Kiefer Sutherland: the co-star that made Freddie Prinze Jr quit acting
For the Y2K generation, Freddie Prinze Jr was a vital fixture of culture. I Know What You Did Last Summer, She’s All That, and James Gunn’s duology of Scooby-Doo films are just a selection of the lauded features he made his name in, not to mention other staples of the day, such as Friends and 24.
Alongside his wife, Sarah Michelle Gellar – the star of the hit show Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Prinze formed one of his generation’s most beloved power couples. Just mentioning either of their names whisks fans down memory lane to the heady days of Third Eye Blind, JNCO Jeans and, funnily enough, the medium of CDs.
It might seem peculiar that someone once so everpresent could fade into the background without as much as the blink of an eye. Nonetheless, in a story as old as the movie industry, marriage, kids, and, ultimately, life’s haphazard nature impact a career’s direction. Often, they turn out in a way that no one, be it the actor or their fans, could have foreseen.
Freddie Prinze Jr’s tale slightly diverges from this well-established career arc. He has acted sporadically since the end of the 2000s, popping up from time to time, including in the Star Wars universe. However, one particular experience on set led to his decision to step back from the limelight. Per Prinze Jr’s account, the fault lay with the leading man of 24, Kiefer Sutherland. In a slightly contentious interview, Prinze heavily inferred that the issue centred around what he perceived to be Sutherland’s unprofessionalism.
When speaking to ABC News in 2014, Prinze Jr explained: “I did 24. It was terrible. I hated every moment of it. Kiefer was the most unprofessional dude in the world. That’s not me talking trash. I’d say it to his face. I think everyone who’s worked with him has said that… I just wanted to quit the business after that. So I just sort of stopped.”
He continued: “I went and worked for Vince McMahon at the WWE for Christ’s sake and it was a crazier job than working with Kiefer. But, at least he was cool and tall. I didn’t have to take my shoes off to do scenes with him, which they made me do. Just put the guy on an apple box or don’t hire me next time. You know I’m six feet and he’s 5’4.”
After Prinze Jr’s comments, Sutherland responded to the claims via his representative, saying: “Kiefer worked with Freddie Prinze, Jr. more than five years ago, and this is the first he has heard of Freddie’s grievances. Kiefer enjoyed working with Freddie and wishes him the best.”
As the Y2K resurgence is very much still in swing, and with Freddie Prinze Jr committing himself to two films in 2022, it seems like there might be a resurgence on the horizon.
