Kiefer Sutherland Biography

Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland (born 21 December 1966) is a British-born Canadian actor, film producer, and film director. He is best known for his portrayal of Jack Bauer on the Fox series 24 for which he won an Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Satellite Awards. He also starred as Martin Bohm in the Fox drama Touch, and will provide the English voice of Big Boss in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain.

Early life

Sutherland was born in London, the son of Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, both of whom are successful Canadian actors. He is of primarily Scottish descent, with some English and German ancestry. His maternal grandfather was Scottish-born Canadian politician and former Premier of Saskatchewan Tommy Douglas, who is widely credited for bringing universal health care to Canada.

Sutherland is named after American-born writer and director Warren Kiefer, who, under the assumed name of Lorenzo Sabatini, directed Donald Sutherland in his very first feature film, the Italian low-budget horror film Il castello dei morti vivi (Castle of the Living Dead).

Sutherland's family moved to Corona, California. His parents divorced in 1970. In 1975, Sutherland moved with his mother to Toronto. He attended elementary school at Crescent Town Elementary School, St. Clair Junior High East York, and John G. Althouse Middle School in Toronto. He attended five different high schools, including St. Andrew's College, Martingrove Collegiate Institute, Harbord Collegiate Institute, Silverthorn Collegiate Institute, Malvern Collegiate Institute, and Annex Village Campus. He also spent a semester at Regina Mundi Catholic College in London (Ontario) and attended weekend acting lessons at Sir Frederick Banting Secondary School. Sutherland told Jimmy Kimmel Live! (2009) that he and Robert Downey, Jr. were roommates for three years when he first moved to Hollywood to pursue his career in acting.

Career

Stand by Me was the first film Sutherland made in the United States. He played the neighborhood bully in this coming of age story about the search for a dead body. Sutherland has appeared in more than 70 films, most notably Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, A Few Good Men, Flatliners, Young Guns, The Vanishing, The Three Musketeers, Eye for an Eye, Dark City, A Time To Kill, and The Sentinel.

The actor is also a frequent collaborator with director Joel Schumacher, and has appeared in The Lost Boys, Flatliners, Phone Booth and the big screen adaptation of A Time to Kill. In The Lost Boys, Sutherland was reunited with actor Cory Feldman, who he had previously worked with on Stand by Me.

In 2005, Sutherland was inducted into Canada's Walk of Fame in Toronto, where both of his parents have also been inducted. In 2009, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Sutherland was the first Inside the Actors Studio guest to be the child of a former guest; his father, Donald, appeared on the show in 1998. Sutherland was featured on the cover of the April 2006 edition of Rolling Stone, in an article entitled "Alone in the Dark with Kiefer Sutherland." The article began with Sutherland revealing his interest to be killed off in 24. However, he stated, "Don't get me wrong. I love what I do." It also revealed that he devoted 10 months a year working on 24.

He has starred in Japanese commercials for CalorieMate, performing a parody of his Jack Bauer character. Sutherland also provides voice-overs for the current ad campaign for the Ford Motor Company of Canada. In mid-2006, he voiced the Apple, Inc. advertisement announcing the inclusion of Intel chips in their Macintosh computer line. He also voices the introduction to NHL games on the Versus network in the U.S. He has appeared in a Brazilian TV commercials for Citroën C4 sedan and a voice-over for a commercial for Bank of America. He voices Sgt. Roebuck in Treyarch's video game Call of Duty: World at War and will voice Punished Snake (aka Big Boss) in the upcoming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, taking over the role originally performed by David Hayter, as to provide an older voice to the aging character's role.

Sutherland is a celebrity producer of The 1 Second Film. In 2011, he made his Broadway debut, opposite Brian Cox, Jim Gaffigan, Chris Noth and Jason Patric in the Broadway revival of That Championship Season, which opened in March 2011. The show has since closed. Sutherland stars in the Fox television series Touch. Sutherland plays the father of an autistic boy who does not like to be touched, while the son also communicates future humanity interrelated events to his father through numbers and mathematics.

24

Since 2001, Sutherland has been associated most widely with the role of Jack Bauer, on the critically acclaimed television series 24. 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. 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 2006 contract, his salary of $40 million for three seasons of the show made him the highest-earning actor on television. Sutherland constantly emphasizes that the show is merely "entertainment." The Dean of the United States Military Academy, Brigadier General Patrick Finnegan, visited the set of 24 in February 2007 to urge the show's makers to reduce the number of torture scenes and Sutherland accepted an invitation from the U.S. military to tell West Point cadets that it is wrong to torture prisoners. In an interview with OK! Magazine, Howard Gordon says that it would be an "unbearable loss" if they killed off Sutherland's character.

In an interview with Charlie Rose on 12 January 2007, Sutherland made clear statements of his opposition to torture, specifically that, "...it is widely known that you can torture someone and they'll basically tell you exactly what you want to hear, whether it's true or not, if you put someone in enough pain. Torture is not a way of procuring information. The way of procuring information is in fact quite the opposite, and unfortunately that takes a lot of time." (see minute 19:00) In another interview on 20 November 2008, Rose asked Sutherland, "You'd shut down Guantanamo tomorrow, would you not?" Sutherland's reply, "Me personally? Absolutely. And unless you can charge those detainees, I'd let them go too. The Constitution makes that really clear." (see minute 18:30)

On 14 February 2010, Fox TV announced they were temporarily suspending production of Season 8 of 24 due to a ruptured cyst near one of Sutherland's kidneys. According to the report, he waited a few days before going in to have "elective surgery" performed. It was anticipated that he would return after a week, but a further few days was needed and Fox reported that his return to set would be 1 March.

On 26 March 2010, it was announced that 24 would end at the conclusion of the 8th season, paving the way for the 24 feature film to go into production. Production was anticipated to begin at the beginning of 2011.

On 9 May 2013, Deadline.com suggested that Kiefer Sutherland is in talks with FOX to start a new, limited series of 24. On 14 May 2013, it was confirmed that the show will return for a limited series.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Sutherland has a twin sister who is a TV post-production supervisor in Toronto.

Sutherland has one daughter from his first marriage to Camelia Kath, the widow of Chicago guitarist/singer Terry Kath, to whom he was married from 1987 to 1990. Through his marriage to Camelia, he became stepfather to Michelle Kath, who has two sons.

Julia Roberts met Sutherland in 1990, when they co-starred in Flatliners. In August 1990, Roberts and Sutherland announced their engagement, with an elaborate studio-planned wedding scheduled for 14 June 1991. Roberts broke the engagement three days before the wedding allegedly because Sutherland had been meeting with a stripper named Amanda Rice. Sutherland denied having an affair with Rice and said that they only met because he liked to play pool. On the day of what was supposed to be their wedding, Roberts went to Ireland with Sutherland's friend Jason Patric.

On 29 June 1996, Sutherland married Kelly Winn. The couple separated in 1999 and he filed for divorce in 2004. The divorce was finalized on 16 May 2008.

Hobbies

Sutherland is a guitar collector, the majority of which are Gibson Les Pauls. Recently, the Gibson Custom shop released a guitar (signed by Sutherland), the KS-336, as part of their 'Inspired By' series. When Queen appeared on VH1 in 2006 for the Rock Honors Event, Sutherland gave Queen's introduction and announced that they are his favorite band, and that he has listened to them ever since he was a child.

Sutherland is an American football fan, particularly of USC Trojans football, and recorded a birthday message for former USC head coach Pete Carroll's 56th birthday. After losing a bet to friend Dave Andreychuk over the 2010 New England Patriots versus Baltimore Ravens playoff game, Sutherland was forced to appear on the Late Show with David Letterman wearing a dress. He is also a NASCAR fan. He narrated the IMAX film NASCAR: The IMAX Experience. Additionally, his character Jack Bauer in 24 has used the name of team owner Jack Roush as an alias.

Additionally, Sutherland paints. One of his paintings served as the cover art for the twelfth edition of the Live X acoustic compilation series released by the American alternative rock radio station WNNX.

In the late 1990s, Sutherland, inspired by the experience in his films Young Guns, The Cowboy Way, and Cowboy Up, retired from acting briefly to pursue the rodeo circuit. He purchased a ranch in Montana, and travelled on the road with the rodeo, he participated in numerous roping contests, two of which he won in Phoenix and Albuquerque.

Legal troubles

Sutherland was arrested in Los Angeles on 25 September 2007, on drunk driving charges, after performing poorly on a field sobriety test. His test exceeded the state's legal blood alcohol limit, and he was later released on a $25,000 bail. Sutherland pleaded no contest to the DUI charge and was sentenced to 48 days in jail. Initially, he arranged to split his sentence and spend 18 days in jail during 24's winter break in late December and early January 2008; the Hollywood writers' strike interrupted production, allowing him to serve his sentence in 48 consecutive days.

Sutherland surrendered to NYPD on 7 May 2009 for head-butting fashion designer Jack McCollough, founder and co-designer of Proenza Schouler, at the Mercer Hotel in SoHo following a fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Several weeks later, Sutherland and McCollough issued a joint statement in which Sutherland apologized; police later dropped the charges.

Business ventures

Sutherland is the co-owner (along with Jude Cole) of the independent record label Ironworks.

Sutherland reportedly fell victim to a financial scam involving cattle in 2010. According to the Associated Press, the perpetrator, Michael Wayne Carr, allegedly took US $869,000 from Sutherland, ostensibly on the account of steers to be purchased. Prosecutors alleged that Carr never purchased the steers. Carr pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay US $956,000 in restitution to Sutherland and his investment partner.

Filmography

Film and television " acting

Year	Title	Role	Notes
1983	Max Dugan Returns	Bill	Appeared with his father, Donald Sutherland
1984	'	Donald Campbell
1985	Amazing Stories	Static	Episode: "The Mission"
1986	Brotherhood of Justice	Victor	TV movie
1986	Trapped in Silence	Kevin Richter	TV movie
1986	Stand by Me	Ace Merrill
1986	At Close Range	Tim
1987	Crazy Moon	Brooks
1987	Promised Land	Danny
1987	'	David
1987	'	The Stranger
1988	Bright Lights, Big City	Tad Allagash
1988	Young Guns	Josiah Gordon 'Doc' Scurlock
1988	1969	Scott Denny
1989	Renegades	Buster McHenry
1990	Young Guns II	Josiah Gordon 'Doc' Scurlock
1990	Flatliners	Nelson
1990	Chicago Joe and the Showgirl	Karl Hulten
1990	'	Hans/The Nutcracker Prince	Voice
1990	Flashback	John Buckner
1992	Article 99	Dr. Peter Morgan
1992	Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me	Sam Stanley
1992	'	Jonathan James Kendrick
1993	Last Light	Denver Bayliss	TV movie; also director
1993	'	Athos
1993	'	Jeff Harriman
1994	'	Sonny Gilstrap
1996	The Last Days of Frankie the Fly	Joey
1996	Eye for an Eye	Robert Doob
1996	Freeway	Bob Wolverton
1996	'	Freddie Lee Cobb	Appeared with his father, Donald Sutherland
1997	Armitage III: Poly-Matrix	Ross Sylibus (voice)
1997	Truth or Consequences, N.M.	Curtis Freley	Also director
1998	Dark City	Dr. Daniel Schreber
1998	'	Rat Kiley
1998	Break Up	John Box
1998	Ground Control	Jack Harris
1999	After Alice	Detective Michael "Mick" Hayden
1999	Watership Down	Hickory (voice)	3 episodes
2000	Beat	William S. Burroughs
2000	Woman Wanted	Wendell Goddard	Also director
2000	Picking Up the Pieces	Bobo
2000	'	Michael Farrow-Smith
2001	Cowboy Up	Hank Braxton
2001	To End All Wars	Lt. Jim Reardon
2001"10	24	Jack Bauer
2002	Dead Heat	Phally
2002	Desert Saints	Arthur Banks
2002	Behind the Red Door	Roy
2003	L.A. Confidential	Det. Jack Vincennes	TV Pilot, filmed in 1999, included as extra on the L.A. Confidential DVD/Blu-ray.
2003	Phone Booth	The Caller	Theatrical release was delayed due to the Beltway sniper attacks in October 2002.
2003	'	Bron (Littlefoot's father)	Voice
2003	Paradise Found	Paul Gauguin
2004	Taking Lives	Hart
2004	NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience	Narrator	Voice
2005	'	Narrator	TV Movie
2005	River Queen	Doyle
2006	I Trust You to Kill Me	Himself
2006	'	Jack Bauer	Video game
2006	'	David Breckinridge
2006	'	Samson the Lion	Voice
2006"11	'	The Colonel/Jack Bauer/Wayne	3 Episodes
2006	Family Guy	Jack Bauer/Narrator	Episode: "Stu and Stewie's Excellent Adventure" (voice)
2007	American Misfits	Himself	TV series
2008	Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight	Raistlin Majere	Voice
2008	Mirrors	Ben Carson
2008	Call of Duty: World at War	Sgt. Roebuck	Video game
2008	Corner Gas	Himself	Episode: "Final Countdown"; cameo appearance
2008	'	Jack Bauer	TV movie
2009	Monsters vs. Aliens	Gen. W.R. Monger	Voice
2010	Twelve	Narrator
2010	Marmaduke	Bosco	Voice
2011	Melancholia	John
2011	The Confession	The Confessor	Also executive producer
2012"13	Touch	Martin Bohm	Also executive producer
2013	The Reluctant Fundamentalist	Jim
2013	Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain	Punished Snake	Video game; in production
2014	Pompeii		Filming
2014	24: Live Another Day	Jack Bauer	Limited series reported

Film and television " directing

Year	Title	Notes
1993	Last Light	TV movie
1994	"Silent Scream"	Music video
1995	Fallen Angels	Episode: "Love and Blood"
1997	Truth or Consequences, N.M.
2000	Woman Wanted	Credited as Alan Smithee
2008	"Broken"	Music video
2008	"Little Toy Gun"	Music video

Awards and nominations

Ranked No. 68 on the 2006 Forbes Celebrity 100 list of the world's most powerful celebrities. His earnings were a reported $23 million.

DVD Exclusive Awards

• 2003: nominated for best actor " Dead Heat

Emmy Awards

• 2002: Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2002: Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series " 24
• 2003: Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2003: Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series " 24
• 2004: Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2004: Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series " 24
• 2005: Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2005: Nominated for Outstanding Drama Series " 24
• 2006: Won for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2006: Won for Outstanding Drama Series " 24
• 2007: Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2009: Nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie " '

Genie Awards

• 1985: Nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role " The Bay Boy

Golden Globe Awards

• 2002: Won for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2003: Nominated for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2004: Nominated for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2006: Nominated for Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2007: Nominated for Best Performance by an actor in a drama television series " 24
• 2009: Nominated for Best Performance by an actor in a television movie " 24: Redemption

Monte-Carlo TV Festival

• 2006: Won for Best International Producer " 24
• 2006: Won for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series " 24

MTV Movie Awards

• 1997: Nominated for Best Villain " A Time to Kill
• 2004: Nominated for Best Villain " Phone Booth

People's Choice Awards

• 2005: Nominated for Favorite Male TV Star
• 2006: Nominated for Favorite Male TV Star " 24
• 2007: Nominated for Favorite Male TV Star
• 2009: Nominated for Favorite Male TV Star

Satellite Awards

• 2002: Won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Drama " 24
• 2003: Won for Best Performance by an Actor in a Series, Drama " 24
• 2009: Nominated for Best Television Film " '

Screen Actors Guild Awards

• 2003: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series " 24
• 2003: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2004: Won for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2005: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series " 24
• 2005: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2006: Won for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Drama Series " 24
• 2009: Nominated for Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Miniseries or Television Movie " '

Slamdunk Film Festival

• 2000: Won for Best Feature Film " Woman Wanted

Teen Choice Awards

• 2003: Nominated for Choice TV Actor " Drama/Action Adventure " 24
• 2005: Nominated for Choice TV Cast - 24
• 2006: Nominated for Choice TV Actor " 24
• 2006: Nominated for Choice TV Actor " Drama/Action Adventure " 24
• 2010: Nominated for Choice TV Actor " Action " 24
• 2012: Nominated for Choice TV Actor " Drama - Touch

Television Critics Association Awards

• 2002: Nominated for Individual Achievement in Drama " 24
• 2003: Nominated for Individual Achievement in Drama " 24
• 2004: Nominated for Individual Achievement in Drama " 24
• 2005: Nominated for Individual Achievement in Drama " 24
• 2006: Nominated for Individual Achievement in Drama " 24
• 2009: Nominated for Outstanding Achievement in Movies, Mini-Series and Specials " '

Western Heritage Awards

• 1989: Won Theatrical Motion Picture " Young Guns

See also