Actor shares struggles of working in Hollywood
Kiefer Sutherland told Fox News Digital that despite his success, he’s often looking for work every few months once a job ends.
The life of an actor is not an easy one, even for a star like Kiefer Sutherland.
Sutherland spoke with Fox News Digital at the Critics Choice Awards red carpet Sunday night, and he admitted that he’s never felt fully settled in his career.
"Does that exist?" he asked. "You know, there have been moments where I felt calmer than others."
"I think '24' for me was a fantastic opportunity because it was the first thing that felt like a real job. I went to work five days a week, eight months to 10 months a year, and then I was lucky enough to do it nine years in a row. So, there was a moment where that made me feel calmer."
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Kiefer Sutherland told Fox News Digital at the Critics Choice Awards that "24" is the one job that felt "like a real job" because of its regular schedule. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)
Sutherland dominated the small screen for nearly a decade from 2001 to 2010 as Agent Jack Bauer on Fox’s hit series "24," earning a total of 20 Emmy wins, including a lead actor in a drama Emmy.
But since the end of the series, Sutherland said he’s returned to a more typical experience for many actors.
"But I'm back to the every three months I'm out of a job kind of thing," he said.
The 57-year-old added, "I've been so fortunate, I'm certainly not going to complain about that. But it does take a certain kind of wear, you know."
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Sutherland said he's "back to the every three months I'm out of a job kind of thing" as an actor. (Jörg Carstensen/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Sutherland is the eldest, along with twin sister Rachel, of Donald Sutherland’s five children, and he followed in his famous father’s footsteps in Hollywood.
He made his film debut in 1983’s "Max Dugan Returns" with his father and fellow future star Matthew Broderick.
The father and son duo didn’t share any scenes until they worked together in 2016’s "Forsaken."
Sutherland told People at the time, "Working with him is something I have wanted to do for 30 years."
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Sutherland and his father, Donald Sutherland, worked together in the 2016 film "Forsaken." (George Pimentel/WireImage)
The "Lost Boys" star was primarily raised in Canada by his actress mother, Shirley Douglass, and admitted his relationship with his father was strained at times.
"There is inevitably always going to be a point when the younger lion wants to take on the older lion and then there is always going to be a point when the older lion is going to need the younger lion to help," he told the outlet.
Sutherland quickly built his own career with roles in "Stand By Me," "The Lost Boys" and "Young Guns," in addition to television roles like "24" and "Designated Survivor."
This year, the Canadian actor was nominated for best actor in a limited series or TV movie at the Critics Choice Awards for his work in "The Caine Mutiny Court-Marital."
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Sutherland was appreciative of his Critics Choice nomination as well as the opportunity to work with the late William Friedkin. (Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic)
"Being nominated, it’s always nice to be invited to a party, so that’s a pleasure. And you hope that it kind of creates more awareness for the project you were a part of," he said of the honor.
"The Caine Mutiny Court-Marital" was written and directed by William Friedkin and was "The Exorcist" visionary’s final completed work before his death in August last year.
"I had the absolute honor of working with William Friedkin, who was one of my favorite directors of all time," Sutherland said, adding that Friedkin had directed "so many films that have really affected me as an actor."
He continued, "And the one thing I really took away from him is you can study technique, and you can study style, even, but talent is something you either have or you don’t. And he was so full of talent, and the choices that he made, not only on the soundstage with the actors but with the camera and the editing and the music, [I’m] very proud to have worked with him and have had the experience, and I hope people get a chance to see the film and realize what an American treasure he was."
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