Almost a year ago, I had the opportunity to interview Jeff Teravainen, an actor I first noticed in one of Hallmark’s Flower Shop Mystery films. However, Jeff has been in a wide variety of works, and he is most known for some of his sci-fi appearances in Dark Matter and 12 Monkeys. Just this past week, I had the opportunity to chat with Jeff about a wide variety of things regarding his career, his family and much more.
RH: So good to talk to you today, Jeff.
JT: Good to talk to you too, Ruth
I honestly didn’t even realize that you were in an episode of Designated Survivor.
Yeah, that was fun.
Designated Survivor
That became one of my favorite shows, and I just wasn’t thinking about the various guest stars that might be appearing this season. I think I may have recognized you, but I that is one show where I turn my phone off and stay away from social media. I didn’t make the connection till I was looking it up in preparation for our interview.
Well, maybe the fact that you didn’t recognize me right away meant that I did a good job being the coach.
Oh yeah! I remember the character well. Even though that was a small role as far as the season goes, that was a central part of that episode.
Yeah, it kind of went that way. It was funny. I went to a Christmas/birthday party for my aunt who’s eighty-three. There was a demographic there of little kids–nieces, nephews, and such–and you had people who were pushing a hundred. And it was amazing ’cause everyone was running up to me ’cause they had seen me in the role. Probably thirty percent of the room didn’t even know I was an actor, so they were freaking out! It’s the difference in the numbers and the reach of network TV as opposed to cable. While you get good numbers on cable, I think they were getting twelve or thirteen million people an episode with Designated Survivor. The show definitely has its reach. I had people coming up and saying, “I didn’t know you did that! I thought you gave it up!” There are rumors also that he might come back next season.
Oh, that’d be great! After all, he didn’t die.
Yeah, I’d like to know more about why this guy did what he did. So we’ll see.
So now we have Dark Matter coming up.
Yes, that starts June 9th on SyFy. In fact, I know that SyFy has a whole bunch of shows coming up all around the same time. I guess it’s that time a year for the summer season.
It’s definitely a busy time of year for me. And I just had my first live broadcast interview, and thankfully all the technology stuff worked out.
With me, that wouldn’t work. I guarantee it. There’s a joke in my family that I have to keep myself healthy ’cause if I ever need a pacemaker, I’m dead. My mom actually looked up an article from Cambridge University in England. They’ve done a study on this group of people that they mess up electronics more than any other group. They’re trying to figure out why this certain group of people destroys everything. When I’m at a cash register, I can guarantee the cash register will break down. Any electronics, you name it, I will mess it up.
Oh dear, that’s not good. So with Dark Matter, we’ll be seeing you. And I think Kate Drummond joined the cast, right?
Yeah, I just ran into her two days ago. She has a neat story to tell about that show about how she got a role and then got a better one due to circumstances beyond her control. It’s amazing to see this happen for Kate. She’s one of the good people in the business. So yes, she’s on the show this season.
with Roger Cross
Dark Matter
So you’re coming back as Anders.
Yes, I can’t give away too much because of all the legal things, but basically, the last time you saw Anders, he was hovering over a pretty much unconscious Three. From the last episode of season two, the space station they were on was blowing up. So everyone was wondering, “where did they end up” and “who died?” You’ll get to find out more about Anders this season and his relationship. I think the script is really a great script, and there’s something for everybody. I’m really pumped to see how it all came out.
With Dark Matter, while you know where they left off, every season they go a little different direction. It’s not a predictable show.
Yeah, that’s good. I know those guys strive to keep coming up with different ideas and throw in ideas and throw people off balance. Sounds like it’s working then.
I know predictability can be good to a degree, but it is nice to have a show where you never know where you’re gonna end up. The nice thing is that my DVR is set to record the show when it comes on, so I don’t have to think about it. I sometimes stop and wonder how we lived without DVR’s.
There’s so much choice, too. Can you imagine having all that choice? I try to explain to my daughter because we watch Little House on the Prairie together–one or two episodes a week. I try to explain to her how I haven’t seen this episode in years. When it was first on, if you missed it, you probably wouldn’t see it again for a long time. Either you had to be home at seven or you were in tears.
{laughs} Oh, I hear that! You might get lucky enough to catch it on reruns. And you had to take your breaks during the commercials. You didn’t have the option of hitting pause and rewind.
It’s tough to explain this stuff to kids. They’re like, “What?” It’s just a different world.
You only had a few channels to choose from. We had the rabbit ear antennas. If you wanted to change the channel, you had to get up and change the channel.
Think about the way TV viewing has changed. The whole family would sit around the TV like thirty feet away from it. It was black-and-white and snowy, but everyone was into it. And now it’s got to where we have these massive televisions, and I know what’s going on behind the scenes to make these things look beautiful. And yet so many people are sitting there with a phone or a tablet during the show. We’ve got this great technology and I don’t know how many people are sitting there like they’re on a train. They aren’t even enjoying the entertainment that is right in front of them.
That’s why there are certain shows where I will turn the phone off. I won’t even look up who the actors are. And it’s so nice. You don’t know how nice it is to just sit there and watch the show. I love Hallmark but with all the Hallmark stuff, there is the expectation that I will always be there live tweeting. And sometimes I don’t want to sit there and tweet. I just want to watch it. But it’s okay.
I know it’s become a part of the job to live tweet along with the show, but I always feel bad. I go back and rewatch it because I want to focus on it. I wish we could get it ahead of time so we could really get in there and watch it the way it’s supposed to be. And then when we tweet during the shows, we don’t have to feel like we’re missing the magic of the scene ’cause I’m responding to someone.
12 Monkeys–has that ended for the season?
Yeah, it was a weird season. They did it in an entire weekend. SyFy saw that so many people are binge-watching, so they used it as an experiment to see if this was something they needed to look at.
I know it’s a show I want to sit down and watch, but I haven’t had time. What season is it?
They’re on season four now.
I will get around to watching it, but I am rather busy right now.
Your job sounds like so much fun until you realize you have to watch all these things. Where are you gonna fit it in?
I know that’s the problem! {laughs} But thankfully my daughter is going to turn fourteen this month, and she is now watching the kind of shows she wouldn’t have been able to watch before. She’s become my viewing partner! But 12 Monkeys will be on that list eventually. That and The Magicians.
Yeah, I’ve seen a few episodes of that. It’s a well-done show. But where do you find the time?
Exactly. Are you a regular on 12 Monkeys?
I pop in here and there. I’m hoping like crazy that I’ll get another phone call soon. I’ve heard rumors that I’ll be popping back in again, but nothing yet. I get to work with Jay Karnes in that show. I don’t know if you ever watch The Shield, but he was one of the main characters on that show. Also Sons of Anarchy. He’s a seriously respected actor, and he’s the nicest guy in the world. But he’s a history nut. He’s almost on professor level with the amount of history he knows. When the two of us are together, we yammer for hours about history, and it’s amazing that I’m working with someone who knows ten times more about history than I do. We have the coolest conversations.
When I said I was interviewing you, your fans got on and asked some of the most interesting questions. I’m not used to getting such a great response as this when I ask for questions.
I have some really cool people who follow me. I love waking up and seeing what they’ve posted each morning. They interact with me. They seem like really nice people, people I’d love to meet one of these days.
Here’s a great fan question I love. How much coffee do you drink per day?
I should pull my cup out of the garbage. I forget the size, but it’s those big giant ones. I usually have at least two of those a day. Sometimes, even more, depending on what I’m doing. It’s bad. And then when I’m filming, there’s the craft tables and the trucks outside. You’ve got to be careful ’cause they have the best of everything. And they have coffee too. I notice at times I’m jittery on set ’cause I realize I’ve just downed like four of those because you’re sitting forever. You don’t know what to do, so you have another coffee.
I drink my share of coffee too. It’s funny ’cause I hated coffee when I was growing up. I was almost thirty before I really started enjoying coffee.
Wow, you started late.
I know. It’s kind of the same thing–I didn’t drink till I was almost thirty. And I really don’t drink all that often just because it’s not a big deal with me. And I just don’t like to drink by myself.
I love wine and have it around my house–not that I drink it every day. But at dinner or something like that, I love it. And I love my beer. I try not to drink too much. But your liver thanks you for not drinking.
Oh, I’m sure, but I make up for it with coffee. I sometimes drink more coffee than I should. I probably don’t go quite to the extreme you do, but I can see how it would happen on set.
I really have to watch it even with the snacks. When you’re on set and you’re bored, what do you do? Eat some snacks.
Another fan question–what’s your favorite video game right now? Do you even have time for video games?
Yeah, I make the time. I’m very disciplined, but I do love video games. I don’t play every day, even though I have a job where I could technically do that. I play late at night after my family’s in bed. Right now, I’ve been playing Fallout 4 forever. It’s just an incredible game. I love battlefield games. Also, I love The Last of Us. Those two are my favorites. I wish I had more time. I bought this racing wheel with the keys that you sit in. It’s unbelievably realistic ’cause I used to race cars. I don’t have time to do it as much as I wish. I start doing it for a while, and then I start feeling guilty that I should be doing something educational or for my career. I’d love to tell you what I’m working on now, but there will be another video game coming out that I can’t talk about yet.
I’ve heard about the high secrecy of video games. I know about signing those NDA’s–that can be brutal.
Even with the shows I’ve been auditioning for, not to mention the ones you land, NDA’s are super thick and they have clauses of death if you mention anything. They’ve got code names and stuff. Even just to get your sides and learn your lines–it’s like you have to give away your firstborn child.
Moving along to another fan question. Are you a dog person or a cat person?
I love animals, but I would say I lean more towards dogs. For whatever reason, I find them to be more friendly. And the other reason is that I’m very allergic to cats. My family has cats, and even when my daughter goes to visit her grandmother, she comes back with cat hair on her, and I start to get watery eyes. Hoping that as allergies change over the years that this one will change.
What is your favorite book and why?
That’s a tough one. The one book that stuck with me and it was one of my favorite books as a kid was Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. It was one of the first grown-up books I read, and I love that story. I know some would think that’s a kid’s book, but it’s not. It’s an incredible story.
I love documentary-style books and historical books. One of the best documentary books I ever read was about Rod Sterling from The Twilight Zone. He’s one of those iconic figures I wish I could go back in time and meet. I’m sure there are other ones, but I can’t think of any others right now.
As you were talking about A Christmas Carol, I was thinking that I could see them casting you in a version of A Christmas Carol.
That would be amazing. There are so many versions out there. I love An American Christmas Carol with Henry Winkler. It was a simple TV movie, but I think it is better than most of them.
Are there any other works coming up that you can mention?
Yeah, there’s a few that I can’t yet ’cause I’m waiting for the official word. One thing I just found out is that on June 4th on Lifetime in the States is The Perfect Soulmate. I only did a little bit of ADR, so I haven’t seen much, and I’m as nervous as usual. It was a lot of fun to shoot. It’s a good role for me. I don’t play a good person, but it’s all right.
I kind of figured that. I looked it up on your IMDB page. Are you lead or supporting lead?
I’m one of the supporting leads on it. It was a fun, little role. We did it in Ottawa around Christmastime. It was great. It got to work with Cassandra Scerbo. She’s in all kinds of stuff. It’s funny because when we were on set, I saw her as this girl who was made up to be like this crazy person, but when she’s not made up like that, she is just stunning. They had to make her look like she was from the streets though not really homeless. She looked tough. But when we started following each other on social media, I was like, “Wow, she’s a glamor girl.” She wasn’t the woman I’d been hanging out with. But I could see that she gets a lot of those glamor roles, so I think this role could be really good for her ’cause it will show a different side of her. I think she’s famous for those Sharknado movies. This is a way different role for her. It was a lot of fun. Ottawa is cold in the winter. I’m really excited to see how it turned out. I was a little nervous ’cause I’m half-naked in a bunch of scenes. I’m not used to doing that stuff, but I guess we’ll see what happens.
I greatly respect what actors do, and I have come to respect you guys even more over the year and a half I’ve been doing interviews. People think you live a glamorous life and get to do all these great things and pretend to be all these characters. But they forget about the other parts of your job that sometimes aren’t so glamorous.
Yeah, that’s a great point. From the outside, it looks like your life is just one glamor thing with people treating you a certain way. I would say that on set, we are treated really well. Everyone has a nice trailer, and there’s great food. They really try to make you comfortable in that environment. But at the end of the day, you need to deliver, and if you don’t, you’re gonna be starving. It’s a lot of pressure. So as much fun as it is, there’s always that underlying “you better have your act together on set tomorrow because” or for auditions. You might get an invite to a red carpet event, and that’s fun, but it’s not like those are every night. The next night you’re taking the garbage out. It is what it is.
I love all aspects of my career. For a while, I used to say I didn’t have a job. I’d say, “Hey, it’s been ten years since I’ve had a job.” But I’ve gone back to realizing that I was not giving the profession enough credit ’cause it is hard work. You have to knuckle down and do it. In Canada, we have to learn our scripts for our auditions, so if we get a crazy eight-page script, we have to know it down pat and act like we own it the next morning. In LA, I know they have cold reads, and I’d love to do that. But when you get that script and you have plans that night to take your daughter to something, the whole world kinda shuts down ’cause you have to get that down that night. It’s a tough one.
And then on those days that you have three auditions…
I love Vancouver so much. I went there for pilot season a few years back, and I’d never experienced that where it was three or four auditions a day. Even though I love the city, I still get a twinge of a sick feeling, of a worry feeling that stuck with me because I remember this landmark and associate it with having four auditions in one day. I can remember being up till four in the morning crying ’cause I couldn’t get the lines down. Those are tough times. You have to love it. I considered moving to Vancouver at one time just to shake things up, but the one thing that keeps me tethered to Toronto is the voice work. But I am in the process of petitioning for a U.S. visa. Hopefully, it pans out.
Jeff Teravainen (Professor Carson Howell) Flower Shop Mystery
Well, that’s good for you. I hope so too.
While I don’t think I would move right now, it would be nice to have the freedom to go down there for pilot season at least.
Best of luck to you. So you’ve got June 4th and June 9th where we can see you in the States.
Yes, it’s a fun little week for me. I’m a little nervous because I haven’t seen much of either, but I’m in a lot of Dark Matter, and I’m pumped to see the rest of it. I’m sure it’s fine, but I’m always worried about how my parts turned out and if I did a bad job or not.
You’ve entrusted yourself to really good people behind the show, and they’re not going to make you look bad. It’s got to be hard to watch your performance as an artist because we’re so critical of our performances.
I’m usually more critical of my work than anyone else, and I’m probably my own worst enemy. But I did get some great feedback from Joseph Mallozzi and Ivon R. Bartok, the producers of Dark Matter, as well as the directors and the editors. I saw them all at the wrap party. So that’s a good sign. But it is weird when you see yourself.
I know someone did ask, “What has been your most challenging voice work?”
Most of them have been challenging but for different reasons. Probably the most intensive stuff was when I was doing the Olympics and the World Cup. They were amazing gigs, but it was every day I was in the studio eight to twelve hours a day. Constantly cutting promotional stuff, and it was always changing ’cause of the way the games were run. Animation and video games can be very challenging ’cause you’re using such a wide range of voices. The one I’m working on now, I have been fortunate enough to do one of the supporting characters in it. But I’ve been also voicing the non-playable characters, you know, the ones you run into but don’t play with. And there is some serious stuff. My voice is still hurting from Friday, and it’s now Monday! I am a bit worried about it because it was so much screaming. Death screams and stuff like that. They want it real. I was jabbing myself and trying to give me something to react to pain-wise. So I was covered in bruises like I was beaten up. I’m lucky though ’cause I get to do commercials and they pay well and are fun. I like to think that I”ve learned how to use my throat in a way that I don’t kill it all the time. But this stuff is different.
I’m sure it will come back. I remember teaching music, and if I went to an amusement park and I was screaming on all the wild rides, the next day, I wouldn’t have a voice left. Most of the time, it’s not irreparable damage.
That’s right. I forgot you did music stuff. Because you had the basics down, it must have helped a lot. I saw a question someone asked about music and my old band. That’s one of the things I hated about when I was in music. I was in constant fear of losing my voice. Especially on the road. I wasn’t trained. I was self-taught.
Is there a book or short story that you would like to see go into production that you would have some kind of role with?
How about the story of Rod Sterling? That would be amazing! He was such a huge influence on television in general. I think any director or producer you talk to, it’s going to be very rare to find one who hasn’t been influenced by his writing or style. I would love to do a film about him. Kind of a biopic.
I think that would be awesome, and I bet the younger generation doesn’t know much about him.
In the ’50’s, ’60’s an even the ’70’s, he was a huge force. Even to people like Spielberg.
You could go ahead and write it and produce it.
Yeah, I have to turn the video games off. It’s funny ’cause when I ran into Kate at an audition the other day, she mentioned about six other things she has on the go. Producing a movie, getting ready for a kid’s book…I feel like I’m completely underachieving in my life right now after talking with her for two minutes. I’m doing things, but with me right now, so much of my time is spent with my daughter. I know eventually she won’t want to hang out with Dad anymore and she’ll want to be with her friends. So I’m trying to milk every moment for what it’s worth. But when that day comes, I tell myself I’ll knuckle down and start working on another script.
I fully understand. I have a teenager, and she is spending loads of time on the computer and with her friends. So I think you’re doing the right thing. And that’s the thing you have to remember. Kate doesn’t have a family. You do.
Actually, that’s the first thing she said. I felt bad, but she said that since she doesn’t have a family, this is her family. But I think it’s great that you and your daughter are watching great shows together, and you’re building on that commonality. I love that my daughter and I are watching Little House on the Prairie together. It’s a good family-oriented show. It’s got great values. So I love that she is getting a glimpse of that sort of thing and asking questions. There will be time later for me to focus on other aspects of my career. Right now, this time is precious to both of us.
Father/Daughter
I simply adore the fact that Jeff is conversational, pragmatic, and definitely has his priorities straight. For him, acting is a career that he loves, but he realizes the fact that there are more important things in life than working. Instead of sacrificing his family for an overly multi-faceted, fast-paced, celebrity-status career, he is making the decision to savor every moment possible with his daughter as she continues to grow and mature. In spite of all of that, he has still found time to be a fairly consistent working actor and provide a good living for his family. He always comes across as sincere, genuine, and responsive to any topic you wish to discuss. He will never do anything just to be noticed, and he greatly respects those who are establishing themselves and paving their own way in the arts. While he has aspirations that he is unable to pursue at the moment, what he is doing is more than enough to be considered prosperous in my book. It would be charming to see Hallmark employ his talents yet again in another mystery film or perchance, even a holiday film–you know, the ones they regularly film in Toronto. But until that time, I would invite my readers to tune into Lifetime on Sunday, June 4th, for the premiere of The Perfect Soulmate, and then tune into the SyFy Network on Friday, June 9th, for the third season of Dark Matter. Additionally, I encourage you to follow Jeff at all the links below. There is nothing I like better than men like Jeff, who place fatherhood about their careers, but still manage to exceed expectations in all aspects of their lives. Furthermore, he’s his own worst critic, so let’s shower him with positivity!
FOLLOW JEFF
