Back during the third season of the popular show Cedar Cove, which was shown exclusively on the Hallmark Channel, I did my best to notice every actor in the cast from the leads to the supporting cast to the guest stars. This is when I first noticed Shaughnessy Redden. I continued to follow his career over the years, but it wasn’t until he showed up on When Calls the Heart during season five that I decided to reach out for an interview. We quickly had a lovely, informative chat, but I became otherwise occupied to the point that Shaughnessy has been patiently waiting to be featured on my site for quite some time. It is with immense delectation that I present this kind, charming, humble artist to my readers today!
Photo by Shimon
RH: Shaughnessy, it is so good to chat with you today. It’s been such a busy time. I’m glad we could work out a time to talk today.
SR: Thank you, Ruth, for reaching out. Busy here too, but I’m happy to chat with you as well.
I have actually been seeing your name pop up over the past few years in various things, but I think I first noticed you on Hallmark. It was back during the time when you were on Cedar Cove.
Yes, on Cedar Cove, I played Jimmy, the investor.
I remember that role. And then you were also on When Calls the Heart back in season five. You were on the season where the character, Jack, was killed off and left Elizabeth as a young widow.
Yes, I was. You know, the biggest thing with Hallmark is they have always dealt with real issues, but they have tended to keep on the lighter side of things. They don’t usually tend to go as dark as the other networks, and that’s why they have such a loyal fan base. All of that makes it such a nice network to watch. You get to experience the nostalgia and the emotion, but you’re not watching graphic things or certain things that are not family-friendly. I think that allowing a main character to die off like that was a step into reality for Hallmark, especially back then because stuff like that did happen.
I think the entire situation was handled really professionally. And it definitely wasn’t handled like a network show would handle it with graphic violence and all that. I think it was more or less a shock because we’re used to happy endings on Hallmark.
I think it was great that they took that risk for that show because that kind of story is reality.
I agree with you, and really, most of the fans have been able to work through their emotions. And now here we are looking forward to season seven after a very successful season six. So, Shaughnessy, how did you get into acting?
I was in my late twenties, almost thirty. So I started acting a little later in life than many actors. I had a friend who was taking a class in Calgary, and I thought I would try this out. I had no real interest in acting. For me, it was more like, “This could be something fun to do.” I thought it would be fun to try to be on television. But that all changed for me once I started taking the classes. I just fell in love with the craft. Just to see all those kinds of emotions in a creative setting was amazing. In a sense, it was just the case where I kind of snuck in through the side door.
I have heard others say how they fell into acting almost by accident. Like you, they thought they’d try it for fun, and before they knew it, they were in love with it.
Yeah, that’s pretty much how it went for me. I have friends who at eight years old knew they wanted to be actors, and they’ve seen all these classic movies. But for me, I haven’t seen these movies they’re talking about. I’ve had so much to catch up on the past few years!
There’s lots out there, so I understand. I’ve been playing “catch up” myself the past few years. There are many things I haven’t seen. What was your first professional role in acting?
Well, my first acting role, which wasn’t professional, was in a webseries, and I played Batman in it. That was my first foray ever, and it was really bad. {laughs} But that’s how we learn. But my first professional gig was Outlaw Bikers in Toronto, just before I moved here to Vancouver. It was one of those reenactments. I played Stephane Gagne, who was a Hell’s Angel turned informant, and that was my first professional role. I moved to Vancouver right after that, and my first professional gig here was Smallville. I played a doctor.
Well, that was a good one to start off with because that was a big show. I’ve talked to lots of people who got their start on that show.
It was one of those shows that ran so long that it was like how Supernatural has been the past decade and a half. You weren’t a Vancouver actor unless you’d been on Smallville.
I understand that. I often feel like being on Supernatural is almost a rite of passage for Vancouver actors. I don’t know what will take its place after next season. I know you were on Supernatural at some point.
Yes, I was on Supernatural. I played a live-action role player. I guess I’d say for lack of a better term, a nerd. My arms were torn off by demon horses in the middle of the night. I can’t believe how fun this job is! Where else could you experience having your arms torn off by demon horses in the middle of the night and live to talk about it? {laughs}
Very true! I’m a latecomer to the world of Supernatural, but while I’m behind on watching it, I do enjoy what I’ve seen. And I hear nothing but good things from everyone who has ever been on that show.
That set is a lot of fun. Every set is a different experience. There are sets that are quite stressful to be on, and some that are a lot of fun. I find that the Hallmark sets are big family sets. Like at the end of the day, when we only have one take before the sun goes away, and still, people aren’t stressing out. There’s no yelling or screaming on set. Everyone is really cool and friendly and treats us with a lot of respect.
That’s always so good to hear. Now, I know about your Hallmark stuff, which we’ll get to, but in addition to Smallville and Supernatural, you’ve been on a lot of these well-known Vancouver shows.
Yes, Arrow, Motive, Rogue, Almost Human…we only got one season out of that show, Almost Human.
I have talked to others on that show, and I know they were very disappointed to only have one season. I remember hearing that they hoped to have another season, but it didn’t ultimately happen.
Supergirl
It was really too bad that it didn’t come back because it was a fun show. That was one of those standout roles for me. I had read for quite a small role on the show originally. It was a scientist who had a couple of lines, gets shot, and dies. There was a robot character in the show who was played by Gina Carano. And John Larroquette was also starring in the show at the time. For the audition, I was reading a scene where my character, a scientist, meets up with this Android, Danica. She has killed my partner. She walks into the room, and when I ask where he is, she says, “I’m Danica.” There wasn’t a lot to work with.
When I did this scene, my understanding was that there was this good-looking woman who’s walked into the room, and my character is supposed to hit on her. So I hit on her. We finished that take, and the casting director said, “Okay, let’s do it again, but this time, don’t hit on the robot.” So we did the take normal. That was like three o’clock on Wednesday. By five o’clock, I was on hold for the role. At six o’clock, I got the call saying that I had the part. At seven o’clock, I got the call saying I didn’t have the part anymore. I was told that they were writing something for me, and the shoot was going to be in two days. So the next day, I went to wardrobe, and I learned that my character had a name and wore really nice clothes. Call-time was seven AM on Friday, and that was when I got my scene. It was two large scenes with Karl Urban and Michael Ealy, the leads of the show. That was a geek moment for me. I was a huge fan of sci-fi and Karl Urban and all of his work in Riddick and Bourne and everything he’s done. So that was a highlight for me from the beginning.
I’ve heard stories similar to that where people audition for one role and get cast in another. And in this case, they actually wrote you a part, which I think is so cool.
Yes, they wrote me a part based off my audition of hitting on the robot.
You know, I’ve never seen Almost Human, but I’m going to have to look it up. I keep hearing such great things about it.
It was a shame it got canceled because they moved from just dealing with the robots to actually finding the creator of the Androids. In fact, we learned he was living just on the other side of the wall. So this wall introduced a whole other area that no one had known about in the show, and that was the ending of season one, which was setting them up for season two. And then season two never happened. So that became the end of the series. We never got to see all that darker stuff or got to delve into those possibilities.
Photo by Shimon
Now to your Hallmark work, of course, I saw you on Cedar Cove, as I mentioned. I think that was your first Hallmark show.
Yes, that was my first Hallmark show.
That was the third season of Cedar Cove, and Colin Ferguson was a part of that season.
Yes, and Giles Panton also joined the cast.
A memorable role of his for me. He had to work to win me over with that character since he was replacing another well-liked cast member, but he did it.
He wins everybody over. He’s such a lovely man.
While your role was small, at least we got to see you.
Yes, it was one long scene walking and talking where I am offering to buy into the restaurant.
In addition to that show, you’ve been on Supergirl and Zoo and The Good Doctor.
Behind-the-scenes The Good Doctor
Yes, on The Good Doctor, I was the bumbling psychiatrist. I was responsible for a misdiagnosis in the emergency room. And that show is really nice because we don’t have a lot of procedural shows that are shot in Vancouver. I mean, you’ve got ER, Grey’s Anatomy and others that have popped up over the last year or two, but this is Vancouver’s first procedural show like that, which is really lovely to have.
The Good Doctor is one of our family favorites. I love the fact that the main character has autism, and that the show deals with real issues. They never tell you what to think; they present both sides and let you decide what you think about it.
I think the shows that have better writing do that. They don’t direct you on how to think about an issue or tell you what’s right or wrong. They let you go on that journey yourself.
You were on two episodes of Zoo.
Yes, I played a reporter, which was a lot of fun to play. I think the fun thing about playing a reporter is that they want and need something from every character. In any given show, every character is chasing something and wanting something, and that drives us. The reporter needs to keep his job. He needs more viewers. There’s huge competition, and he needs more people tuned to him than anyone else. Reporters have to be competitive because they need the viewers to keep tuning into them. I had a lot of fun digging into the character. It was interesting to get into what makes this guy tick. And it was nice to be invited back for a second episode. It wasn’t originally a recurring character.
The Good Doctor
I love hearing about how that happens, Shaughnessy. You’re not typically promised a recurring role, but it’s always nice when it happens.
You never know till you’re on set. For me, I don’t have the part until I’m on set shooting it. Things can change all the time. Characters can get written out at any time. It’s never anything personal; it’s just storytelling. It’s whatever or whoever tells the story most efficiently for television and keeps the storyline going. Things change all the time.
The Hearties got to see you during season five of When Calls the Heart. Joshua Baxter may not have been the nicest character, but it’s all about how you perceive him. I suppose he wasn’t necessarily a bad guy. So were you familiar with the show before you were cast?
I was definitely familiar with the show, but I had only seen a couple of episodes because it’s important to be aware of what shows are being shot in your city so you know the genre and tone and themes. My mom watches the show, so I’ve watched a few episodes with her over the years. She really enjoys the show. But my mom has always liked the bad boys. {laughs} She enjoys that. She doesn’t enjoy me dying in shows, but she does enjoy when I play the bad guy.
Now, that’s interesting. I hear from actors how lots of times, their mothers don’t want to see their kids play the bad guys in shows.
None of my friends’ moms like it when they play the bad guy.
Photo by Shimon
I always thought that while sure it’s fun to play the leads, it seems like it would be more fun and interesting to play a role who is not like how you are in real life. I think playing the bad guys can be a lot more fun.
I agree two hundred percent. It is a lot more fun to play the bad guys because…you know, we all have thoughts in our heads that are not always the nicest of thoughts, but we never act on them. When you play the bad guy, you get to act on those thoughts that you’d never do in real life. I always love the good guy’s story, but to tell the good guy’s story the best, you need a bad guy so he has something to fight against. And that’s what makes me love playing the bad guys even more. I’m helping the good guy’s story get told.
For those who might not remember your character, can you remind us a little bit about who he is?
Sure. As you mentioned, his name is Joshua Baxter, and he is a wealthy entrepreneur looking to bring money and prosperity to Hope Valley…and himself.
What was it like filming When Calls the Heart and working with that cast and crew?
Like every other Hallmark I’ve worked on, working with that cast was like working with a huge family. No one was ever stressed out, and everyone takes care of each other really well. It’s like being a part of a big Italian family that invites you for dinner and immediately makes you feel right at home.
I got to work with Peter DeLuise for the first time. That was such a treat; he’s such a nice guy. He’s so much fun and such a great director. We take scenes that have three lines and there’s not that much going on in them, and we transform them into these huge scenes where we have fun and just play with it. Then there are the other scenes where he doesn’t step in at all; he just lets it happen. And that’s really fun to work with as well.
One of the things I also really appreciated about Peter is that he gave me the freedom to have fun exploring my character and maybe letting us see a bit of a darker side that we don’t always get to see in Hope Valley. Kind of a snake oil man…“and I would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those pesky kids!”
Again, that’s always so great to hear. With season seven coming up, you never know. They could always bring you back.
Well, the fans have definitely banded together to hate on Joshua Baxter. {laughs} The fans are lovely, but it’s clear they don’t like my character. And that means I did my job. Most of the bad guys you see on When Calls the Heart have at least something that is redeemable about them. It was nice that I got asked to play this character that is not redeemable. I got to work with Milo Shandel, who played the banker. Milo’s character has a bad history, but he’s grown a little over the show to become a better person. This particular storyline was a flash from his past. He had to deal with going down this road or that road. It was a big test for him. So having my character, Joshua, be so unlikable was fitting for that.
I love that the fans all banded together against my character. At that time, there was an Afterbuzz show on YouTube, and they talked about my character and how slimy and sleazy he was. And the fans didn’t like him. But the point is that I’m okay with that. It’s a good way to tell a story. You don’t have to like my character. We’re getting away from that idea that in shows, you have to like all the characters. Even the leads. Take a show like Breaking Bad. You didn’t like the lead at first, you start rallying for him, but by the end, you weren’t rallying for him at all. And I like that.
I remember about your character how the fans were worried that it was going to come down to this idea that they had to go with Joshua’s offer. And I think we all had that moment when we wondered. I think they wrote it in such a way that you weren’t really sure if the banker was going to go with you or the other lady. At least we know they went the right direction this time, but you never know. They could always bring you back.
It would be a fun character to play with more and to be an almost nemesis to the town.
Well, you never know. We started a whole new chapter with season six. So it could happen for season seven. Even if the fans don’t like you, it could be the perfect opportunity. You also had a guest star spot in Legends Of Tomorrow somewhat recently. What was it like working on that show?
Legends is a fun show. I play Agent London of the Time bureau. The Time bureau are the law when it comes to time travel and they try their best to keep The Legends in line. Definitely an inner geek moment, getting to work with Thomas Wilson. We had some great conversations and he gave me some great advice about standup comedy in between takes.
Are there any other upcoming roles you can mention?
I have a couple of projects coming out this year,
The Terror Infamy season two is airing August 12 on AMC. A chilling series dealing with the Japanese-American internment camps during WWII. I can’t talk about my character on the show yet, but it’s a very strong cast and story. I’m quite excited about it.
I also just finished filming a supporting role in the dark drama All in Madonna, a feature film directed by Arnold Lim. The story is centered around a seventeen-year-old mixed-race girl growing up in a small Caucasian community. I play a small-town Canadian police officer dealing with the betrayals of friendships and community. I promise to keep you updated on a release date.
So, Shaunghnessy, you’ve played a wide variety of roles. What are your favorite kinds of roles to play?
Well, I have played the good guy, the bad guy, the professional, the intelligent guy who is socially awkward, but what I always like to do when playing these roles is this. I am sometimes the good guy that has something just a little bit dark about him. Or I’m the bad guy who’s got some vulnerability and heart to him. In a way, those characters are very similar. And that tends to be my strongest thing whenever I am playing any character. And they are the most fun roles to play because you’re always dealing with a lot more inner conflict.
Do you have plans to do some directing and/or writing yourself one day?
I love to direct. I am writing a film currently. I’ve got everything laid out as far as the scenes go. It is a dark, psychological thriller. The main character in this film manipulates a bunch of his girlfriend’s family members in order to expose their masks, their truth. It’s based on the fact that he always has to wear a mask, and so his point is to prove that everyone is wearing a mask. The plan is not for me to direct that one, but I’m producing it and acting in it. So that is something I hope to be able to do some time in the near future.
I am very supportive of independent filmmakers, so good for you.
I feel the same way, Ruth. Practically every weekend I am helping my friends with their independent film projects in some way.
Now I know that you have a family.
Yes, I do. I have a daughter.
How do you balance your personal life and your professional career?
With his daughter
I’m really bad at planning ahead. {laughs} So it can be hard sometimes for me. But it’s always being open to change. Things change all the time, especially with this kind of career. It’s not like I’m working a nine-to-five job where I know what I’m gonna be doing all the time. Thankfully, my daughter is really open to change as well. She’s really good at just going with the flow when necessary.
I know that we tend to focus on our careers for certain periods of time, which means you can easily forget to live life. It’s important to remind yourself that you have to do things for yourself and live life. Go to concerts, go traveling…last year, I spent three weeks in Thailand, Vietnam, and Seoul, and that was a bit of a spiritual journey for myself.
For me, 2017 was the “Year of Shaughnessy.” I hadn’t done anything for me for like three years except work on my craft and my career. That was when I was able to go to LA as a tourist; I had never been to LA. I took my daughter to Victoria for her sixteenth birthday. I took my mom to Vegas because she had never traveled before. Went to the Grand Canyon. It was all these wonderful experiences and making sure that I did things I wanted to do for myself. It was an important step in keeping balanced, and I would recommend to anyone to do things like that for yourself. Don’t forget about doing that.
Great advice. So do you have plans for the summer?
My daughter is eighteen now (I know, crazy), so she wants to work for the summer and start exploring her adulthood. We will be camping in the interior with the rest of our family near the end of summer. Before that, I’ll be in New York for a couple of months to study at the Bill Esper studio…And see as many Broadway shows as humanly possible.
With his mom
Even with all that traveling, if you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go?
My bucket list vacation is taking two months, renting a motor home and taking my mom across Canada and the U.S. and hitting every small town with the giant frying pan or the deepest well or the biggest blue bowl, going to area 51…hitting all the back roads in small-town America and Canada. It would be a great two-month road trip with my mom. It’s something she has always wanted to do. A couple of years ago, she lost my stepfather, and last year, she lost her father. So that is the trip I want to make happen for her.
That lets me know just how important family is to you, which is great. It’s easy to tell that your family is near and dear to your heart.
Well, I grew up with a big family. I have five brothers and sisters.
That’s just amazing, Shaughnessy. Thank you for much for giving us a little peek into your life, world, and perspective.
My pleasure, Ruth. Thank you so much for reaching out. I hope that everyone has a great summer filled with lots of joy, love, and family time.
While this interview has been a long time in the making, I must state that Shaughnessy is one of the “good guys” who has recognized how to be truly successful in this life. Instead of becoming embroiled with chasing elusive fame and the ethereal spotlight, Shaughnessy has determined to invest time and work into this career and passion that he relishes while continuing to create entertaining, impactful characters for any work into which he is cast, regardless of the size or scope. Additionally, he has made the decision to live a balanced life where he strives to be a well-rounded individual. Instead of pursuing his career to the exclusion of all else and others, he has carved out the time to do things for his family and for himself. While he may not be perfect in this area of his life (and who is after all?), in our pleasant, enlightening chat, Shaughnessy illustrated that he is pragmatic and grounded in his approach to every area of his existence. And as far as I’m concerned, those are the qualities that contribute to a stellar individual that I am honored to promote and support in any way I can.
I hope that everyone will make it a point to check out Shaughnessy’s previous and upcoming works (I am looking forward to his show in August), while visiting all of his links below and following him where applicable. I cannot thank Shaughnessy enough for his immeasurable patience with me, as he was never demanding nor rude while awaiting the publication of our interview. I am honored and gratified to finally be able to share him with my readers, and now I plan to project all my support his way while hoping that Hallmark will eventually invite him back to one of their sets in the near future. It is abundantly evident that Shaughnessy Redden is an actor who thrives on immersing himself within complex roles that resonate with the audience and the fans, and I breathlessly await the next opportunity to witness his skill on prowess on the screen!
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