Kiefer Sutherland, the 60-year-old star renowned for his relentless physical performance in the political thriller series 24, revealed at the Venice Film Festival that modern action roles require a little extra help from body braces, protective pads, and anti-inflammatory medicine.
Here is the kicker, though—the wear and tear of a punishing career haven’t slowed down his ambition. Arriving in Venice for the premiere of his new film Father Joe, where he shares the limelight with Al Pacino, Sutherland proved that the resilience forged across decades in Hollywood remains completely intact.
The Bottom Line
- The Reality of Action Stunts: At age 60, Sutherland admits to relying on body braces, pads, and anti-inflammatories to pull off intense physical sequences—a stark contrast to the unassisted 12-hour stunt days he pulled on 24.
- Festival Spotlight: The actor made headlines at the Venice Film Festival promoting Father Joe, a fantasy-tinged crime drama directed by Barthelemy Grossmann from a screenplay by Luc Besson, featuring Al Pacino as a mob boss.
- Perspective on Career Valleys: Reflecting on his decades in the industry, Sutherland opened up about surviving brutal dry spells, noting that weathering early career panics taught him that Hollywood momentum always swings back up.
Trading 12-Hour Stunt Runs for Modern Maintenance
When the political thriller 24 first debuted on television in 2001, anchoring its run through 2010 before a 2014 revival, its protagonist Jack Bauer seemed practically indestructible. Day in and day out, the character sprinted through Los Angeles, tackled terrorists, and absorbed endless physical abuse without missing a beat.
https://x.com/Variety/status/2096230481264066601
According to interviews given during the Venice Film Festival by Sutherland and reported by outlets like AFP, the reality of shooting high-octane sequences has shifted dramatically over the past two and a half decades. “I do remember the days when I could run around on ’24’ and I could do it for 12 hours straight,” Sutherland remarked to AFP. “And now I’ve got this brace going on, I’ve got that brace going on, I’ve got whatever else, you know, these pads and these… And so there’s a lot of anti-inflammatory medicine used now that wasn’t used 20 years ago.”
Stepping Into the World of Father Joe
That physical preparation paid off on the set of his latest project, Father Joe. Directed by Barthelemy Grossmann and scripted by Luc Besson, the feature presents a stylistic departure from grounded counterterrorism procedurals into a heightened, cinematic landscape.
In the film, Sutherland steps into the collar of a gun-wielding New York priest seeking justice for the city’s youth, putting him directly at odds with local drug dealers and a formidable mob boss played by Al Pacino. Speaking at a press conference in Venice, Sutherland described the unique appeal of the project. “I don’t get a lot of opportunities to do a fantasy, which this film is. It lives in its own world. It’s good versus evil. It’s broad strokes,” he told reporters.
Mastering the choreography required learning an entirely different combat language compared to his television heyday. But despite the physical demands and the protective gear required afterward, the veteran actor emerged relatively unscathed, noting wryly that he “only got hurt twice” during production.
Surviving Hollywood Resilience Gaps
Beyond the physical toll of stunts, Sutherland reflected candidly on the psychological stamina required to survive decades in the entertainment industry. Now at 60, with a filmography that includes the 2025 UK holiday release Tinsel Town, the actor looks back on inevitable career lulls with a seasoned sense of calm.
“It’s going to go down. Then it’s going to go back up,” Sutherland noted regarding the cyclical nature of acting work. Recalling a terrifying dry spell around age 27 when work dried up entirely for a few years, he admitted, “I was panicked that it was over. And that really messes with your head.”
Yet, having weathered those storms, the relief accompanying each career resurgence has only deepened his appreciation for the craft.
| Milestone / Project | Role / Contribution | Era / Context |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Counterterrorism agent Jack Bauer | 2001–2010 (Run), 2014 (Revival) |
| Tinsel Town | Feature appearance | 2025 UK holiday release |
| Father Joe | Gun-wielding New York priest | Venice Film Festival Premiere |
The Takeaway
Kiefer Sutherland’s transition from unassisted television marathons to brace-supported cinematic showdowns illustrates a refreshing pragmatism about aging in action cinema. Rather than retreating from demanding physical roles, he leans into the preparation required to deliver high-impact performances while maintaining an enviable perspective on the industry’s fickle tides.
How do you think legacy action stars should adapt their roles as they hit milestone decades—should they lean into grounded, gritty thrillers, or embrace heightened fantasy worlds like Father Joe? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
