Kiefer Sutherland may be best known for his starring role in the hit Fox series 24, but the actor is also passionate about creating music – he recently made an album, Down in a Hole, and even had a record label back in the day. He revealed even more music secrets when he sat down with Us Weekly for this list of 25 things you don’t know about him. You can catch Sutherland, 49, in his new show, Designated Survivor, which airs on ABC on Sept. 21 at 10 p.m.
1. I recently made an album called Down in a Hole. I took a couple of songs out of maybe 15 or 20 that I had. Then I approached my friend Jude Cole and said, “I’d like to record these songs. Would you help me?”
2. I had a small record label for about 10 years with Jude. We ended up signing seven or eight bands.
3. Johnny Cash, Queen, AC/DC and Don Henley are some of my musical influences.
4. About 11 years ago, I was held up at gunpoint by two guys while walking my dog. I was on the ground and I thought, If I die here, I’m going to be really pissed.
5. The one thing I said to them was “Please don’t shoot my dog.”
6. I’m a producer on the new 24 reboot.
7. As much as I loved playing Jack Bauer, I’m not him. I’m not as tough.
8. Last year i made a small film in NYC with Michelle Pfeiffer called Beat-Up Little Seagull.
9. My 50th birthday is in December. I have a feeling my twin sister, Rachel, is going to drag me out of my house to celebrate.
10. Otherwise, I would do absolutely nothing.
11. The most beautiful thing I’ve seen is my daughter, Sarah [now 28], when she was born.
12. In all fairness, she was swaddled up, but yeah, she took my breath away.
13. I had Sarah when I was 20. The whole pregnancy, I thought I was going to be the greatest dad. The moments before she was born, I realized the reality of what I needed to be for my daughter. That was a really scary moment.
14. I wish I could have written David Bowie’s “Changes.” If you get to write one song like that, you could stop. Thank God David Bowie didn’t.
15. There’s a real stigma attached to an actor doing music. I wouldn’t have considered making an album when I was 25. I was way too insecure.
16. People probably think I’m taller than I am [5-foot-9].
17. I’d love to have played with Merle Haggard.
18. Songwriting is cathartic and helps me put things into perspective.
19. I have my awards in a cabinet in a room, off to the side. The truth is I was grateful that someone had thought of me.
20. I don’t use them as a doorstop, which I guess is the cool answer.
21. People still come up to me and thank me for The Lost Boys.
22. I don’t watch my own movies.
23. The most important characteristics in a person are generosity and compassion. I work on it.
24. I can be impatient. I also work on that.
25. After reading the Designated Survivor pilot script, I realized I was holding the next 10 years of my life in my hands.
