Rossif Sutherland opened up about how he’s coping with losing his father, Donald Sutherland.
“I’m an actor because of my father and I will try and honor his legacy with everything I do with my own life. I don’t know what else to say to that … I haven’t worked at all since my father passed away,” Rossif, 46, exclusively told Us Weekly at the Fox Fall Press Day event earlier this month. “And I look forward to being on a set again because I have a sneaking suspicion that he’ll be there with me. I look forward to playing with him again.”
Rossif is one of Donald’s five children. Donald was the father of twins Rachel and Kiefer Sutherland, whom he welcomed with ex-wife Shirley Douglas. The Hunger Games star also shared Rossif, Roeg and Angus with Francine Racette.
Donald died in June after battling a long illness. He was 88. Rossif added that he was inspired to follow in his father’s acting footsteps, and Donald always encouraged him in his career.
“I became an actor because of my father. I wanted to understand the man that went away to play in the circus for so much of my childhood,” he reflected. “And when he told me that I belonged in that circus, I joined it.”
Besides assisting his dad on set during his extensive film career, Rossif got to share the screen with Donald in the 2010 movie The Con Artist. While Rossif has been “privileged” to snag other roles over the years, he sees his new series Murder in a Small Town as his “big break.” The mystery drama, which is based on the Alberg and Cassandra Mysteries novels, has a special place in his heart because Donald was supposed to be in an adaptation that never took off.
“The weird thing is that my father was tied to this 30 years ago. It’s a little surreal, really — serendipitous I guess,” he told Us. “But here I am telling a story that my father would’ve told 30 years ago. I don’t know that I’m following in his footsteps, but I love the man and I miss him.”
Rossif stars in Murder in a Small Town as Karl Alberg alongside Kristin Kreuk, who portrays his love interest, Cassandra Lee. The actor hopes that his involvement in the project that was once tied to Donald helps his mom while she mourns the loss of her husband.
“I think of [my dad] every day,” he said. “And my beautiful mother that I love and adore, I hope she watches this. I hope this brings her joy … one day at a time.”
Murder in a Small Town airs on Fox Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET.
With reporting by Sarah Jones
