Dean Cain is one of Hollywood’s few outspoken conservatives.
Despite undeniable pressure within the industry to support liberal causes, the former “Superman” actor has stood his ground and always been an independent voice of reason in an entertainment industry that consistently seems to be losing its mind.
It hasn’t slowed down his success as an actor as much as one might expect. He’s headlined two hit television shows — “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” and “Ripley’s Believe It or Not” — and starred in hit films like “God’s Not Dead.”
His latest role is that of real-life Detective James Wood, who was instrumental in taking down abortion doctor and serial killer Kermit Gosnell, a man convicted on three counts of first degree murder and one count of involuntary manslaughter in 2013.
Though the mainstream media mostly ignored the story due to the fact that Gosnell was an abortion doctor, the true-crime story has now made it to the big screen.
“Gosnell” hits theaters on October 12 — and it has been a long road for sure to cinema screens for the film.
LifeZette spoke to Dean Cain about that long road, his relationship to the Gosnell case, and much more.
Question: How did you get involved in this project?
Answer: I got involved after reading the script. I was shocked at the story, so I jumped online and did some quick research. I was floored. I had barely heard about this story in the news. I knew it was a story that needed to be told.
I was already familiar with a lot of the work from the producers, the director, and the writer. The story was very compelling, and I liked the character of Jim Wood, so I was definitely in.
Related: Exclusive: Check Out This Clip from the Upcoming ‘Gosnell’ Film
Q: How much research did you do for the film, and did you meet with the real detective James Wood?
A: I had the opportunity to meet Detective Jim Wood, which is always fascinating for an actor, since you’re portraying their real-life exploits. I love to hear the stories and then discover how much our version matches their true experience. What a solid and humble man Detective Wood was — as I have found with most members of law enforcement and military, and our first-responders.
I sure hope he’s happy with the final product.
I did a decent amount of online research even as we were filming, because some of the stuff we were filming and my character was experiencing was so surreal … I had to be sure it was accurate. It was. It was very disturbing.
Q: Another film you starred in, “God’s Not Dead,” found surprising success in 2014 at the box office and arguably convinced many mainstream producers in Hollywood that there was an audience for faith-friendly entertainment. If this film finds similar success, do you think there will be similar positive effects on the industry?
A: “God’s Not Dead” was a surprise hit. One never knows what films will resonate with an audience, and why.
I certainly hope that “Gosnell” has that kind of success. This story needs to be told and people need to see it because it really happened, right under our noses. As a society, we need to be aware when atrocities like this take place, and are overlooked — to stop them from ever happening again.
Related: Andrew Klavan on Writing ‘Gosnell’: ‘Minute I Heard About It, I Wanted to Do It’
Q: How was working with Nick Searcy as a director? With his deep background in acting, did his approach differ from other directors?
A: Nick Searcy is a very accomplished actor and an excellent director. I loved working with him as both an actor and a director because he understood everything that was happening, both in front of and behind the camera. It was like working in shorthand.
And even given the serious nature of the material, we still managed to have fun and keep things light on set. Nick was a great leader for this film, and I wouldn’t hesitate to work with him again, in any capacity.
Watch the trailer for “Gosnell,” which is rated PG-13, below, and you can find theaters showing the film starting this Friday.
Join the Discussion
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.