Interview conducted by Josh Horowitz
February 6, 2004
Once you put on the suit, it’s not easy to get people to forget about it. It’s a dilemma Dean Cain is extremely familiar with. That red cape just follows an actor. Cain’s four years starring as Clark Kent and Superman on LOIS & CLARK undoubtedly launched him to one level as an actor. Bit since the show ended in 1997, he’s no doubt been searching for that next great role that can define a career.
One useful way he’s spent his time has been in producing and hosting a new TV version of RIPLEY’S BELIEVE IT OR NOT, a show Cain admits has primarily been about creating financial security for himself. Acting-wise, Cain recently found the break he was looking for with a memorable bad guy role in last year’s OUT OF TIME opposite Denzel Washington, a role which earned him great reviews. He’s followed that up with a return to TV, starring as Scott Peterson, the California man accused of murdering his pregnant wife, in USA’s THE PERFECT HUSBAND. It airs at 8pm on February 13th.
I spoke to Cain, the former Princeton University football star, fittingly on the eve of the Super Bowl last week.
Josh Horowitz: The last time you and I spoke was when I had you on PAT SAJAK WEEKEND on Fox. You were the last guest on that show before it sadly faded into nothingness.
Dean Cain: I like Pat. That was the only place you had some time to talk.
JH: Be honest, could you see it in our eyes that the show was on its last legs?
DC: (LAUGHS) I didn’t know. I wasn’t sure.
JH: You’re one of those annoying people who, after you left, all my female co-workers, were going gaga over. And I had to say, “yeah, he’s a nice guy, he brought his dad with him. Blah blah blah.” Can you list a few faults of yours just so I can make myself feel better?
DC: (LAUGHS) If you talk to some of my ex-girlfriends I’m sure they’ll give you a hell of a list. I’m sure my son would give you a couple too. “He makes me wash my hair too much. He picks my nose for me.”
JH: Ew!
DC: You gotta do that. I don’t know if you’re a dad…
JH: No. That’s something I can look forward to though?
DC: Believe me; it gets a lot worse than just having to pick their nose.
JH: I think that’s enough of that for now. Talking about this film, I’m glad the folks at USA exercised some good taste and decided not to air this one on Valentine’s Day.
DC: Yeah. But boy they came awful close, didn’t they?
JH: This is an unusual sort of film for a number of reasons. How did you get involved?
DC: It was offered to me and I turned it down. I just said, “this isn’t the kind of project I think I should be involved with.” I didn’t want to have that association with this particular character so I turned it down. Basically they
offered it to me again and again. I just kept saying no. Finally my father and I sat down and he said, “is it a good script?” I said, “yeah, it’s a good script.” He said, “is the character complex?” I said, “yeah, the character is definitely complex.” He said, “can you be good in it?” I said, “yeah, I think I can be really good in it.” He said, “well, are you an actor?” I was like, “alright dad, I get your point.” There’s no reason for me not to take it. As far as the association goes, it’s tough. Whether he’s guilty or not of murder, he’s certainly guilty of having an affair and acting like someone who is guilty. I didn’t want to have the association at first but now I’m quite comfortable with it.
JH: Was there also a hesitation about doing a ripped from the headlines movie of the week kind of thing?
DC: Absolutely, but that was quickly called away when I read the script and I saw who was directing it and who was involved. I realized they were going to tell a story that was going to grab you. And now people are saying really nice things about my performance and I’m happy to hear those things.
JH: Maybe you should stick to the bad guys. They’ve been getting you your best reviews between this and OUT OF TIME.
DC: Absolutely, that’s two in a row now. Do we possibly have a streak going here?
JH: Three in a row? Any takers?
DC: Third time’s the charm. I don’t know.
JH: Does it make your job harder playing a guy like this where the story isn’t over for him? His guilt or innocence is still in question.
DC: I played him innocent but he did a lot of things that made him look guilty. The story isn’t about whether he’s guilty or innocent. It’s more about how a family, a community, and the whole country can believe this guy is a certain way and then find out he’s completely someone else. Laci’s whole family went to bat for this guy. They said there’s no way he could have done this and then they find out he’s completely somebody else. It’s just shocking.
JH: I last talked to you about OUT OF TIME; a film that I know you were hoping would move your career to another level. Some months later, have you found that to be the case?
DC: I’m seeing different things and I’m seeing bigger directors. But more so even than that is that I’m dealt with a different measure of respect which is awfully nice. It’s there because I was onscreen with Denzel [Washington] and I was able to perform. It’s not that I’m all of a sudden a different actor.
JH: It’s the perception.
DC: Exactly. It’s like, now you’ve done it, you stood up with the big boys and you were good onscreen. It gives me a lot more weight walking into a room. They just treat me with a different level of respect. They don’t remember Superman so much as they remember that role which is a different realm.
JH: In that film, did you base your character, Chris Harrison, at all on the annoying host of THE BACHELOR…
DC: The real Chris Harrison? (LAUGHS)
JH: I see similarities between the two. Both have beautiful women in their lives lured away by other men.
DC: (LAUGHS) No, I didn’t but I found that very interesting when I saw that was his name. I was like, how did that clear?
JH: Have you run into the real Chris Harrison?
DC: I have not. And I’m sure he got a chuckle out of it. I hope so. He’s probably pissed, looking for me right now. It ain’t my fault man, I didn’t do it!
JH: You just play the part, you don’t write it.
DC: Exactly. My agent and I were joking about this character, Scott Peterson. He’s like, “people could be chasing you down the street with torches and pitchforks.” I hope people are intelligent enough to know that I’m an actor and this is a role I’m playing. But people can get wacky. When I played Superman, people would send me things and say, “could you do this because I know you’re really that good.” I’d get suicide notes.
JH: Did you immediately get rid of the facial hair to differentiate yourself from Scott so people wouldn’t be chasing you down the street?
DC: No goatee right now. I’m clean. I was really fuzzy up until today but I woke up way before my son this morning and I was just awake. I was just like, what should I do? I took a shower and he was still asleep. I made breakfast and he was still asleep. So I shaved. (LAUGHS)
JH: It’s something to do.
DC: I mean there’s no particular role I’m going after. If there was something I had in mind, I would start to adopt that look.
JH: Are you continuing with RIPLEY’S?
DC: I’ll make a personal comment here. We’re not continuing with RIPLEY’S on TBS and that’s because TBS has decided to re-brand the network. We had been the #1 show for four years straight.
JH: This has got to have been a cash cow for you.
DC: Very much so and now we’re in syndication. I’m pissed that TBS changed their network and did not renew us. I hope they die a miserable burning death with their new program format because I’m pissed. That was a really cushy wonderful job. I really enjoyed it. I don’t know what they’re doing but I hope it sucks because it sucks that we weren’t picked up. There are a lot of people who are out of work as a result. It doesn’t do well for me. I wanted to make a few more years of the show. I wish it had because then I would never have had to ever work again and then I’d make every decision based on whether I wanted to go to work or not.
JH: So TBS is responsible if you take any shitty roles from here on out?
DC: From this point on, if I have to take a couple of shitty roles, I completely blame them for making me have to go work for a living.
JH: So coming up, you have something called BAILEY’S MILLIONS but this is not a sequel to the Richard Pryor classic BREWSTER’S MILLIONS?
DC: God I wish it were that good. BREWSTER’S MILLIONS was funny. I hope it’s that good. It’s a fun kid’s movie. I have a three and half year old and we’ll be able to watch it together. There’s kids, there’s romance, there’s excitement, there’s a talking dog…
JH: I’m sold! Any Super Bowl plans for you?
DC: I’m gonna watch the game with my son and a few friends. I probably won’t watch as much of the Super Bowl as in years past because I’ll be chasing his little butt around.
JH: This is going to run after the game. Do you want to be bold and make a prediction?
DC: Carolina by 11. That’s clear. But here’s the deal, if you’re betting on football, always bet against what I pick. (NOTE: Dean was clearly correct. New England beat Carolina 32-29)
JH: So Pete Rose should not be following your lead here?
DC: Absolutely not but he never bet on football. He should have. (LAUGHS)
JH: He would have gotten into a lot less trouble and probably sold a few less books.
DC: How’s that doing for him? Is it selling?
JH: I think it’s sold pretty well. I don’t think it’s helping his cause much for the Hall of Fame though.
DC: I’ve got to be honest. He still belongs in the Hall of Fame. I don’t think what he did is right but come on, more hits than anyone in the history of the game.
JH: I absolutely agree. I don’t like him as a person but there’s no argument for him not to be in there.
DC: It’s ridiculous to me. It’s a double standard ridiculous political pile of shit.
JH: Do you ever regret that they didn’t have BATTLE OF THE NETWORK STARS on when you were doing LOIS AND CLARK? You could have kicked the ass of the cast of FRASIER.
DC: I’ve got to be honest. Yes! When I was growing up, part of the thing that made me want to be actor was that I could go compete on BATTLE OF THE NETWORK STARS. I really wanted to back in the day.
JH: I was talking to Carrie Fisher the other day about amusing gossip items that have appeared about her in the tabloids. Have there been any stories about you that got you angry or amused you?
DC: When they write about real stuff like my custody battle, that’s no fun. Some things have leaked out about accusations that have gone back and forth and that’s just mean. It’s a tactic. They’ll do that on purpose to get you to settle a case or stop a case. I had five lawsuits going at one time last year and I won them all. There were a lot of silly things when I was playing Superman. I read one thing where I saved a girl from being raped. I was like; okay that’s a crock of shit. I wish I had saved someone from being raped but that never happened. There was one thing I did do when some lady had a flat tire. I stopped and changed her tire for her.
JH: But if the Enquirer wants to a story on Dean Cain wanting TBS to be burnt to the ground, you wouldn’t have a problem with that?
DC: (LAUGHS) Now again, I don’t want TBS to burn to the ground literally. I just want their ratings to go down in smoldering flames. I’m just pissed that my show got jacked.
JH: (LAUGHS) I hear you. This was the college fund and much, much more.
DC: I got houses man. I got to take care of stuff. That was a great way of life and I’m mad that went away.
JH: Time for the next big idea.
DC: Well it doesn’t get much easier than that show.
JH: I know. You would send out the pretty women to cover the dangerous stuff and you’d just stand in the studio.
DC: Josh, honestly…eight days a year! That’s what I did and that was it. Nothing to memorize. Nothing to do!
THE PERFECT HUSBAND: THE LACI PETERSON STORY airs on USA on February 13th at 8pm.
E-MAIL THE AUTHOR | ARCHIVES
