Tinsel Town
Kiefer Sutherland on his new role as self-absorbed Hollywood action star, Brad Mac, in Sky’s hilarious new festive family comedy
Brad Mac is a self-absorbed Hollywood veteran, famed for the action franchise ‘Killing Time’. But when the series is retired, he is forced to look for a new challenge. His agent sends him to do theatre in the U.K., but to his dismay, he soon discovers that this is not Shakespeare on the London stage. Cast as Buttons in Cinderella, Brad is horrified to learn he’s contractually bound to a pantomime – a British tradition he’s never even heard of. But as he meets the townsfolk of Stoneford, all of whom are devoted to this annual British Christmas tradition, Brad is forced to leave his ego in check. Can he pull off a panto and bring the local community together?
Could you give us a brief overview of the synopsis from your character’s point of view?
The film follows the character Bradley Mac, a man who has kind of lost himself in the film business. He had early success and sort of behaved how he thought a movie star should behave, which, unfortunately was just really kind of rude and improper, and slowly lost who he was. I think the circumstances of the film put him in such a position that he rediscovers himself and the better side of himself. And that’s the journey that we take with him, and hopefully, he comes out the other end a better person.
What were your first thoughts on reading the script?
I remember getting about 20 pages through this script and it had made me laugh out loud a number of times and then I was very nervous reading the rest of it because I liked it so much right away. Then, when we finished it, I was just so relieved because I was really moved by the story as much as it made me laugh. I also found it to be quite a tender story and something that was very relatable. I just remember the fantastic combination of finding something very charming and funny, but also being moved by it.
What was it like working with Rebel Wilson?
I had such a pleasure working with the entire cast of this film. And working with Rebel was a special opportunity. She’s such a great comedian. And she has a real expertise and understanding of how to shape a moment and make it funny. So there were a lot of opportunities for me to learn from her which I really enjoyed.
What is it that’s so special about an English Christmas and the tradition of a pantomime?
I think Christmas in general is really a time for family. I think there is an understanding that it is a joyful time, and it is a time to be thankful for the things we have, not necessarily for the things we want. And I think that that’s a very special thought and notion. I also think that it’s a time where people are conscious of trying to appropriate goodwill and so it’s special. I think the UK probably makes better films about Christmas than anybody else. I think it’s ingrained in the culture that it is really a time to come together.
What are some of your favourite Christmas traditions?
I think the most complicated one for me is, do you open a present in the evening on Christmas Eve or not? Do you go to Christmas Mass on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day? I’ve done both. Half my family’s from Quebec, and in Canada, they do the present in the evening and the Mass in the evening and then the rest of my family does it all on Christmas Day. Again, the most important thing is the coming together, not only a family, but friends and a community. And in this film specifically, the community plays a whole part. I think the smaller the town, the more important this kind of time is, because we rely on each other to get by. And so I think we pay a lot of attention to that necessity throughout the film.
What was your prior knowledge of pantomime?
Not much. I mean, I knew pantomime grew out of the World Wars, with men playing women and men, just because there were no women around and that kind of spilt over culturally into the society. I learned a lot from the other actors, really about the extent of what pantomime means to the culture in England and why it’s so popular, and I really love the explanation that you can take your children and they’ll miss the raunchier jokes. So there’s something for the adults and there’s something for the kids as well. And I think, again, that leans itself towards the sense of coming together for Christmas.
How have you enjoyed your time filming in the UK?
I’ve loved it. You know, I’ve had the pleasure on a number of occasions to have worked here and I’ve always enjoyed it. The crews are extraordinary, incredibly talented. The actors that you have that I’ve had the opportunity of working with have been really special. So I’ve always enjoyed it. This was particularly special just because it’s a very fast shoot. It’s a very confined shoot. And so every day there was a lot to try and accomplish. Everybody, like at Christmas, came together to make it happen and I’m very proud of the film that we got to make and I can’t wait for people to see it.
What’s your favourite Christmas film?
I have a number of favourite Christmas films, ranging from It’s a Wonderful Life to A Miracle on 34th Street to Love Actually. The films actually signify to me that the season has begun.
Can you describe the film in two words?
I can do it in two: great fun.
What is the message of the film?
I think the message is hope. I think life is tricky, life is hard, and the character that I play has maybe not risen to some of the moments that he’s had to rise to in his life. So when we find him, he has not had the rigour to become a great actor. He has not had the discipline and caring to be a good father and he has a failed marriage. I think what I like about the film so much is that it’s not because he’s a bad person; he’s just behaving badly. And that there’s still a chance that in the right circumstances, surrounded by the right people, we can find our better selves and we can become a better person. And that’s really what the film is to me, all the people that are willing to help him try and do that.
What do you hope audiences take away from watching the film?
I would like a person to go see this film and laugh and have a good time and realise that everything that’s happening on screen is relatable to them, and by the end of it, they’re excited about Christmas too.
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