Rossif Sutherland's roots in Hollywood run deep, as he is the son of the late, legendary actor Donald Sutherland and the half-brother of Emmy-winning 24 star Kiefer Sutherland. Now he is set to lead his first ever TV series, the new Fox crime drama Murder in a Small Town.
The fall TV new show is based on L.R. Wright's Karl Alberg series of books, with Sutherland playing the main detective, who travels to a coastal town in an effort to get away from the stresses of the city only to become involved in various cases as bodies continue to appear. He stars in the series alongside Kristin Kreuk.
With this representing the most high-profile role of Rossif Sutherland's career to date, let's help you get to know the actor a little better with some things you may not have known about him.
Rossif Sutherland's mother is also a notable actress
In addition to his father being a well-known actor, Rossif Sutherland's mother is Francine Racette, who starred in a number of notable movies in the 1970s. Born in Canada, Racette eventually made her mark in French cinema, starring in Aussi Loin Que L’Amour, Mr. Klein (which won three Cesar Awards, the French equivalent to the Oscars, including Best Film) and Au Revoir Les Enfants, which in addition to its success at the Cesar awards (Best Film and six other wins) was nominated for two Oscars (Best Original Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film). Au Revoir Les Enfants was Racette's final performance.
He studied philosophy at an Ivy League school, but dropped out
Despite both of his parents being actors and his half-brother Kiefer Sutherland joining the profession, Rossif Sutherland did not want to be an actor at first. In a video with CBC Arts he says that early in his life he was interested in writing and singing, before going on to study philosophy at Princeton. He joked that going to the Ivy League school "should make me smart," but he ultimately decided to drop out.
He got his start in acting because another actor didn't show up
In the same CBC Arts video, Sutherland describes how he became an actor. He was asked by a friend to direct a short film. On the day they were set to begin production, the lead actor didn't show up. With no other option, Sutherland decided he would take over the role. After finishing the short film, Sutherland showed it to his father. After watching the movie Sutherland said his father had tears in his eyes and said, "kid, that's what you're supposed to do," which Sutherland took as his father welcoming him into his second family — the acting profession.
His first major role was on an iconic medical drama
After fully committing himself to the acting profession, Sutherland made his screen debut with an 11-episode recurring role on the classic TV medical drama ER. Sutherland played Lester Kertzenstein, but that was not the part he originally auditioned for. Sharing the story on Canadian talk show The Hour, Sutherland said that despite feeling he gave a good audition, his manager told him he did not get the part, but then an ER executive producer reached out and said they were going to write a specific role for him so he could join the show.
He met his wife while co-starring with her on a TV show
In addition to a career, Sutherland found love through acting, meeting his wife Celina Sinden when both were starring in the CW series Reign. They both starred in the historical fiction series from the very beginning, with Sutherland playing Nostradamus and Sinden playing Greer Castleroy. Sutherland appeared in three seasons of the show, with his final episode in 2015, while Sinden appeared in every episode of the series. They were married in 2016.
Sutherland's Murder in a Small Town role has a connection to his father
Murder in a Small Town is the first leading role for Rossif Sutherland, but in an interesting bit of fate, it was also a project his father, Donald Sutherland, had previously attempted to get made in Hollywood. As shared by Rossif Sutherland and reported by various outlets, when he told his dad about his new role it rang a bell. Explaining that it is based on the L.R. Wright series, Donald Sutherland revealed to his son that some 30 years prior he had attempted to make a movie of Wright's book The Suspect, with the elder Sutherland interested in playing the titular suspect, not the detective role Rossif Sutherland is playing in the TV show. There were reports that it was considered for Donald Sutherland to play the role in the series, but he was deemed not well enough for the shoot; instead, James Cromwell is playing the role. But all this makes Rossif Sutherland feel like Murder in a Small Town is a love letter to his father.
Rossif Sutherland fact file
Frequently asked questions about the actor:
How old is Rossif Sutherland?
Rossif Sutherland is 46 years old. His birthday is on September 25, 1978.
Is Rossif Sutherland married?
Yes, as previously stated he married his old Reign co-star Celina Sinden in 2016 and the two are still married.
Does Rossif Sutherland have any children?
Yes, Rossif Sutherland has one son.
Is Rossif Sutherland related to Kiefer Sutherland?
Yes, they are half brothers. Kiefer is the son of Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, while Rossif is the son of Donald Sutherland and Francine Racette.
Where was Rossif Sutherland born?
He was born in Vancouver, Canada
How tall is Rossif Sutherland?
Rossif Sutherland is 6-foot 5-inches tall, which is one inch taller than his father Donald Sutherland was (6-foot 4-inches).
