Kiefer Sutherland on Aging, ’24,’ and the State of Modern Television
As he approaches 60, actor kiefer Sutherland reflects on a career spanning decades, from action icon to nuanced character work, and offers a pointed critique of the evolving television landscape.
Kiefer Sutherland, 58, admits to a growing awareness that public interest in his opinions has likely waned with time. “I’m sliding into 60 years old at 100 miles an hour,” he says, “and I’m acutely aware of the fact that people cared more about what I thoght when I was 30 than they do now.” This sentiment, whether true or not, has become a compelling force in his recent performances, notably his career-best turn in 2023’s The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. “Everything about that character came down to being marginalised,” Sutherland explains. “What happens when you hit an age in life when you’re redundant, when you don’t matter, when no one cares what you think.And when I put aspects of my own personal feelings into the character, for the first time, I felt empathy for him. He wasn’t an asshole any more.”
Currently, Sutherland is promoting Tinsel Town, a Christmas comedy that sees him playfully parodying his Hollywood action star persona in the unlikely setting of a Yorkshire Christmas panto. he describes his character, Brad Mack, as a “showbiz blowhard” whose journey toward self-betterment is spurred by his daughter and a choreographer played by Rebel wilson.”The Brits do this kind of movie better than anybody,” Sutherland asserts, citing The Full Monty as a prime exmaple of the genre’s heartwarming appeal. He acknowledges the inherent expectations surrounding a Hollywood actor, but finds enjoyment in leaning into that archetype while simultaneously exploring a character’s growth.”As funny as all that stuff was, [Mack] becoming a better version of himself through his daughter was something that touched me personally.” This theme resonates with Sutherland’s own life, as his daughter, Sarah Sutherland (known for her role in Veep), is the product of his first marriage to actor-writer Camelia Kath. “You start to believe, for yourself, that you have an insight worth sharing.”
Sutherland comes across as knowledgeable, sincere, and refreshingly candid. He admits to a “romantic notion” of the UK, a feeling that appears to be mutual. “All the times I’ve visited the UK, there’s a part of me that feels like this is where I’m from,” he shares. “I don’t know how to articulate this, but… people have been really supportive of me here.” This support, he suggests, was instrumental in the early success of his signature role as Jack bauer in 24. “The series took about a year and a half to take off in the United States,” he reveals, “while it caught fire in the UK almost instantly. Had it not been for the UK, there might very well have not been a season two.” The show went on to run for eight additional seasons and spawned a film, solidifying its place as a landmark in television history.
Born in London in 1966, Sutherland’s early life took him to California with his parents, Canadian actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, before a subsequent move to Toronto after their divorce. The contrast between father and son as actors is striking, despite their physical resemblance.Donald Sutherland, celebrated for his roles in films like Invasion of the Body Snatchers and MASH, possessed a natural, untamed charisma. Kiefer,however,often portrays characters defined by tension and circumstance,as seen in Jack bauer or Ace in Stand by Me*. This distinction, Sutherland believes, stems from his mother’s influence. “at a very early ag
‘Tinsel Town‘ is streaming on Sky Cinema and NOW.
