Kiefer Sutherland discusses the priceless moment of working alongside his father
Donald and Kiefer Sutherland have starred in numerous iconic titles and come from a dynasty of individuals that have made significantly contributed to popular culture, ranging from democratic politicians to musicians. Undoubtedly, the father and son duo remain two of the most prominent names from the family, cementing their legacy as iconic actors of their respective generations.
Donald is by far the most accomplished of the two and has lent his talents to a wide array of films, including M*A*S*H, Klute, Invasion of the Body Snatchers, JFK and even The Hunger Games series. Not one to be typecast, the patriarch of the Sutherland family has consistently proven that there is no subject matter that he is afraid of approaching. Duly, his filmography looks all the more impressive for it.
As for Kiefer, he has also enjoyed his fair share of memorable moments. Often tied in with the ‘Brat Pack’, a group of actors that broke through during the 1980s, he has achieved much more than most of his peers from the set. Kiefer is best known for his role as Jack Bauer in the hit series 24 but has also starred in classic films such as Stand By Me, The Lost Boys, Dark City and Melancholia. He also strangely played himself in the criminally underrated 2016 romp Zoolander 2, featuring a cameo from Billy Zane.
Notably, Donald and Kiefer have appeared in the same features throughout their careers, including Kiefer’s debut film Max Dugan Returns and the 1990s legal thriller A Time to Kill. However, it wasn’t until 2015’s Forsaken that the pair actually shared the screen, where they played an estranged father and son in the revisionist western.
It transpires that sharing the screen with his father was something Kiefer had wanted to do for his entire life. He said: “I’ve watched him my whole life, and to have the opportunity to work with him was something I’ve wanted my whole career”.
Asked about why it took them decades to work together properly, Kiefer turned his attention to Jane and Henry Fonda’s 1981 film On Golden Pond, saying that they needed the perfect script to arrive. He explained: “I think I kept waiting for this perfect piece of material to land on my desk, and it never did.”
The 24 star then revealed that he decided to develop his own project instead of waiting around for it. He worked with the director of 24, Jon Cassar, who had discussed making a western for years.
“I think it was about trying to find a picture for his dad that gave him more than a guest star role,” Cassar reflected elsewhere. “I mean, Donald works all the time. He is in everything. But it was about getting a meaty role. Getting a role from the beginning to the end. It wasn’t just coming in and doing a few scenes.”
