“The Heartfelt Connection Between Rossif Sutherland and His Late Father Donald Sutherland Shines Through in ‘Murder In A Small Town'”
Rossif Sutherland assisted his father Donald Sutherland in fulfilling his lifelong wish of seeing a screen adaptation of the Alberg book series come to life. Rossif auditioned and secured the role of the lead detective in a series scheduled to air on Fox. He is now using his next project as a way to honor his late father.
Murder in a Small Town, Fox’s upcoming detective drama based on Canadian author L.R. Wright’s Karl Alberg book series, will be dedicated to the memory of the late actor. The reason behind this dedication is a heartfelt tale in itself.
When Rossif, aged 45, was cast in the main role of the series, he initially had no idea that his father had been working tirelessly for years to bring the story to the big screen. In an interview with Deadline, Rossif shared how he informed Donald about his new role only to discover that his father had been striving for 30 years to “get the movie version” of the story made.
“I described his character to him, this detective who didn’t rely on conventional tough tactics but rather on his humanity to uncover the truth. He’s a person who is honest and open, not tormented by inner demons,” Rossif explained. “When I told my dad this, he was excited and asked me about the project. That’s when I mentioned it was the Alberg series.”
Detailing his father’s efforts with the project, the actor revealed that Donald Sutherland had formed a friendship with producer Nick Orchard and writer Ian Weir as they attempted to bring it to fruition. Despite their best efforts, the project never took off the ground.
Weir also mentioned to Deadline that Donald became enamored with the series after first reading his script and later delving into the books. Over the span of three decades, the Hunger Games star campaigned to portray George, the primary suspect in the series’ first book, The Suspect. Donald had been set to play George in the series before his passing on June 20 at the age of 88, but due to his declining health, James Cromwell now holds the role.
“Given Dad’s deep connection to the project’s inception, I suggested they dedicate it to him as a way to honor him,” Rossif stated.
Murder in a Small Town will debut on Fox on Tuesday, September 24.