Name at birth: Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland
Kiefer Sutherland is the star of the TV series 24. The show, with Sutherland as counter-terrorism expert Jack Bauer, broke convention by having each hour-long episode represent an hour in Bauer's day. Sutherland's success on television came after a respectable 15 years in the movies: Sutherland's memorable turn as a bully in Stand By Me (1986, with River Phoenix) led to a string of successful ensemble movies, including The Lost Boys (1987), Young Guns (1988), and Flatliners (1990, co-starring his one-time fianceé Julia Roberts). Although he has carried the lead in several movies and played a variety of roles, he has a reputation for playing creeps and jerks, such as in A Few Good Men (1992, with Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson), Freeway (1996, opposite Reese Witherspoon), Dark City (1998) and Phone Booth (2002, starring Colin Farrell). Kiefer is the son of movie star Donald Sutherland
Kiefer learned how to rope and ride in the movies and has competed professionally as a calf roper... Sutherland was nominated for the Emmy Award for outstanding lead actor in a drama series every year from 2002-2006; he won the award in 2006... He has a twin sister, Rachel... In December of 2007 he began serving a 48-day jail sentence for two drunk-driving arrests in three years.
Career Highlights: Stand by Me, Flatliners, Dark City
First Major Screen Credit: The Bay Boy (1984)
Biography
Perhaps the most definitive descriptor for Kiefer Sutherland's career is not any particular niche he's carved for himself, but rather his versatility. From the perfected subtleties he has portrayed in supporting roles, to his command of the screen as a star, Sutherland has covered abundant ground. His roles have ranged from deeply psychological, such as the medical student in Flatliners, to upbeat and authoritative, like the sheriff in Picking Up the Pieces. In addition to his talent on the big screen, Sutherland has earned directorial credits, as well as a Golden Globe Award in 2001 for Best Actor in a TV Drama.
Kiefer Sutherland and his twin sister, Rachel, were born to acting parents Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas in the U.K. on December 21, 1966. In 1971, his parents divorced, and Sutherland moved from their home in L.A. to Toronto with his mother. Just six years later, he was appearing in theatrical performances, including a production of Throne of Strow. His first film appearance occurred in 1983, in Max Dugan Returns, with a scene featuring Sutherland alongside his father Donald Sutherland.
The 1980s brought the beginning of what would become Kiefer Sutherland's lengthy list of film credits. Most notable were his roles in The Bay Boy -- a 1930s coming-of-age story set in Nova Scotia -- for which he won a Genie Award in 1984, and the Rob Reiner drama Stand by Me (1986) in which he played a scene-stealing bully. He appeared in The Lost Boys in 1987, also starring Jason Patric. In 1988, at age 20, Sutherland married Camelia Kath, who was 14 years his senior, and the couple had a daughter named Sarah Jude that same year. The marriage lasted for two years.
Flatliners, 1990's groundbreaking psychodrama, starred Sutherland with Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin, and Julia Roberts. The story involved four medical students experimenting with death, attempting to actually die to experience the after-life, and then be revived by their peers. The unique story line and strong performances earned the stars a lot of attention for the film. Sutherland and Roberts engaged in an offscreen romance, which endured for some time after shooting had wrapped.
In 1992, Sutherland starred in the blockbuster A Few Good Men, also starring Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson, Demi Moore, and Kevin Bacon. Within a year, he made his directorial debut with the made-for-television drama Last Light, in which he also starred as a prison inmate. He was married a second time, to Kelly Winn, in 1996, but the relationship had ended by 2000.
In the late '90s, his career picked up pace, with multiple acting and directing credits occurring within single years. The year 1997 featured Sutherland as Joey in a modern film noir called The Last Days of Frankie the Fly, and as director of the psycho-thriller Truth or Consequences, N.M. In A Soldier's Sweetheart, adapted from a story by Vietnam-vet writer Tim O'Brien, he played the narrator of the flashbacks, in 1998. That same year, he starred in the science fiction-mystery film Dark City with Jennifer Connelly and Rufus Sewell. His second self-directed TV movie, Woman Wanted, was one of four projects released crediting his name in 1999. He also appeared in a German film called After Alice, the psychotic drama Ground Control with Kristy Swanson and Kelly McGillis, and the thriller The Break Up starring Bridget Fonda.
Shifting gears from the deep, psychosomatic, and eerie tones of his late-'90s films, Sutherland played the sheriff in 2000's Picking Up the Pieces. Featuring David Schwimmer, Cheech Marin, and Sharon Stone, the film was a satirical comedy infused with screwball humor, with a notable appearance by Woody Allen. Again revisiting a more dramatic genre, Sutherland starred in Fox's revolutionary action series 24 as antiterrorism agent Jack Bauer. With each 1-hour episode told in real time, the 24 episode season represented a single day in the show's chronology. Immediately garnering rave reviews and a rabid core fanbase, the series became a hit and in 2001, Sutherland's role on the program earned him recognition as Best Actor in a TV Drama at the Golden Globe Awards. The innovative series would continue to collect awards and nominations as it was renewed for successive seasons which each followed the single-day format, but took place months or sometimes years later in the timeline.
As he continued to star on 24, Sutherland parlayed the show's success into some higher-profile film roles. In 2003, he played the menacing villain in the thriller Phone Booth, and the following year, he played another bad-guy opposite Ethan Hawke and Angelina Jolie in Taking Lives. 24 continued to be the actor's main gig, however, and by the time he began season six in 2006, the of character Jack Bauer had become a cultural icon as the ultimate anti-hero: and a man capable of doing or enduring anything in the name of justice, protection, or even vengeance. ~ Sarah Sloboda, All Movie Guide
Kiefer William Fredrick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland[1]
21 December 1966 (1966-12-21)(age 42) London, England, United Kingdom
Occupation
Actor
Years active
1983–present
Spouse(s)
Camelia Kath (1987-1990)
Kelly Winn (1996-2008)
Kiefer William Fredrick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland (born 21 December 1966) is a British-born Canadian actor, best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox thriller drama series 24. He is an Emmy Award- and Golden Globe award-winner. He is the son of actor Donald Sutherland.
He has starred in Japanese commercials for Calorie Mate, performing a parody of his Jack Bauer character. Sutherland also provides voiceovers for the current ad campaign for the Ford Motor Company of Canada. In mid-2006, he voiced the Apple Computer advertisement announcing the inclusion of Intel chips in their Macintosh computer line.[6] He also voices the introduction to NHL games on the Versus network in the U.S. Recently, he has starred in Argentine TV commercials for Citroën C4 sedan. He has recently done voice-over for a commercial for Bank of America's "Keep the Change" program. He voiced Sgt. Roebuck in Treyarch's video game Call of Duty: World at War.
Sutherland will executive produce the two-hour pilot of Phenomenon. Maggie Murphy will also be an executive producer for the show. The Sci Fi Channel ordered a script to be written. The show revolves around a mysterious young female prodigy who leads a crack team of experts in investigating odd and supernatural anomalies of nature.[7] Sutherland is currently the top celebrity producer of The 1 Second Film.
As a big fan, he also narrated "The Feeling On Ice" documentary that was included on UK band The Feeling's DVD "The Feeling: Come Home". Recently he voiced the words of a character in the movie monsters vs. aliens.
Kiefer Sutherland signs an autograph at Green Hill conference in 2007
Since 2001, Sutherland is most widely associated with the role of Jack Bauer, on the critically acclaimed television series 24.[2] After being nominated four times for the "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series" Primetime Emmy Award, Sutherland won the award in 2006 for his role in 24's fifth season. His father, Donald, was also an Emmy winner; he won an Emmy award for his role in Citizen X in 1996. In the opening skit of the 2006 Primetime Emmy Awards, Sutherland made an appearance as his 24 character, Jack Bauer. He was also nominated for Best actor in a Drama Television Series in the 2007 Golden Globe Awards for 24. According to his latest contract, his salary of $40 million for three seasons of the show make him the highest-earning actor on television.[9] Sutherland constantly emphasizes that the show is merely "entertainment."[10] Patrick Finnegan visited the set of 24 in February 2007 to urge the show's makers to reduce the number of torture scenes[11] and Sutherland accepted an invitation from the U.S. military to tell West Point cadets it is wrong to torture prisoners.[12] In an interview with OK! Magazine, Howard Gordon tells that it would be an "unbearable loss" if they killed off Sutherland's character.[13]
On 24 March 2009, Sutherland reported to the Associated Press that he will be back for an 8th season.[14]
Personal life
Several episodes of 24 have allegedly been rewritten to work around minor injuries Sutherland sustained when partying. In an interview with the British Daily Telegraph, Sutherland said, "I can't deny half the stuff that's been written about me has been true. I've done some stupid things. You have to take responsibility, go, 'That was embarrassing,' and move forward as best you can."[15]
During the autumn of 2001, Sutherland unintentionally interrupted the filming of the premiere episode of an online series titled, The Lonely Island.[16] In the episode, "White Power," the main characters develop an addiction to teeth whitener, and eventually mug an old woman to facilitate their addiction. Sutherland, driving by at the time, believed the mugging was real and jumped out of his car to intervene. A small portion of Sutherland's appearance is displayed after the credits, though the portion is only Kiefer stopping his car and looking at them.[17] This anecdote was recounted by actor Andy Samberg.
Hobbies
Sutherland is a well-known collector of many guitars, a majority of which are Gibson Les Pauls. Recently, the Gibson Custom shop has released a guitar (signed by Sutherland himself), the KS-336, as part of their 'Inspired By' series.[18] He is a fan of the USC Trojans football, and recorded a birthday message for USC head coach Pete Carroll's 56th birthday.[19] When Queen appeared on VH1 in 2006 for the Rock Honors Event, Kiefer gave Queen's introduction and announced that they are his favorite band, and that he has listened to them ever since he was a kid.
Family and relationships
Kiefer has one daughter, Sarah Jade, born February 18, 1988, from his first marriage to Camelia Kath, to whom he was married from September 12 1987—1990. Through his marriage to Camelia, he became stepfather to Michelle Kath, the daughter of Chicago guitarist/singer Terry Kath.
Julia Roberts met Sutherland in 1990, when he was her co-star in Flatliners. In August 1990, Roberts and Sutherland announced their engagement, with an elaborate studio-planned wedding scheduled for June 14, 1991. Roberts broke the engagement three days before the wedding when she discovered Sutherland had been meeting with a stripper named Amanda Rice. In turn, Roberts left for Europe with Sutherland's (former) friend, Jason Patric.
On June 29, 1996, he married Kelly Winn. The couple separated in 1999. He filed for divorce in 2004. The divorce was finalized on 16 May 2008. He had two stepsons from this marriage.
Rodeo
In the late 1990s, Sutherland (inspired by his films Young Guns, The Cowboy Way, and Cowboy Up in which he learned how to rope), decided to retire from acting briefly to pursue the rodeo circuit. In consequence, he purchased a 900 acre ranch in Montana, along with horses, bulls/cows and machinery. While traveling on the road with the rodeo, he participated in numerous roping contests, two of which he won in Phoenix and Albuquerque.
DUI arrest
Sutherland was arrested early on 25 September 2007, on misdemeanordrunk drivingcharges, his second time since another incident in 2004, after failing a field sobriety test. His test exceeded the state's legalblood alcohol limit, and he was later released on $25,000 bail. Sutherland pled no contest to the DUI charge and was sentenced to 48 days in jail.[20] Initially, he arranged to spend 18 days in jail during 24's winter break in late December and early January 2008, planning to return to jail after production wrapped up. However, the Hollywood writers' strike interrupted production, allowing him to serve his sentence in 48 consecutive days.
2009 New York fight and arrest
Sutherland surrendered to NYC police on 7 May 2009 for head-butting fashion designer Jack McCollough at the Mercer Hotel in SoHo following a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Sutherland was chatting with Brooke Shields at the hotel bar when McCollough stepped between them, at which point Sutherland made a comment and responded.[21][22] Several weeks after the incident Sutherland and McCollough issued a joint statement in which Sutherland apologized. Police later dropped the charges.[23]
