Back when the Hallmark movie Love By Chance premiered on the network, I noticed a supporting cast member whom I found quite intriguing–John Cassini. This began my unofficial support of his career, and once a cast member from the new Fixer Upper Mystery series told me that John was Jewel’s acting coach, I knew I had to do some more research on this fascinating industry professional. As I soon discovered, the man is practically a legend in the Vancouver Film, TV, and Theater community, and I decided to request an interview. Due to his busy schedule, it is only in recent times that we both found the time to make this promised event happen. I am pleased to share my interview with John before the premiere of the third installment of the Fixer Upper Mystery series which is entitled Deadly Deed.

RH: Why did you decide to pursue a career in film/TV? 

JC: I’ve always loved the movies, but never contemplated that acting was possible until my older brother Frank began pursuing it. He was the trailblazer. Not easy in an immigrant family whose father thought that acting was “for the rich and not people like us’. Thank goodness for a mother who had an artist’s soul and longed for her days back in Italy where she held court in her little town singing Opera.
When I went to university after my quite colourful teen years, there was a theatre department that pulled me. I fell in love with theatre training there and soon left and moved to New York to pursue it as a life choice. I knew I found my people and passion and didn’t want to waste a minute.

What kind of training have you had, and how do you believe that has helped you in your career?

I have always been in love with the craft of acting Theatre was my first love. I’ve been lucky to have some incredible teachers and mentors primarily in New York and Los Angeles. My training is mostly American-based with the Actors Studio and this incredible woman, Susan Peretz, who I studied and did plays with for over ten years in LA. She encouraged me to audition to get into the Actors Studio and that became an artistic oasis for me. For me, it’s important to continue to grow as an actor. Teaching helps with that now. My training has been so important. I just finished a very emotionally and physically demanding movie recently, and knowing how to use my voice, body, sensory work, all the stuff you work out in class was so helpful. Like “come to the rescue” helpful. Having done the amount of challenging scenes or plays in your early training becomes the actor’s toolbox. It gets in your DNA. You own all those experiences on a cellular level. Nothing replaces the doing. Acting is doing. It’s not a correspondence course.

What was your first significant role in the business, and what are your memories of it?

My first significant role was a TV series called Knightwatch. It was my first audition in Canada after being in NYC studying. My role was recurring for nine episodes, and it starred Benjamin Bratt, Samantha Mathis, and a few others. I absorbed as much as I could on the fly about film acting. The creator took a liking to me and would give me more lines from time to time.

I was going to have a more significant role in the following season I was told, and then a few days later the show was canceled. So I learned that side of the business very quick too. It was also the first job I had where I could show my dad the checks and he would get off my back for a minute about this life I chose. So that was good too.

God of Carnage with Vickie Papavs

You have such an extensive acting career, so please tell us about your most memorable and/or significant roles and why they stand out to you.

Well, almost every play I’ve done means the world to me, but I’ll try and narrow it down a little. Sam Shepard’s Geography of a Horse Dreamer, for its magic.  Mamet’s Edmund was the darkest journey I had ever taken. Rabbit Hole ’cause it was my intro to the larger stage in Vancouver at the Arts Club and the role scared the hell out of me as I have sons. God of Carnage for the cast, director and working at the MTC was a thrill. We, unfortunately, were the last show at the Vancouver Playhouse so that was bittersweet. Most recently The Motherf**ker with the Hat was a thrill for me as well. Loved that play so much.

Alive with Ethan Hawke and Frank Marshall

Film and TV jobs that have stayed with me are, Alive – ’cause being helicoptered to a glacier every day is cool. Telling that incredible true story, playing a survivor and meeting them was life-altering at a young age. It was my first big Hollywood movie and watching Ethan Hawke work was an acting class. Some of my best friends come from that movie, including a friendship with Frank Marshall, Kathleen Kennedy and Bruce Cohen. Titans of the industry. My intro to big-time Hollywood was from them, some of the most genuine, kind, brilliant people you’ll ever meet. I cherish those months.

Intelligence

The series Intelligence and Robson Arms are very special to me for different reasons, and an indie film I shot a few years ago in my old stomping grounds in Toronto called The Resurrection of Tony Gitone was very important to me. Going home to work, writing Break A Leg with my brother, producing and acting in it, shooting it in and around my LA neighborhood with so many incredible actors coming out to play roles is perhaps one of the most surreal and potent experiences I’ve ever had.

So many more, for such different reasons…

You’ve also moved into producing and stage in more recent years. What caused you to move in that direction, and what do you enjoy about producing and being a part of theater?

Theatre is where and how I’ve started. I would like to do more, but as a father of two and bills to pay, it’s tough to carve out the time. So I try to pick my spots, but it will always be my first love. I have always said theatre should pay what film pays and vice versa. Seems they got it wrong there.

Producing has come naturally for me. I get to have input in a variety of the disciplines of filmmaking and storytelling. It allows me to use many parts of my brain. After producing, when I do an acting job, it feels like a vacation, to be honest. All anyone wants me to worry about is hitting my mark and acting. It’s glorious!

Hallmark audiences have enjoyed your work for some time. I believe your first work with them was The Memory Book. And then you went on to be in Love By Chance and Signed, Sealed, Delivered: Lost Without You. Anything memorable about those works?

With Crystal Lowe

The Memory Book was fun and I love Paul Kaufman as a director. Loved working with Meghan Ohry.
Love by Chance was strictly about working with Gary Harvey again. And Beau Garrett was a delight. I’m not exactly the litmus test for a Hallmark actor, but I sneak in there from time to time when directors push for me. I always have a good time when I’m on one of their projects. Signed, Sealed, Delivered was a delight to hang with some friends and Martha {Williamson} is a powerhouse woman that is just plain fun to be around and watch her operate. She’s a force, man.

Love By Chance

Hallmark fans now know you from the Fixer Upper movies with Jewel. How did you first get connected with Jewel, and what has it been like working with her? Why do you think the Fixer Upper films have been so popular?

I started off as Jewel’s acting coach and that morphed into being a Supervising Producer and now an Executive Producer. Probably because I’m such a stickler for quality control and don’t keep my mouth shut about it, they figured better to put it to good use. Joel Rice has really mentored my producing career on these movies. I owe it to him that he saw Jewel and I would be a good fit when I interviewed with him, and he sees the Producer in me as well. He has a great intuition, and I have learned a heck of a lot from him about producing TV. Very different than producing Indie film. Getting to be a part of all the phases of making this show – script to post has been an incredible learning curve and I’m loving it all. Working with Jewel has been one of the great experiences of my career.

I think the Fixer movies are popular because of her. Her integrity and honesty are undeniable. She’s a Unicorn, man. Beautiful, magical, unique and rare. Mark Jean does a heck of a job directing them, and we always have such a great cast, not to mention the wonderful chemistry Colin {Ferguson} and Jewel have. Also, our DP Tyler Walzak is a magician with how fast we shoot these movies and how good he makes them look.

with Jewel

There is a new Fixer Upper film coming soon to Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Without giving anything away, what can we expect from this installment? Any other ones planned that you know about or can mention?

Yes. Deadly Deed coming out. No spoiler,s but I’m actually acting in this one as well. Pulled some triple duty coaching, producing, and acting and had a blast. I tried to make sandwiches so I could get a fourth job in, but they wouldn’t let me.

If people keep watching, we are planning on making more, yes.

Any other upcoming works you can mention?

I have three independent films I’ve acted in coming out.

In God I Trust. Volition. True Fiction. And a Sony Feature titled A Dog’s Way Home.

I also am an Executive Producer on a film called Velvet that will be released soon–written, directed, acted, scored as well as doing his own incredible martial arts by the multi-talented Kirk Caouette. He is a true Renaissance man. There is a stunning performance by Andrea Stefancikova who plays Velvet as well.

From Fixer Upper Mystery

As a busy actor and industry professional, how do you balance your personal and professional life? 

My kids are my life. I base a lot of what I do, how I do it, and when I do it for them. One of the reasons I started producing more is for a predictable schedule. I have an incredibly supportive, talented wife who is part of everything I do and has recently taken over managing Railtown Actors Studio day-to-day. That has been a huge relief as our studio is quite busy and teaching is very important to me. So having the studio run well when I’m working means a lot. I also have an incredible partner at Railtown, Kate Twa. Her commitment to the quality of teaching is inspiring. We have some great instructors there and we cover for one another when working. Very grateful for Railtown.

You’ve done some screenwriting and directing in the past. Do you have plans to do more with that in the near future?

Yes always.

Developing a TV show as we speak. Gotten close a few times. Just need a network to give us the green light!

Seems producing TV has found me more than directing tv so I’m rolling with that.

My guess is that if and when I direct again, it will most likely be a film I wrote or co-wrote. I have too much respect for the directors out there who have paid their dues and do it expertly to just insert myself like anyone could do it. TV directing is much harder than Indie film directing. You have to juggle with one arm tied behind your back a lot. The clock ticks louder. It takes a real skill to make your day and still stay creative enough to not get bored or bitter. The good ones do it well. Mark {Jean}, our director on Fixer, works really hard to make our movies feel like a feature and I’m always very grateful for that effort and his eye.

When you do have free time, what do you like to do?

My free time is family. I love hanging with them the most. Nothing more I love want than that.

With his wife, Jenn, at Jewel’s recent charity event in Vegas

I consistently appreciate those who follow their passions in spite of the naysayers and the disparaging comments that often accompany those pronouncements, and John is one who has never given up on his dreams and goals. No matter what obstacles come his way, he is committed to bringing quality and artistic entertainment to audiences all over the world while inspiring the next generation to continue to push past real and imagined boundaries and hazards. While John recognizes his unique contributions to this artistic form, he is never arrogant nor egotistical. It would be easy for a man of his talent and status to sit back and rest on his laurels, but it is apparent that he is not one who can merely recline on the sidelines and watch life and opportunities pass him by. His energy and drive seem to be limitless and infectious, and in spite of his incredible body of work, I have no doubt that he will persevere in his pursuits of novel possibilities while honing his skills and motivating the actors of today and tomorrow.

I hope that everyone will join me in watching and enjoying today (March 11th) Deadly Deed: A Fixer Upper Mystery on the Hallmark Movies & Mysteries network starring the insanely talented Jewel and the thoroughly amazing Colin Ferguson. Additionally, I hope that all my readers consider checking out all of John’s links below and following him where applicable. While John may consider himself a somewhat nontraditional member of the network (it is true that the vast majority of his work does not necessarily fit into the family-friendly genre), it is trailblazers like John, who afford this beloved network the chance to step outside a perceived comfort zone and try something new while still adhering to the principles and substance that make Hallmark what it is to the vast majority of people around the world. I appreciate John’s candor, professionalism, and acumen, and I look forward to supporting his career for many years to come (here’s hoping this man NEVER retires!).

FOLLOW JOHN

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram

IMBD

Spread the love

Tweet