Perhaps the most definitive descriptor for Kiefer Sutherland’s career is not any particular niche he’s carved for himself, but rather his versatility. In a career that spans 20 years, Sutherland has covered abundant ground, he has established his individuality as an actor, bringing to the screen a distinctive voice and a keen edged presence. He’s one of those actors we feel close to because we have watched them grow…. We’ve been with him through his initial success in films like The Lost Boys and Stand By Me, through the first loves, the heartbreaks, the hardships and all the rest.
On December 21, 1966, Kiefer Sutherland and his twin sister, Rachel, were born in the UK to Canadian acting parents, screen legend Donald Sutherland and the esteemed stage actress, Shirley Douglas. He is also the grandson of one of Canada’s most illustrious and influential politicians, Tommy Douglas - the former Premier of Saskatchewan and the founder of the Canadian system of socialized medicine.
At age 4, his parents divorced and Sutherland moved from their home in L.A. to Toronto with his mother. Kiefer spent a lot of time in the theatre with his mother and occasionally visited the movie sets where his father was working. At age 15, he caught the acting bug and he began acting in various youth theatres in Toronto. In 1984, he landed his first starring role in the 1930s coming-of-age drama, The Bay Boy - for which he won a Genie Award in 1984 (Canada’s equivalent to the Academy Award)
After moving back to LA, Kiefer appeared in a series of hits in the late ’80s. With his bad boy grin and unkempt charisma, he was a perfect fit for rough-edged roles like the gang leader in Stand By Me, the head vampire in The Lost Boys, and as “Doc” in Young Guns.