Where would Kiefer Sutherland be right now if it weren’t for an experimental little show called “24”? Most likely still performing in direct-to-video movies, but that’s hardly the case since the hit drama became one of the biggest television successes in recent years. As CTU agent Jack Bauer, Sutherland has created a character that is so intriguing, we doubt that people are talking about anything else other than “24” on Tuesday mornings. In fact, the show is so dominant that other networks have simply given up trying to compete against the ratings giant, and while the show would be nothing without Sutherland’s presence, Sutherland would be nothing without the show. Born in London, England to acclaimed actor Donald Sutherland, Kiefer spent most of his childhood in Canada where he was raised by his then-divorced mother. The veteran actor also bears perhaps the longest middle name known to man, with his legal name being Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland. Did Donald and his wife have that much trouble picking just one name to call him by?
After finishing school, Kiefer headed back to LA where he was quickly branded a member of the Brat Pack. Following memorable roles in films like “Stand By Me” and as the vampire head honcho in “The Lost Boys,” Kiefer appeared in the film “Flatliners.” While working on the movie, Kiefer also met rising star Julia Roberts, whom he planned to marry until the wedding was suddenly called only three days before the date. After the break-up, Kiefer fell into a ditch professionally to the point where he was only appearing in (or directing) made-for-TV and direct-to-video films. Kiefer soon left filmmaking to pursue his second love – riding horses and rodeo – but after limited success, he began to miss acting enough to give it another shot. Observing the sudden changes in television with shows like “The Sopranos,” Kiefer signed up for the lead role in the new Fox drama “24,” a real time experiment that had just about every reason to fail. Instead, the show survived its first season, earned Kiefer a Golden Globe, and has gone on to become a pop culture sensation; Kiefer’s fame now extends to the Far East where he appears in Calorie Mate Japan commercials as Jack Bauer.
Badass Bracket – Jack Bauer
In 2007, we created a Badass Bracket for 32 of the most badass characters from the movies and TV that we could think of. It was pretty hard narrowing it down to that number, and Jack Bauer was one of the badass characters we had in mind as we started thinking about this feature. We even ranked him as a #1 seed on one side of the bracket. But something strange happened when he faced #16 seed Indiana Jones. Basically, we found out that Indy fans were motivated to vote, and Jack Bauer lost his round one matchup in a stunning upset.
Here’s the Badass Bracket profile for Jack Bauer:
Kiefer Sutherland, “24“
One wonders if there is anyone walking the halls of our government’s Counter Terrorist Unit that has had to do half of the things that Jack Bauer has done in order to protect his country. There is no witness too valuable to torture (or kill, as our definitive badass moment will attest), no agent too important to disfigure (fare thee well, Chase Edmunds’ left forearm), no relative of a bad guy too innocent to shoot in the leg, and there is certainly no shortage of opportunities to yell “Dammit!” when times are tough. Jack Bauer is not just a super agent, he’s a Method agent, getting addicted to heroin in order to worm his way into a Mexican drug ring. You can question his methods – everyone else does – but there is no arguing with his results: if you’re hatching a plan to attack the United States, Jack Bauer will find you. And when he does, oh yes, there will be blood.Definitive badass moment: When he shot and killed a federal witness and brought his severed head to the guy responsible for bombing CTU in order to gain his trust.
Classic badass line: “You are gonna tell me what I want to know, it’s just a matter of how much you want it to hurt.”Seed: #1
Occupation: Federal agent, Counter Terrorist Unit
Strengths: Crack shot aim, not afraid to get hands dirty
Weaknesses: Frequently caught with hands dirty
Kiefer on the Screen
Kiefer has a pretty successful career in the 80’s with films like “The Lost Boys” and “Young Guns” before slipping into a steady lifestyle of B-movies. He had a few decent hits along the way, including a role in “A Few Good Men” and the cult sci-fi film “Dark City,” but it wasn’t until he landed the role of CTU agent Jack Bauer that he came back into the limelight. His role on “24” has earned him a Golden Globe, as well as a revived movie career, one that was re-launched with the 2003 thriller “Phone Booth.”
From the Mouth of Kiefer
On winning a Golden Globe:
“My mind went totally blank and my body went numb. It was a very surreal moment….It was a great night. I admit I felt really cocky for about 24 hours, and then I had to go back to work.”
On “24”:
“One of the big draws of the show is here’s a guy who is ordinary in a lot of ways but, due to his profession, he’s placed in extraordinary situations that he has to make right with action and with thought. That’s what is appealing about Jack—he takes charge.”
On the press:
“Aside from what was printed about me during the breakup with Julia, I’ve been treated very well by the press. I’ve done some dumb things, and people have laughed at me. But if I get nailed for something stupid, I’d better be ready to laugh at it or I learned nothing while I was away.”