' And once he says that, you've got to go with him."
The "24" feature film, still in development, will stray from the show's format in at least one key way: It won't take 24 hours to tell its story of a day in the life of Jack Bauer.
"The film is a great opportunity for the writers, because it's the first time they won't be working in real time," Sutherland explained. "It will be a two-hour representation of a 24-hour day, so, all of a sudden, it's very feasible in 24 hours to get from England to Eastern Europe, so it opens up our horizons a great deal."
As for the finale? Rajskub dropped a few clues.
"Right now, we see Chloe having to come up with Jack and go after him, and go against his wishes, which she's never really done," Rajskub said. "She's being put in this position of power and having to grapple with these decisions that she's never had to do before, so she decides to take it on herself and go find him and confront him, and it's pretty explosive."
Salesman guilty in Sutherland scam
Associated Press
April 28, 2010
STOCKTON, Calif. - A California cattle salesman accused of stealing $1.5 million from customers, including "24" actor Kiefer Sutherland, has pleaded guilty to theft and forgery charges.
Michael Wayne Carr pleaded guilty Monday to three of 12 counts that included grand theft and forgery.
Under terms of a plea deal, the 44-year-old San Joaquin County man faces as much as seven years in prison and will be ordered to pay restitution when he's sentenced Nov. 1. Carr will be ordered to pay back $956,000 to Sutherland and one of the actor's investing partners.
He initially faced up to 18 years behind bars.
Prosecutors say Carr had agreements to buy steers in Mexico for his customers and sell them for profit in the United States, but that there's no record of Carr ever buying those animals.
They also say Carr sold steers that didn't belong to him.
February 24, 2010: Update on Kiefer Sutherland: Kiefer has recovered from his surgery. Chris Alexander, who is the Fox spokesman said: "Kiefer's been cleared to return to work and we resume production March 1."
Christopher Heard on his new book, ‘Kiefer Sutherland: Living Dangerously’
By: W. Andrew Powell - The GATE
February 17, 2010
Kiefer Sutherland is easily one of Canada’s most well-known modern actors to ever take America by storm, and even though he’s lived the dream, he has happily proven that he really doesn’t care what people think of him. Call him a bad boy if you like, but in author Christopher Heard’s new book, Kiefer Sutherland: Living Dangerously, we get a fresh look at one of the most interesting actors working in Hollywood today.
Heard, who authored six biographies to date, including Dreaming Aloud: The Life and Films of James Cameron, spent months researching Sutherland, and discovering some of the details that a lot of people might not know about the star.
Andrew Powell » What is the hardest part of being a biographer, in telling someone else’s story? And what was your favourite part of writing this book?
Christopher Heard » “The hardest part of being a biographer is in the fact that in today’s world, information is flying about everywhere — blogs, magazines, entertainment television shows — it is hard to distinguish between fact and fiction. Sometimes even the person I am writing about themselves send out false information about themselves to keep people at a distance — so there is the challenge of putting together a complicated puzzle while telling an entertaining story at the same time.”
“The best part is that I get to celebrate the life of someone I have watched and admired and share that admiration with others. Like it or not we live in a celebrity obsessed, celebrity driven society, so being able to go a few layers deeper and give people a better understanding of the people they are watching and wondering about is a lot of fun.”
AP » Kiefer Sutherland has had an interesting life, even among Hollywood stars, but did you learn anything that surprised even you?
CH » “I don’t think I learned anything that truly surprised me about Kiefer. There were aspects of his life that I knew about, but upon deeper investigation became very interesting and in turn explained a lot of the other things we known about him.”
“For example, the time he turned professional as a rodeo cowboy and roped on the U.S. Team Roping Championship circuit — he won a few events with his partner John English, whom he met when English doubled for him on The Cowboy Way, and broke several bones and was pretty beaten up during the time — I learned that Kiefer was not just an actor, he was a guy who could dedicate himself to whatever he chose to do — which in turn made him a better actor. When he stepped away from acting for a while, because the work wasn’t satisfying him, he realized how lucky he had been to work as an actor at all — so leaving acting helped him to reconnect to his career. A very bold move to make.”
AP » Do you have a favourite chapter, or a favourite fact that you discovered about Sutherland?
CH » “One of my favourite parts of the book was when I was dealing with the many collaborations between Kiefer Sutherland and Joel Schumacher — I have spent a lot of time interviewing Schumacher over the years and he is a wonderful guy to talk with — so when he was talking about working with Kiefer it was not just great stories I was getting, but a better understanding of Kiefer through someone who had worked with Kiefer during the ups and the downs of his career.”
AP » Kiefer and his father are probably two of the more well-known Canadian actors working in Hollywood. Since Kiefer only spent part of his life here, do you think he considers himself a true Canadian? And do you know if he spends much time in Canada these days?
CH » “Kiefer is a devout Canadian — just this past year at the Toronto International Film Festival he came to Toronto to volunteer as the Chairman of the Actors Conservatory at the Canadian Film Centre — he is a real champion of Canadian talent in Los Angeles as well — if you look at the credits of 24, any season of 24, both the in front of the camera credits and the crew credits, you will see many Canadians there — that is due largely to Kiefer’s influence.”
“And he does come here quite often. His mom, Shirley Douglas, lives here and Kiefer owns a couple houses here in Toronto, but he also likes the Windsor Arms Hotel as a place he can come to here and be anonymous, not to mention Flo’s diner in Yorkville.”
AP » Was there anything you found out that didn’t make it into the book?
CH » “No, I pretty much poured everything I could learn about Kiefer into the book — I did, with the full agreement of my wonderful editor Tim Niedermann, tone down the descriptions of Kiefer’s numerous playful drunken antics, because after a dozen or so such descriptions they just became boring. Other than that, what I discovered went into the book.”
Production suspended on '24' while Kiefer Sutherland recovers from surgery
Canadian Press
February 15, 2010
LOS ANGELES — Kiefer Sutherland is having what's described as a "minor elective procedure" after a cyst near his kidney ruptured last week and production of "24" has been suspended briefly.
His publicist tells TV Guide Online that Sutherland and Fox decided it was best for him to take care of it now instead of waiting until the season wraps.
"While Kiefer Sutherland is frustrated to miss even one day of work, he and Fox decided together that it would be best to complete this minor elective procedure now as a precaution as opposed to six weeks from now," Evelyn Karamanos, his publicist, told TV Guide.
"He looks forward to returning to work next week."
The cyst ruptured earlier in the week. The 43-year-old actor, who plays Jack Bauer, missed work Friday but production continued that day without him.
'24' headed to the bigscreen
Twentieth Century Fox's film and TV studios are conspiring to finally bring hit television series "24" to the bigscreen.
The film side has hired scribe Billy Ray ("State of Play," "Flightplan") to pen the script for the feature version.
Ray's pitch, which takes Jack Bauer to Europe, was a hit with Fox execs and producers of the high-concept television series.
Ray also wrote and directed "Breach" and "Shattered Glass."
Script is said to have come through "24" star Kiefer Sutherland, who's also an exec producer on the series -- and is said to be eager to turn the long-running TV skein into a feature franchise.
Feature would be produced by the TV show's key exec producers, including Sutherland. Series was created by Robert Cochran and Joel Surnow, while exec producer Howard Gordon runs the show through his Real Time Prods. banner.
Brian Grazer's Imagine Entertainment, which produces the show along with 20th Century Fox TV, also would be involved.
Insiders cautioned that a "24" feature is still very much in the preliminary stages. There are a number of factors influencing how quickly it moves ahead, including the fate of the TV show.
Fox doesn't have a deal for a ninth season of "24" and hasn't yet decided whether to order another season. Insiders said the network is waiting to see this week's ratings before making a decision, but the betting is that this season will be the final one.
Even if Fox winds up passing on another year of "24," 20th Century Fox TV could shop the show to other nets. In that case, a feature might have to take a back seat.
The series' producers have been kicking around the possibility of a feature adaptation for several years and came close to moving ahead on one several years ago.
But the prospect of shooting a film while the show was still on the air was daunting for the cast and producers. Critics and fans of "24" have always enthused about how the show is produced like a feature -- and the film studio would want to move most of the "24" series crew to work on the film. That's difficult to do while "24" is in production, and hiatuses aren't nearly long enough to shoot a movie.
The show's producers did take advantage of the writers strike to make a TV movie, however: "24: Redemption," which aired prior to the show's seventh season in 2008, was nominated for five Emmys.
The allure of spinning a popular TV series into a bigscreen film is hard to ignore for studio execs, since there is a built-in audience and brand awareness; "24" has also been a mammoth hit for the studio in foreign markets, which suggests that a feature adaptation would travel well.
Fox saw big rewards from turning TV toon "The Simpsons" into a feature film. In 2007, "The Simpsons" grossed $183.1 million domestically and $343.9 million overseas for a worldwide cume of $527.1 million.
Studio saw strong returns when adapting TV series "The X-Files." Feature film "The X-Files," released in 1998 when the show was still on the air, grossed $83.9 million at the domestic B.O. and $105.3 million overseas for a total cume of $189.2 million.
The second outing wasn't nearly as successful, however. "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," released in 2008, six years after the series went off the air, grossed just $68.4 million worldwide.
By Michael Schneider, Pamela McClintock
Entertainment News, TV News, Media – Variety
Fox TV, film studios team on feature adaptation
February 8, 2010
Keifer Sutherland on season 8 of '24'
The 24 stars returns as Jack Bauer
By Fred Topel - - CraveOnline.com
February 1, 2010
Jack Bauer has at least one more day to save. Whether the eighth season of 24 turns out to be its last or there’s a ninth on the way, there’s still many more real time hours of adventure in store. Kiefer Sutherland previewed the rest of day eight with the Television Critics Association at their winter press tour.
Q: How long were you actually in New York shooting?
Kiefer Sutherland: I shot there for one week and then we shot, obviously, all our plates over another ten days or something like that.
Q: What kind of reaction did you get from New Yorkers while you were shooting there?
Kiefer Sutherland: You know what was really funny was that we were a really light unit and so there was one day that we were shooting and we've obviously got police on the corners and things like that, but I came running around the corner with a gun and it was a mix of our extras and people who'd always seem to break through the lines and walk down the street. I always found it amazing that if in Los Angeles if you're walking down the street with a gun people will stop their car and check it out. In New York I'd be running down the street with a gun and people would walk just right by like absolutely nothing else was going on. So that made me laugh a bit.
Q: Has the show ever directly referenced 9/11 at any point?
Kiefer Sutherland: No.
Q: Is there a reason for that?
Kiefer Sutherland: The original pilot, and I think the first ten episodes, were written before the terrible events of 9/11 and I think there's been a real effort to make sure that this show is a fantasy. It was created as a fantasy. It was created to facilitate this circumstance of a crisis within the context of twenty four hours and I think that we've really wanted to make sure that this was not our interpretation of what's really happening in the world. Although there are certain lines that blur very much with what's really happening in our reality it's still a television show and it is born of the fantasy of our writers.
Q: Is it challenging to be set in New York and not be shooting the whole thing there?
Kiefer Sutherland: For the actors, yeah, I think it is. I think last year when we actually got to go to Washington, D.C. to shoot it had a great impact for all of us and it's the same with me being able to go to New York and shoot some. It's something that we're certainly aware of and that there's a kind of energy that takes place in New York that you have to do everything that you can to kind of manifest.
Q: How would you say this season is different from the other ones?
Kiefer Sutherland: It's as combination of things. There are certain things that you've come to expect from 24. It's going to be moving at a very fast pace. Jack is going to have a sh*tty day. Things are going to happen and hopefully a few things that you're not expecting with regards to the genre of the thriller we're going to spin for you. So those things are something that I think we did in season one and they were things that you should expect all the way through every season of the show. What we can change up for you are cast members and the personal relationships. The dynamic of the relationship between Annie Walker and Jack Bauer is literally flipped a hundred and eighty degrees this year. The dynamic between Jack Bauer and Cherry Jones at some point during this season gets turned on it's head. So, again, all of the changes are going to be character to character changes and in some cases how those characters, even Jack Bauer, deals with things.
Q: Is he going to stay more positive like he's in a better place than we've seen him in a long time?
Kiefer Sutherland: He certainly starts from that point, yeah.
Q: Would you personally like to see an end point for the show, putting a bow on it and going out?
Kiefer Sutherland: I don't know. We've talked about making the films for quite a long time. I think that Howard and I are very aware at not wanting to hint at that. If we're going to do it we better do it soon because Jack is getting older by the minute. So those things are all to be taken into consideration. If I just had my dream, yeah, that would be fantastic to just have a definitive end and have it be something that was really jolting and surprising and not in a place where you think it would be. That's ultimately what got us our audience. They've been unbelievably loyal and the death of my wife in the first season, a lot of fans were really angry about that. They did applaud us for that and they certainly didn't see it coming and it had a dramatic impact on them which is our job. If we were going to have a definitive end I would like it to be something that was great, something that had some weight.
Q: I know New York had been on the table for a few years. Even though you're not shooting the whole show there what did it take to get that to be the location for this season?
Kiefer Sutherland: I'd never actually heard that New York was on the table. That's a good question for Howard. I think really because Washington worked so well for us, I think that we loved the way that it looked and I think that it was really nice to visually get out of Los Angeles and try something different. The fact is that this is a national issue. So from a writer's perspective I would imagine that to lock yourself in that the only terrorist situation that'd ever taken place in the United States happened in Los Angeles got a little old.
Q: Why do you shoot so much of the show in Los Angeles?
Kiefer Sutherland: I think it's a combination of economics. We're shooting the equivalent of twelve films a year in a ten and a half month period. We have a very well oiled machine here and to uproot it and try to move it to New York would be very difficult. So we got away with really using plates and the technology right now, we can shoot a scene in downtown Los Angeles, take downtown Los Angeles and put you on the corner of West 4th and 7th Avenue and literally you will not know. It's very funny in casting, trying to find every out of work New York actor that has transplanted themselves to Los Angeles and use them as extras. We tried to do all of those things. Obviously there's an economic component to it.
Q: Meaning to find New York looking people?
Kiefer Sutherland: Well, I don't know if there's a specific look but there's a specific sound and a walk and all of those things.
Q: Have you ever thought that the definitive ending could be Jack dying?
Kiefer Sutherland: We've certainly talked about it.
Kiefer Sutherland caught up in alleged cattle-selling scam
By Christie D'Zurilla
Los Angeles Times
January 26, 2010
Time to circle the wagons. Kiefer Sutherland has been kicked in the financial teeth to the tune of $869,000 in an alleged cattle-investment operation gone awry, according to the San Joaquin County District Attorney's office.
That's a decent-sized dent, even for a guy who's finishing out a $40-million, three-year contract on the hit show "24."
Through a financial adviser, Sutherland became involved with suspect Michael Wayne Carr, who allegedly promised to buy cattle in Mexico and resell them in the U.S. for a profit. Though the money was transferred, prosecutors said, there is no evidence any cattle buying or selling took place.
A New Mexico couple lost their $177,000 investment, a Colorado cattle mover lost $400,000 worth of livestock that had been in Carr's care, and a man from Escalon, Calif., came forward to say that he'd loaned 54 cattle to Carr but had yet to get them back or get paid for them, prosecutors said.
Carr, a cattle manager and competitive steer-roping promoter, is expected to be arraigned Feb. 8 on 12 felony charges, among them multiple counts of grand theft, forgery, embezzlement, obtaining money by false pretenses and falsifying corporate books.
The TV-terrorist-tush kicker -- who in the '90s was involved with competitive roping -- has been "very friendly and helpful" with the investigation, a prosecutor told People magazine. Good thing Jack Bauer is only a character, yes?
The Press Association: Kiefer: Jack Bauer's family mission
January 21, 2010
Kiefer Sutherland has revealed that Jack Bauer is desperate to get his family back in the new series of 24.
The last season saw Kiefer's character facing death after exposure to a bioweapon and daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) - with whom he'd had a tricky relationship - volunteering to try and save his life with a stem cell procedure.
Now Jack hopes to build on Kim's change of heart, with Kiefer saying: "He has the opportunity to start a life with his granddaughter, and through his granddaughter he sees an opportunity of repairing the relationship with his daughter - he is very committed to trying to get back that family that he lost from season one."
Kiefer also spoke about plans for the new 24 film, revealing that he would like to see it shot in Europe.
"We've wanted to film all around Europe," he said. "I think one of the great things about Europe, especially if you're going to do a film where a two-hour film represents a 24-hour day, it's very feasible to get from eastern Europe to London in seven hours and so it doesn't eat up all the time, because if you're doing 24 episodes, and you try to get from Miami to even Washington, that's four episodes on a plane and people stop watching.
"Europe has been something that we've all talked about as an opportunity for the film that just unfortunately has not presented itself for us in the show."
Note: If you haven’t seen Monsters vs. Aliens, you may want to read the interview below after you have seen it. The interviewer asks Kiefer about his favorite scene.
Kiefer Sutherland Q&A
femalefirst.co.uk
November 4, 2009
Kiefer Sutherland may be best know for his role as Jack Bauer but it's his voice on show in this week's DVD release of Monsters vs Aliens.
Sutherland voices the character General W.R. Monger who heads a top-secret prison facility which is home to a series of 'monsters'.
Hi Kiefer. When your Monsters vs. Aliens co-stars and directors talk about you they say the same thing and that is you are a funny guy and natural comedian. Why don't you do more comedy? We always tend to see you in tough guy roles like 24.
Comedy is actually not something I've ever been comfortable with. It's very different to going out with a bunch of friends and being funny than actually being able to be funny on a film set.
Earlier on, in theatre school I would butcher some of the funniest scenes I've ever seen in my life. Comedy has such a specific requirement.
It's set up so that on the fourth line, you have to get the laugh and if you're not getting the laugh, you panic. It wasn't something I've ever felt really comfortable with.
You must have been nervous then doing Monsters vs. Aliens.
One of the nice things about doing an animated film is that you're not limited by your own physicality. There's a real freedom in that. You can try and do something different.
Certainly over my career, from Stand By Me to Lost Boys and some of the things I did early on, no one ever asked me to be funny, so it was kind of a mutual agreement that my career would go in that direction (laughs).
If it wasn't the comedy, what was it about playing General W.R. Monger in Monsters vs. Aliens that attracted you? Did you want to do something completely different to 24?
No. The main reason I chose to do this character was that here is a guy who has been removed from society on a large level, so I think that makes people eccentric and kind of odd.
He's a general so I gave him a little bit of a hint of southern flair. All of these things were a lot of fun to do. It was not a choice based on what I was doing with 24 or anything else.
Did you find making an animated movie more exhausting than 24?
Sometimes it may take five hours to get four lines right. And (puts on General's loud voice) "When you talk like this" (yells) it takes a lot out of your energy and voice when you do that for four hours straight.
What was fun about making this movie?
They have taken everything to such a heightened state with this movie. Even my voice is off the chart. I think that's what's fun about the film.
You are in the public eye. The paparazzi follow you and the tabloids often have stories about you. Do you ever feel exposed like your character?
My character has a very gruff exterior but he has a lot of compassion for these monsters. He's very sensitive. I personally don't feel exposed. I was fortunate to have a father who was very successful, so I knew when I made the choice to go into acting what I was getting myself into.
I knew what was coming with it if I became successful. When it did it was a lot easier for me to handle than other friends of mine.
Is there a moral message in Monsters vs. Aliens?
This film is designed for children, although I believe that it's done a beautiful job balancing the subtext so it's enjoyable for an adult as well. But if you're going to find a moral, it's to be more accepting of what people are, rather than what you perceive them to be.
Do you feel you have embraced yourself?
I always feel I'm a work in progress (laughs). I think until the day you die that is the case. The day I wake up and think "Wow, I've figured it all out," I will be amazed. I have never gone through a single day where I don't think I could have done something better.. It could be something simple. A work-related thing.
I have two daughters and have raised four children. I wish I had more time for that. I wish I could balance my time better. I have always kind of looked at life like that. There is no finish line. You have to try and learn as much as you can every day.
Monsters vs. Aliens is inspired by the old 1950s horror movies. Do you like watching those old movies?
Absolutely. That's what I find so amusing about Monsters vs. Aliens. I'll give you an example. I remember seeing a movie when I was 12 called The Car. It scared the hell out of me.
Recently a friend gave me a copy of it so I watched it again thinking I would be terrified. I wasn't. It wasn't scary at all.
What is your favourite scene in Monsters vs. Aliens?
That wonderful scene when he puts Ginormica in the cell with the other monsters and she starts to cry. The passion of the film is you feel for these characters.
More than 20 years ago you starred in the vampire film The Lost Boys. Now Twilight is such a huge film. What do you think about that?
I think the vampire genre is a wonderful genre. I haven't had a chance to see Twilight yet, although I did see some Twilight commercials where people are flying through the air and I thought "Yeah, I remember doing that" (laughs). I hope they had as much fun making Twilight as we did with Lost Boys. The Lost Boys had a huge impression on my life.
Thanks Kiefer.
It has been a pleasure.
Monsters vs aliens is out on DVD now.
Kiefer Sutherland chairs CFC's actors program
cbcnews.ca
September 13, 2009
Kiefer Sutherland, the Canadian star of the hit TV series 24, has been named the chair of the Canadian Film Centre's Actors Conservatory.
The program, which provides extensive on-screen training for actors, is supported by Canwest and the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation. It will officially launch on Sept. 21.
Participants and mentors are yet to be announced for the first five-month session of the program.
"I am honoured to contribute to Norman Jewison's legacy by offering the CFC my passion for storytelling, for Canada and its talent," the actor said in a statement released on Sunday. "The Actors Conservatory will have significant influence on the professional and creative lives of the actors attending and on our industry."
Sutherland, 42, an Emmy and Genie award winner, is the son of Canadian actors Shirley Douglas and Donald Sutherland.
Christine Shipton, senior vice-president of drama and factual programming at Canwest, hailed Sutherland's participation.
"With Kiefer Sutherland's commitment, the conservatory will not only generate renewed enthusiasm for Canadian actors but will help take our Canadian programming efforts to the next level," she said.
The conservatory — which will train and promote experienced screen and stage actors in Canada — was announced a year ago.
Funding for the program included a $1-million gift from the Linehan Foundation, which was created in memory of celebrity interviewer Brian Linehan, who died of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2004.
Kiefer Sutherland to chair Actors Conservatory
The Globe and Mail
September 15, 2009
Canadian star Kiefer Sutherland has been named the inaugural chair of the Canadian Film Centre's new Actors Conservatory.
The award-winning Canuck, best known as Jack Bauer on the television hit 24, was announced yesterday at the Film Centre's annual barbecue, which traditionally draws huge crowds away from the Toronto International Film Festival to the Bayview Avenue estate which houses the Centre.
The creation of the Actors Conservatory was unveiled at last year's barbecue, backed by the support of the Brian Linehan Charitable Foundation and Canwest, and tagged as the first Canadian outfit to both train and properly market established young actors of stage and screen as future stars. The program's first five-month session will launch on Sept. 21. As chair, Sutherland is expected to be hands-on, giving master classes and luring some of his accomplished compatriots as fellow mentors.
"I am honoured to contribute to [CFC founder] Norman Jewison's legacy by offering the CFC my passion for storytelling, for Canada and its talent," Sutherland said yesterday.
WHY '24' SEASON EIGHT COULD BE THE SHOW'S LAST
By Abbie Bernstein - Contributing Writer
iFMagazine.com
August 6, 2009
Only time will tell, but Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly says they're going to have to sort it out in the next couple of months
LOCATION: Pasadena, CA
THE SKINNY: Could time be running out for 24. At today’s Summer TCA Press Tour, iF spoke with Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly who says the popular real-time drama could potentially be entering its last season.
“It’s our last contractual season of 24,” he says. “There are a lot of moving parts, so we’re not sure what will happen after that.”
Reilly does say Kiefer Sutherland is still as enthusiastic as the first day he began on the show and that another season or possibly a theatrical movie isn’t out of the question.
“We haven’t made any decision whether it’s back or not,” Reilly admits. “The producers are passionate, Kiefer is passionate and we don’t have any of them looking to jump ship. It’s a show we’re really proud of. It’s going to come down to a business decision. It’s not an inexpensive show on the network books and we also want to finish strong. This is not a show we want to prop up. It will be a whole creative and business discussion and something we’ll have to deal with over the next few months.”
Sutherland's lawyer says actor wasn't instigator
By Colleen Long
The Associated Press
May 11, 2009
NEW YORK (AP) — An investigation by New York City officials into a charge Kiefer Sutherland head-butted a fashion designer at a nightclub will show the star of TV's "24" was not a wrongdoer or instigator, his attorney said Monday. Sutherland was charged Thursday with third-degree assault in the incident a week ago at a nightclub at the trendy Mercer Hotel in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan.
The designer, Jack McCollough of the high-end Proenza Schouler fashion house, claims Sutherland broke his nose after an argument at about 2 a.m. Tuesday. Police are also planning to question actress Brooke Shields as a witness.
Representatives for the three celebrities worked to clear up rumors after initially refusing to comment to the Associated Press.
"We are troubled by the untruthful and self-serving information circulating regarding Kiefer Sutherland and events of last Monday evening," attorney Michael Miller said in a statement. "Out of respect for this law enforcement process, Kiefer Sutherland will not be making any comment."
Representatives for McCollough said the designer's injuries were more serious than what was initially noted on the police report. McCollough's nose was broken in several places and he had to seek medical treatment after the altercation. The police report says he suffered a cut on his nose.
Shields' attorney, Gerald Lefcourt, wouldn't comment on whether she had been interviewed by police in the case. He said that many statements had been falsely attributed to Shields regarding the incident, and were likely made by people not at the scene.
"While at the party, she was bumped into by Jack McCollough and Kiefer Sutherland became concerned," Lefcourt said in a statement. "Kiefer has always been a gentleman in her company. Both Jack and Kiefer are friends of Ms. Shields and she regrets this unfortunate situation."
No decision has been made on whether the New York City charge will affect Sutherland's probation for a drunken-driving conviction in Los Angeles.
Sutherland pleaded no contest in October 2007 to driving with a blood-alcohol level above the legal limit of 0.08 percent. He served 30 days in jail, in addition to 18 days for violating probation in a 2004 drunken-driving arrest.
Sutherland, who plays dashing federal counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer on "24," won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for best actor, and has been nominated multiple times for his work on the wildly popular show. The seventh season airs on Mondays on FOX.
Exclusive: '24' moving to New York!
By Michael Ausiello
EW.com
April 14, 2009
After six seasons in Los Angeles and one in D.C., Jack Bauer is taking his one-man show to Broadway!
Sources confirm to me exclusively that 24 will be relocating to New York next season -- at least on screen. (The show will still be primarily shot in Los Angeles, with some NY location footage mixed in.)
Production on Day 8 gets underway next month, but already details are emerging. In addition to the move to the Big Apple, CTU will make a comeback under the leadership of a new, yet-to-be-cast male character by the name of Brian Hastings. Described as an MBA type with a razor sharp intellect, Hastings will be joined by two new twentysomething agents (one male, one female), as well as Mary Lynn Rajskub's returning Chloe.
As previously reported, Slumdog Millionaire's smarmy game show host, Anil Kapoor, is joining the cast as Arman Hashemi, a Middle Eastern leader on a peacemaking mission in the U.S. Casting is underway for the roles of his brother and wife.
Thoughts on 24's move to the city that never sleeps?
'Slumdog' star lands regular role on '24'
zap2it
April 4, 2009
There are still eight hours to go in the seventh season of "24," but the show has already landed its first major new face for next season.
"Slumdog Millionaire" star Anil Kapoor will join the FOX series as a regular for season eight. It will be the first American TV role for the Bollywood star.
Kapoor will be playing a leader of an unnamed Middle Eastern nation who comes to the United States on a peace mission. FOX isn't saying more than that, but we'll go ahead and venture a guess that something during the day will cause the peace mission to go horribly awry and bring Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) into the situation.
Kapoor is one of the most well-known actors in India. He has more than 100 credits to his name and has won several awards in his home country. He also earned a Screen Actors Guild award this year as part of the "Slumdog Millionaire" ensemble.
The current season of "24" will conclude with a two-hour finale on Monday, May 18.
24 Thinks Slumdog Millionaire Star Is on the Money
By Matt Mitovich
TV Guide
April 3, 2009
Who wants to cast a Slumdog Millionaire star? 24 does.
Fox's hit drama has announced that Anil Kapoor, who played game show host Prem Kumar on the Oscars-winning indie, will be a part of the cast for Season 8, premiering in early 2010. Just last week, 24 star Kiefer Sutherland announced his plan to stick around for at least one more of Jack Bauer's very bad days.
In Season 8, Kapoor will play a Middle Eastern leader who comes to the U.S. on a peacemaking mission.
24's current "day" continues this Monday at 9 pm/ET, with the FBI engaging in a standoff against Starkwood's private military. The two-hour Season 7 finale is slated to air Monday, May 18.
U.S. actor Kiefer Sutherland poses as General W.R. Monger in "Monsters vs. Aliens" during an interview in Hong Kong Tuesday, March 23, 2009. Sutherland, who provides the voice for General W.R. Monger in the animation film, will be back to play Jack Bauer for an eighth season of the hit counterterrorism drama "24," but the show's longevity will depend on its writers, the actor said Tuesday. (AP Photo/Vincent Yu)
Sutherland says he's on for 8th '24' season
By Min Lee - The Associated Press
March 24, 2009
HONG KONG (AP) — Kiefer Sutherland will be back to play Jack Bauer for an eighth season of the hit counterterrorism drama "24," but the show's longevity will depend on its writers, the actor said Tuesday.
The 42-year-old said "24," currently in its seventh season, will start shooting its eighth in May. He spoke during an interview in Hong Kong to promote the new 3-D animated movie "Monsters vs. Aliens," in which he voices the character of General W.R. Monger.
Sutherland, whose gritty portrayal of the counterterrorism agent has made Bauer an iconic character, said he's committed to the show that's revived his career.
"If I was going to liken '24' to a girlfriend, '24' has been really good to me. And I need to be really good back," Sutherland said.
"There are plays I want to do. There are so many different things I would like to do, but I was so fortunate to be part of something like '24' that my focus is still on that right now," he said.
Sutherland said the show's future also hinges on its writers' ability to shape its story.
"The real pressure is placed on the writers. It's a real question about how much they feel they can give and what they can do," he said.
Sutherland, whose movie credits include "Young Guns" and "A Few Good Men," said he hasn't thought much about his career after "24" and isn't worried about being typecast as a Bauer-like government agent.
"I will do the work I want to do and people can accept it or not," he said.
Working as a voice actor on "Monsters vs. Aliens" was a "fantastic counterbalance" to playing Bauer, he said.
"The relief was unbelievable. For five days a week, 14 hours a day, I'm doing Jack Bauer on '24' and then for five hours on the weekend, I got to kind of proverbially let my hair down and play this character and talk like that and be a kid. I felt like a 5-year-old," said Sutherland, simulating the deep, raspy voice of his character.
"Monsters vs. Aliens," which is about a jailed group of monsters who are freed to help battle an alien robot, opens in U.S. theaters Friday.
Kiefer Sutherland embraces a new role
By John Hiscock – Special to the Toronto Star
March 24, 2009
Los Angeles–Kiefer Sutherland has dialled down the reckless behaviour that earned him a reputation as a hard-drinking womanizer in his younger days and replaced it with hard work and a new love.
Sutherland, who earns $30 million (U.S.) a year as counter-terrorist agent Jack Bauer on the hit show 24, spent his weekends off from the gruelling series working on a movie last year.
He opted for a complete change of pace with the 3D-animated comedy Monsters vs. Aliens, in which he provides one of the voices. It opens Friday.
"We shot it while I was making 24, so for five days a week, 14 hours a day, I was very serious with 24, then suddenly, for six hours on a weekend, I got to have fun," he recalled. "I'd forgotten how much fun acting can be. We laughed a lot and I felt I was 5 years old again. It was a fantastic counter-balance to working on 24."
His years of drinking saw Sutherland make headlines and end up with 140 stitches after bar fights. Three years ago, Sutherland famously attacked a Christmas tree in the lobby of London's Strand Palace Hotel and a year later, he spent the holiday in jail after being arrested for drunken driving for the second time.
"I'm very happy at this point in my life and that's a large part of it," he says of his new approach to life.
A big part of it is the relationship he's been in for the past year with Siobhan Bonnouvrier, a style director at Allure magazine.
In Monsters vs. Aliens, Sutherland provides the voice of Gen. W.R. Monger, the commander of a secret government compound, which houses all the monsters on Earth. When aliens invade the planet, he convinces the president the monsters can defeat the invaders.
"One of the things I really liked about the character is that although he has the responsibility of incarcerating and managing these monsters, I think he feels bad about it because he realizes they're not the dangerous, evil monsters that everybody else perceives them to be, but they've been put away simply because they're different," he said.
"I love the message of this film, which is geared to young people and is telling them that it's all right to be different."
Sutherland looked relaxed in a black T-shirt and slacks as he talked in a suite at the Four Seasons Hotel in Beverly Hills during a worldwide promotional swing for the movie.
One city missing from the tour, however, is Toronto, where the British-born Sutherland was raised and to which he still has strong emotional ties. Until three years ago, he also had a house here.
"I had it for the longest time, but to keep the pipes warm in the winter I decided to let it go when I realized that 24 was not going to end overnight," he said. "But I consider myself a Canadian and my family is still there, so it is somewhere that I expect to get back to at some point."
Sutherland's Canadian roots run deep. His grandfather, Tommy Douglas, was the first socialist premier of Saskatchewan from 1944-1961. Sutherland's father, actor Donald Sutherland, was born in New Brunswick and his mother, actor Shirley Douglas, and his twin sister Rachel still live in Toronto.
Sutherland is currently on a break from 24, which begins filming its eighth season in May, bringing with it more romance for Jack Bauer and FBI agent Renee Walker, played by Annie Wersching.
"We figured if you can't fall in love under the circumstances of life and death you're in big trouble," laughed Sutherland, who works closely with the writers in devising the shows plotlines. "One of the things that has brought them together so quickly is this desperate need for each other to survive. Nothing brings people closer together than that."
Sutherland first became interested in acting while he was at St. Andrew's College in Aurora, north of Toronto. Then he saw his mother in the play Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? and decided he wanted to act.
When he was 16, he landed a role in the Canadian feature The Bay Boy.
The following year he moved to Los Angeles and lived out of his car for a few months before moving into a house with fellow struggling actors Sarah Jessica Parker, Robert Downey Jr. and Billy Zane.
His breakout roles in Stand By Me (1986) and The Lost Boys (1987) took him to the brink of stardom, but his life and career went downhill amid bouts of wild living and some bad movie choices.
Disheartened and disillusioned, he retreated to a cattle ranch he bought in California's Santa Ynez Valley, took up steer roping and travelled the rodeo circuit winning a number of competitions.
Then the script for 24 came along and, as he says, his life turned around. His fondness for tattoos, however, keeps the show's makeup artists busy concealing them.
"I have a lot of tattoos and it's kind of a disease," he laughed.
"You get the first one and then if it matters to you, you get more. I got my first tattoo when I was 16 and had just left home, and I was really scared so a couple of friends and I went and got tattoos as a kind of bonding thing. "
The tattoo he chose was a Chinese symbol meaning "strength" with a heart in the middle.
"From then on, any time I went through something in my life that mattered to me I had this desire to make a tattoo out of it. I kept going and I have a lot of them.
"There are times when it is difficult – certainly when I work I have to cover them up – and there are times also when I've seen a picture of myself when I had none and think that maybe I shouldn't have got any. But most of the time it's a nice map for myself about the journey of my own life."
Sutherland vs. monsters and aliens
By Jamie Portman
Canwest News Service
March 24, 2009
BEVERLY HILLS - He's the star and mainstay of 24, a groundbreaking television series.
Furthermore, despite the gruelling demands of portraying Jack Bauer on the small screen, he still finds time for other acting opportunities - most recently in supplying the rasping voice of a jingoistic American general in the animated Monsters vs. Aliens.
But if you tell Kiefer Sutherland that he has it made, you're in for an argument. This most personable of Canadian actors believes in tough self-analysis. Forget those acting awards and the international stardom and the million-dollar pay cheques. He still believes he's capable of more.
"I still feel at the age of 42 that I haven't made the film I want to make. I still feel there is so much to do."
He reminds you of the many bumps along the way, both professionally and personally, since he first attracted attention in the 1984 Canadian film, The Bay Boy.
"It's up and down," he says matter-of-factly. "That's exactly what it has been. I started up and managed to do films like Stand By Me, Lost Boys and Flatliners - things that took off very well. Then there was a bit of a lull, and then I got to do things like A Few Good Men and Dark City. It has gone up and down."
But he never stopped working.
"Work breeds work in our business, and it still does," he says. "But there were huge disappointments."
He even feared 24 might be another disappointment - despite the belief of everyone connected with its 2001 launch that they were onto something fresh and exciting, with their concept of a television suspense series covering 24 hours of action in real time.
"I have to tell you that when we shot the pilot of 24, we didn't even think it would get picked up or turn into what it's become.
So you have to be able to take the good with the bad. I have still been able to make a living as an actor my entire adult life, and for that I'm eternally grateful."
But he's still nagged by that feeling that he hasn't yet reached his potential. He's chatting with Canwest News Service in the quiet of a Beverly Hills Hotel suite just minutes after he completed a press conference downstairs.
He's slender and wiry in a black T-shirt and black jeans. Tattoos are visible on his upper arms. There may be a few lines around the eyes, but the boyish enthusiast of a quarter of a century ago is still present - along with a new maturity and candour.
And as he assesses his future, he continues to be stirred by the example of his distinguished father, Donald Sutherland.
"I would break our industry into three categories: You have movies, you have film, and you have cinema. Movies are those great big blockbusters of the summer, and they're fun and they're easy to go to. Films require a little more thought - and then there's cinema, which is what we do as art," he says. "Off the top of my head, I can say that Fellini's Casanova, Bertolucci's 1900 and Nic Roeg's Don't Look Now were all cinema to me. Those were three of my father's films, and I couldn't tell you a single thing of mine that would enter into that category, and I would like to be able to say at the end of my career that there were a couple of those things."
Sutherland also doesn't think he's very good at comedy, despite the congratulations he's receiving for the role of cantankerous general W.R. Monger in Monsters vs. Aliens. This is the colourful officer who decides the best way to stop invading aliens is to turn a team of home bred monsters loose on them.
"I wasn't trained in comedy," Sutherland says flatly. "I don't have the expertise." He remembers years ago seeing a series of camera commercials featuring fellow Canadian Martin Short. "He was unbelievable." Sutherland was 15 at the time and he knew he'd better be "very good" at drama because he lacked Short's comic gifts. "It's not something innate in me."
Sutherland drew on two sources in creating the general's unique voice. One came from Lee Ermey's demonic performance as a sadistic drill sergeant in Full Metal Jacket. The other was a Warner Brothers cartoon icon - the irascible and crusty-voiced Yosemite Sam who was constantly seeking to annihilate Bugs Bunny.
As he worked in the recording studio, Sutherland kept thinking of Sam's trademark declaration - "I hate rabbits!"
"He's such an eccentric, grumpy old guy," Sutherland says affectionately. "The general likes his monsters and the one thing I love about this movie is that it tells children that it's all right to be different - and not only that it's all right to be different, but that the things that make you uncomfortable about being different can be your greatest quality. That allows Gen. Monger to save the planet.
The Press Association: Kiefer takes inspiration from Bugs
March 16, 2009
Kiefer Sutherland has revealed he drew inspiration from a Bugs Bunny character for his role in new animation movie Monsters Vs Aliens.
The 24 star voices the part of military-lifer General Monger in the 3D film and said he was influenced by a range of different characters.
He said: "Obviously there were requirements, this was a life-long military man and one of the voices I loved was that of the Sergeant in Full Metal Jacket which was a very serious performance - this was to be much more fun. In my head I love the character of Yosemite Sam, who is in a lot of the Bugs Bunny cartoons, the voice was really an effort to bring those two together."
He added that anything that made the producer and directors laugh was a winner for him.
Kiefer said: "I was messing around with that and Lisa (Stewart, the producer) and Conrad (Vernon, the director) laughed and I'm pretty easy for a laugh so we went forward with that.”
Monsters Vs Aliens opens on April 3.
The Press Association: Kiefer Sutherland in comedy?
March 13, 2009
Kiefer Sutherland may branch out from saving the world into more comedic roles.
The 24 hero said he enjoyed voicing General Monger in new animated flick Monsters Vs Aliens so much that it may prompt him to explore other similar projects.
"It was so much fun for me that I would always welcome the opportunity to branch out and do other things but I think in live action the comedy I would be drawn to would be dark still, but we'll see," he said.
The actor added that he often suffers from self-consciousness, so every project is a learning experience.
"I've been naturally drawn to more dramatic roles, it's something I have felt more comfortable with. The arc actually for me in even animated movies has been a learning one, a giant learning curve," he said.
"To my own detriment I think at times I get self-conscious and you find yourself in a recording studio by yourself with 10 people on the other side of a glass window looking at you."
Kiefer also revealed he relied on his action background to get into the swing when recording the General's voice, saying: "I forgot that I did require physical movement to do some of the voices and this was the first experience where the voice was separate enough from my own that I kind of really let loose with it and I had an absolutely wonderful time, right up until the point that I realised they were filming it, then I got really quiet again."
Monsters vs Aliens opens on April 3.
24 President inspired by Eleanor Roosevelt
TV news & reviews of the hottest shows | TV Talk
By Kevin D. Thompson - Palm Beach Post
February 12, 2009
I spoke with the president today.
No, not Obama. The other one.
Who?
Why, Madame President Allison Taylor, the tough-as-Kevlar leader of the free world on 24.
OK, actually, I was on a conference call this afternoon with Cherry Jones, the Tony-winning actress who could very well earn an Emmy nomination later this year for her fine work on TV’s greatest thrill ride.
Madame president, er, I mean, Jones, chatted for about 25 minutes with a bunch of TV writers and talked about everything from working with Kiefer Sutherland to why her commander-in-chief isn’t a small screen version of Hilary Clinton.
On whether President Taylor will stay flawed:
“I’m as flawed as the next little president. You’ll see I have plenty of flaws, both domestic and international.”
On working with Kiefer Sutherland:
“I had been told by my dear friend (actress) Jayne Atkinson that whenever Kiefer’s on the set, there’s a whole other temperature – it’s part of the reason why he’s kept (24) so taut and intense. He’s completely focused. On that stage, he’s intensity personified.”
On research she did to play a president:
“I always loved reading biographies. I read a lot about Eleanor Roosevelt. I was always fascinated by her. And I thought of (former Israeli Prime Minister) Golda Meir. I threw in a smattering of John Wayne just to get through the scene.”
On what’s like playing a commander-in-chief:
“When I first walked on to the set, there was a kind of deferential treatment simply because I was playing the president. Good actors will defer to someone who has the position of power. Everyone in the cast gives me the power I need.”
On what she knew about 24:
“When I found out I had a meeting (with the producers) I rented the first season and saw two episodes. I fell in love with Jack Bauer. I grew up on a Man From U.N.C.L.E and Mission: Impossible….I have a proclivity for espionage.”
On TV versus theatre:
“On stage, you know the beginning, middle and end. You can create the arc because you know who you are and what you have to accomplish. On 24, I don’t completely know who she is. I just have to take what I’m given in the moment. I’m carving out a character each and every episode. I’m going with the belief that she is someone who really has great moral authority.”
On why she want her president to be older:
“I wanted her to show a life that has been difficult (so you could) see this massive grief on her face. She just lost a grown child and has had no time to mourn that child. She’s emotionally compromised when Day 7 begins. I wanted her to look tired from the top. I didn’t want to look like a Hollywood person playing the president. I wanted her to look like s—t. She’s exhausted.”
On why President Taylor isn’t Hilary Clinton:
“In the first place, she’s battling depression. She’s in an emotionally compromised place. I don’t see Hilary invading Dafour. I just don’t. It’s a very bold move the writers have made. I’m an idealistic person and I love that she’s taken a stand. Whether it’s the wisest thing to do, I don’t know, but I admire her for doing it.”
On if Taylor’s a Republican:
“I’ve been quoted as saying my hair’s Republican. I’m not sure. They jury’s still out.”
On why she wanted her character to be honorable:
“Not that I wouldn’t want to play an evil, wicked bad president. But it was important to me that she be written as a human being.”
Kiefer Sutherland eager for Robin Williams appearance
Metro News Services
February 16, 1009
Kiefer Sutherland is keen to find a role in his hit show 24 for Robin Williams after finding the funnyman is a big fan of the drama, femalefirst.co.uk reports.
Williams recently begged for a part in 24 during a chat with TV Guide magazine, stating, “I would play a technical adviser. Anything,” and Sutherland is thrilled the comic is watching.
He says, “It would be an honour (to have him on the show). You’re talking about an Academy Award-winning actor with no lack of energy, which is what we require.
“Robin could be an innocent computer analyst who stumbles onto something cryptic ... and becomes a target. (My character) Jack Bauer, the government and the bad guys are all looking for this guy, who is scared to death and running for his life.”
Williams has proved himself a master of tense TV dramas — he won acclaim last year as a deranged character on the 200th episode of Law & Order: SVU.
Kiefer Sutherland News - Kiefer Sutherland Is An Obscene Music Fan
Celebuzz
February 21, 2009
With his run as 24's terrorist-thwarting dynamo Jack Bauer winding down, Kiefer Sutherland is apparently finding other activities to occupy his time with. Such as heckling musicians.
The New York Post reports that Sutherland, 42, was taking in a performance by Atlanta-based singer/guitarist Michael Daves at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York's Lower East Side recently when he expressed his admiration in a most boisterous manner.
"You motherf*cker!" Sutherland screamed out from the audience as Daves ran through his set.
Unaware of his opinionated fan's identity, Daves shot back, "I'll take that as a compliment."
Which was met with, "You motherf*cker—you're the man!"
Upon closer inspection, Daves discovered that the bellowing patron was, in fact, the 24 star.
"No, you're the man!" Daves replied.
At which point the two screamed in unison, "We are the men!"
There you have it, aspiring musicians. You now know how to tell if Kiefer Sutherland digs your tunes. Lord only know what he'll scream if he isn't a fan of your music.
Jail For Jack?
TV Guide – 24 Exclusive
By David Hochman
January 5 – 11, 2009
24 Season Premiere: Sunday, January 11 and Monday, January 12 at 8/7c on Fox.
Explosive scoop on Bauer’s trial, the female prez’s family crisis – and the good guy gone bad
Mr. Bauer Goes To Washington
A new city, and old enemy and dirty, deadly politics: Can 24’s antihero save the world again? Yes, he can!
“I feel an enormous responsibility and allegiance to 24,” says Sutherland. “We’ve used the show as a device to create a sense of urgency. It just so happened that it came a time when our country was feeling that urgency as well.”
It’s hard to tell the real feds from the ones playing them on television. Outside a stately Washington, D.C., hotel near the White House, two imposing dudes in FBI sweatshirts share a corner with a man in a suit. Dark shades and telltale earpiece. Across the street, someone is mumbling into a lapel mike alongside a guy whose windbreaker reads “protection services.”
Then there’s the familiar-looking man in a beige coat who can’t stop smiling.
“It goes to show how little I actually know about this government-agent stuff,” Kiefer Sutherland says, when asked who’s an actor and who’s not on the D.C. set of 24. Complicating matters, the real Secretary of Homeland Security, Michael Chertoff, has stopped by to tell everyone, “I love 24!” Sutherland just shakes his head. “This is so surreal,” he says.
After six seasons in Los Angeles and a year and a half off the air, Sutherland arrives in the capital as Jack Bauer with a new look – hmmm, is that London Fog? – and a new sense of purpose: to restore 24 to its rightful place in the most electrifying drama on TV.
“This is a recharge for the show,” Sutherland says. He’s sitting under a white canopy between scenes, toying with pieces on a chessboard. 24 still shoots mainly in L.A., but production spent weeks filming inside the Beltway. “I was disappointed with Season 6 and we didn’t want to see Jack become a cliché of himself, so we shuffled the deck, jumped into new territory. Now we get to see what happens.
In a two-night, four-hour premiere on January 11 and 12, Day 7 dawns with a new female president – Allison Taylor, played by Cherry Jones – and news that CTU has been mothballed amid charges that the antiterrorism unit was sanctioning torture. For his part on that front, Jack is facing tough questions at a Senate subcommittee hearing. “Jack is being asked to account for the conduct of his past by the very government he has protected all these years,” explains executive producer Howard Gordon. “In a way, the show reflects the realities of our times.”
That’s always been the case with 24. The series premiered two short months after 9/11, and the first few seasons rode a wave of American nationalism. “For most of our run, nobody really cared how Jack stopped the terror threat du jour,” says executive producer Jon Cassar, who had directed more than 50 episodes. “The important thing was he stopped it.”
But all the ugly reports out of Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo suddenly put Jack and his aggressive interrogation methods on the wrong side of the public opinion. The PR crisis escalated when news broke that 24 was an inspiration in early “brainstorming meetings” among military officials at Guantanamo. Even Supreme Court justice Antonin Scalia cited how the show in defending American interrogation policy during a conference in Ottawa. “Jack Bauer saved Los Angeles…He saved hundreds of thousand of lives,” Scalia said. “Are you going to convict Jack Bauer?”
Well, maybe. But we’re hearing that even a Senate subcommittee can’t keep old JB down for long. Ready for a few spoilers? As Sen. Blaine Mayer (Kurtwood Smith from That 70s Show) hammers Jack with questions, along comes FBI agent Renee Walker (Annie Wersching), a by-the-book redhead who “pulls Jack into the field to deal with more pressing matters,” says Wersching, who will become Jack’s partner this season. More pressing? Like what? “Oh, you know,” she laughs. “Just a massive international security breach.”
Turns out it’s even messier than that. The man responsible for the breach (which involves terrorists circumventing air-traffic control with something called a CIP device) is none other than Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), who – wait a minute! – Seemingly died at the end of Season 5. “If nothing else,” Bernard says, “this will stop people from coming up to me on the street and saying, “Hey, I know you’re not dead. When are you coming back?’”
Shooting in Washington was quite a trip for the cast. “I can’t tell you how funny it is to meet people who really do what Jack Bauer does for a living,” Sutherland says. Adds Gordon, “A bunch of the crew toured the new Counterterrorism Center inside the White House, which someone told us was inspired by the look of CTU. When we arrived, the staff stood up and applauded.”
Speaking of the White House, 24’s new president has her hands full this season with a coup spooling out of control in the African nation of Sangala – a drama that began in last fall’s 24: Redemption prequel. There’s also a mole in the Secret Service and rumors afoot that the recent death of the president’s son wasn’t a suicide like everybody thinks. There’s only one man who can get to the bottom of all this, of course, and his name rhymes with Schmack Schmauer.
“No matter how much changes, some things stay the same on this show,” Sutherland says, walking to the set. “I get to wear the same clothes 24 episodes in a row and Jack gets to be the original maverick.”
Fox didn’t intend to wait 18 months between Season 6 and 7. But the writers’ strike last year sidetracked production, and the presidential election stood in the way of airing an uninterrupted season of 24 last fall. “I didn’t know what to do with myself all the time,” says Mary Lynn Rajskub, who plays Chloe O’Brian. “I painted. I watched Mad Men. I made a baby.” (In July, Rajskub gave birth to a son, Valentine).
It’s hard to say how the time gap will impact ratings. Even after a massive marketing blitz, 24’s two-hour prequel movie, which was filmed in South Africa and aired in November, averaged only about 12 million viewers.
“It would be a lie to say I’m not nervous about coming back after such a long break,” Sutherland says. It’s more than a year after the Washington set visit, and Sutherland, back in Los Angeles, is clearly feeling philosophical about a character he’s played for so long. “I still believe in Jack Bauer and I hope America still does,” he says over lunch. “I know it’s only a TV show, but Jack does live within me. I’m endlessly inspired by the character and by his determination to say we can’t stop until we solve whatever problem is at hand.”
But what if the problem is that 24 itself has simply run out of steam? Critics and fans roundly panned Season 6, and even Sutherland says, “We’ve got off point. We were dealing with someone’s love affair in an office” – he’s referring to Chloe’s dalliance with ex-husband Morris in CTU – “instead of dealing with the crisis at hand. As nice as it sounds that people could find time in the midst of a crisis to have an emotional response to someone else, it doesn’t take precedence.
Fear not. Even though CTU has been disbanded, Chloe is still with us and, like Rajskub herself, is now a mom. “She’s learning to balance bottle-feeding with fighting terror,” Rajskub jokes. In fact, Chloe is working outside the government alongside former CTU chief Bill Buchanan (James Morrison). Her big scenes come later in the season as she teams up with Janis Gold, an FBI systems analyst played by comedian Janeane Garofalo in a straight up dramatic role. Garofalo, one of eight new cast members this season, says “Mary Lynn and I have been good friends for many years and the hardest part about this job was not cracking up every time we made eye contact. We are major gigglers, which doesn’t go down well when global security hangs in the balance.”
Sutherland, too, got to hang with an old pal. But before Carlos Bernard could come back to play rogue Tony Almeida, producers had to convince Sutherland that Tony’s story line – which we won’t spoil here – made sense. “Carlos is one of my favorite people on earth,” Sutherland says, “but I said, ‘How in the hell is this going to work?’” As Gordon explains, “We wrote a first draft of a character who was from Jack’s past and had gone off the reservation. Frankly, it was just flat and didn’t feel compelling enough. Once we plugged in ‘Tony Almeida,’ we realized all the elements were there – explanation for his return – and we couldn’t resist.”
Now the question is whether 24 viewers will buy it – along with so many other changes this season. Sutherland is optimistic. “I can’t speak for America, but what’s interesting is that Jack somehow can,” he says. “He represents so much about what makes this country great. He’s determined, he’s great under pressure, and he’s in the pursuit of what he believes in.”
And that’s the kind of new leadership in Washington we can really believe in!
MEET THE NEW CREW WHO’LL KEEP JACK BUSY ON DAY 7:
Allison Taylor (Cherry Jones)
Dossier: 24’s first female president. To keep the nation safe, must juggle domestic-security crisis with global threat from fictional Sangala.
Trademark: Executive branch helmet hair
Jack or Wack? Jack. She holds his feet to the fire over torture methods, but ultimately can’t live without them.
Henry Taylor (Colm Feore)
Dossier: First Gentleman. Trusting and supportive of President Taylor, but suspects their son’s death wasn’t suicide.
Trademark: Frequently asked: “Hey what are you doing here?”
Jack or Wack? Slightly whack. Tunnel vision on dead son proves distracting
Janis Gold (Janeane Garofalo)
Dossier: FBI systems analyst. Provides computer analysis for every imaginable crisis. Mid-season run-ins with Chloe should make for hot geek-on-geek action.
Trademark: Red star tattoo on knuckle
Jack or Wack? Jack. She’s the go-to Google girl.
Jonas Hodges (Jon Voight)
Dossier: Ubervillian introduced in November’s Redemption prequel. Ex-corporate titan now funding coup in Juma in Sangala. Not seen much in first eight episodes, but a major menace nevertheless.
Trademark: Wins 24’s best-dressed villain award.
Jack or Wack? Major wack!
Larry Moss (Jeffrey Nording)
Dossier: By-the-book head of the FBI. Tasks his staff to fight terror without ice baths and waterboarding. In everybody’s business.
Trademark: Wound tighter than a Marine Corps drum.
Jack or Wack? Mostly wack. He doesn’t really trust Jack.
Sean Hillinger (Rhys Coiro)
Dossier: FBI tactician. His personal stake in the domestic crisis compromising the nation’s air-traffic controllers, because wife is currently on an airplane.
Trademark: Better coiffed than President Taylor.
Jack or Wack? Jack. Who else could save is honey bunny?
Ethan Kanin (Bob Gunton)
Dossier: Uptight White House chief of staff. Bearer of bad news and worse news. Stay on his good side to get the right information at the right time. FBI’s link to the president.
Trademark: Always keeping the First Gentleman in check.
Jack or Wack? Has Jack’s back.
Renee Walker (Annie Wersching)
Dossier: FBI agent forced to work in the field with Jack. Loves protocol, but digs JB’s unorthodox methods. Romance in the future? She’s definitely packing heat.
Trademark: Says “please,” “thank you” and “is that thing loaded?”
Jack or Wack?
Jack all the way.
HE KEEPS ON TICKING!
Carlos Bernard is back as Tony Almeida. Is it a miracle or just another twisted ploy to get 24 fans hooked?
When you left 24 in Season 5, did you know you weren’t really leaving?
Hard-core fans know that the ticking clock was never shown, which is the official sign that somebody’s dead on 24. But to be honest, I never knew from season to season if I was coming back.
What’s it like being on the show again?
So great. I was on for five years, which is a lifetime for me. We fell back into the shorthand of the show.
Except that now Tony’s a bad guy.
We needed a good story. Bringing Tony back could easily have come off gimmicky, so we had to explain ourselves and also did some depth to his character. He’s darker, sadder, and disappointed in himself.
Do he and Jack get to party together?
They definitely have some trust issues, at least from Jack’s side. At first, Jack can’t figure out why this guy who ‘died’ in his arms is back. But they get into it and Jack discovers the truth. I don’t want to give away too much.
What’s your all-time favorite fan moment?
Being a huge Cubs fan, my favorite was throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley Field and singing “Take Me Out To The Ball Game.” The weirdest was being at a baseball game in Anaheim and standing at the urinal when somebody started whispering in my ear. This was around the time Tony’s girlfriend Michelle Dressler, was having all sorts of drama on the show. Anyway, this guy is whispering in my ear – while I’m taking a whiz! – “Tell me she doesn’t die.” Dude! Is there no sacred place in the world anymore?
24 relocates to D.C. for show's seventh season
By Matt Hurwitz
Associated Press
January 7, 2009
Early one cold November morning, actress Annie Wersching leads Kiefer Sutherland to an "armoured" SUV with dark windows parked outside the U.S. Department of Agriculture building.
After director Brad Turner yells "Cut," onlookers snap photos of the star. Sutherland spots a participant in a charity run for Lupus on the Washington Mall and comments, "Why is that guy wearing shorts? It's cold."
Where Sutherland normally works, people wear shorts year round. Welcome to Washington, Jack Bauer.
A little over a year ago, Sutherland and the crew of his popular Fox TV series, "24," came to the nation's capital to film segments of the show's seventh season. The completion of that season was delayed a year by the Writers Guild strike, but it finally makes its debut in a two-night premiere beginning Sunday, Jan. 11 (8 p.m. EST).
Jack Bauer actually returned to the screen this past November in the Fox TV movie "24: Redemption," a series prequel that was set in Africa. Now, the series' new season begins with the intrepid agent for the fictional federal Counter-Terrorist Unit (CTU) forced to return to Washington to face a Senate investigation into his conduct.
"He's called to face charges of abuse of power and torturing certain individuals in an unlawful manner," Sutherland says. "For the first time, he's put in a position to have to confront a lot of the things that he's done."
However, Bauer is pulled from the hearings by FBI agent Renee Walker (Wersching) to help with a more pressing matter - the reappearance of Bauer's thought-to-be-dead fellow agent, Tony Almeida (Carlos Bernard), who is apparently is no longer one of the good guys.
After six years of making "24" mainly in Los Angeles, the production thought it was finally time to take the show to the home of oft-seen presidents in the series. "We wondered if that was starting to bother people," laughs director Turner.
While filming in Washington isn't new for fed-themed action series, it was a welcome change for the "24" team. "It was kind of like going on a field trip," Bernard says.
Shooting here lends the show a sense of realism impossible to produce by simply intercutting stock "plate" shots of Washington with scenes shot in Hollywood. "To have the Washington Monument in the background of a drive-up, and in a simple, incidental way, just tells you you're in Washington," explains cinematographer Rodney Charters. "That's a pretty hard thing to fake."
Turner and his crew searched the season's early scripts for opportunities to make use of recognizable Washington locales. "It was a matter of finding moments to get scenes on the street, and do it naturally so that it's seamless," the director says. Adds Sutherland, "If you can take advantage of getting iconic places like the Capitol or the Lincoln Memorial in a shot, you try and do that. It's like a postcard for us."
Yet doing so isn't a simple matter of setting up a camera and taking pictures, particularly in a security-sensitive city such as Washington. "There are 17 different jurisdictions to deal with, some with their own police forces," says Jon Pare, the show's production manager. "Sometimes, when you leave a curb and step into a street, you've just crossed a jurisdiction."
But an OK from the District of Columbia to film on a sidewalk and one from the National Park Service for the grass beyond may still not be enough.
"There's one place I can think of specifically where the sidewalk is divided into three different jurisdictions," says local location manager John Latenser. Simply put, "Washington, D.C. is the most difficult city in the United States to film in."
But for the actors, it's worth all the trouble. "You're constantly aware you're in a capital city," says Sutherland. "You can feel the power of it, the sense of responsibility that's in the air all the time. Somehow it felt like more was at stake."
Even a visit to the Capital Grille, a stylish restaurant on Pennsylvania Avenue, left an impression on the actor. "Three tables over, there were three men that were talking about something that was going to have an impact on our lives," he says.
Among the many loyal fans of "24" is Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, whose office said he was thrilled to see Sutherland's acting and stunts in person when he visited the set the following day.
"He's a fan of the show and checked out what we were doing. He's always been really gracious and kind with us," Sutherland says. The crew even visited the real CTU - the National Counterterrorism Center - while in Washington.
Meanwhile, fans greet Sutherland as he arrives in the tiny Georgetown section of Washington to film a scene at a house once occupied by John F. Kennedy.
"I'm just waiting for (Sutherland) to break into Jack Bauer mode and start neck-punching people," says bystander Kim Sandlin. "I'm looking forward to having Jack Bauer's blood on our sidewalk!"
Golden Globe Nomination:
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MINI-SERIES OR MOTION PICTURE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ralph Fiennes – Bernard and Doris; Paul Giamatti – John Adams; Kevin Spacey – Recount; Kiefer Sutherland – 24: Redemption; Tom Wilkinson – Recount
SAG Nomination:
PRIMETIME TELEVISION:
Male actor in a TV movie or miniseries
Ralph Fiennes, "Bernard and Doris"
Paul Giamatti, "John Adams"
Kevin Spacey, "Recount"
Kiefer Sutherland, "24: Redemption"
Tom Wilkinson, "John Adams"
Photo below on the right: Kiefer Sutherland, one of the stars of the Fox thriller "24," arrives for the network's upfront presentation in New York on May 18, 2006. (Photo: AP Photo/Dima Gavrysh)
