By Jae-Ha Kim
Chicago Sun-Times
May 3, 1998
Jason Gedrick’s career got a boost when he played a randy murder suspect on the critically acclaimed series “Murder One.” Then he played an unwilling mobster in “EZ Streets.” Now the actor is reprising his role as Cross De Lena in “The Last Don II.”
Do we see a bad-boy trend here?
“Sure, I think everyone fantasizes about being bad, and the baddest thing you can be is in the mob,” says the Chicago native. “I do, too, sometimes. And I think even women wish they were going out with the guy from the mob ’cause he’s cool and has money and is scary. But I think the idea of converting him into a choirboy is the true appeal.”
“The Last Don II” premieres at 8 tonight on WBBM-Channel 2. Part 2 airs at 8 p.m. Tuesday. The miniseries also stars Kirstie Alley, Joe Mantegna, Danny Aiello and Patsy Kensit.
While Gedrick, 33, admits he had his share of hell-raising days, the divorced father of two sons (Jian, 7, and Garrett, 4) says he doesn’t have time to get into trouble any more. Calling from his car phone in Los Angeles where he was on his way to one of his kids’ after-school functions, he talked about “The Last Don II,” women who put makeup on in cars, and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Q. Joe Mantegna’s character was killed off last year in “The Last Don.” How is he resurrected for this miniseries?
A. When you have an actor like Joe Mantegna, you create ways to showcase him . . . even if his character is dead. We see him speaking to me in flashbacks. It was really fun to be back on the set with everyone again. Kirstie is back with a vengeance, and she’s great in it. She’s got a relationship in the show with a priest played by an English actor named Jason Isaacs. He is so good. This guy should get an Emmy for sounding more New York than anyone from America. He’s awesome, and the funny thing is he’s so completely different from his character.
Q. You mean he’s not a priest? Well, he’s an actor.
A. True. (He laughs.) You’d be surprised, though, at how many actors really aren’t that different from their roles.
Q. Cross isn’t your stereotypical hero. Do you empathize with him in any way at all?
A. Yes and no. My character went through an immoral rebirth. I think you can empathize with anyone who feels they’re fighting or striking back at an injustice that was done to them, so you side with him in that way. You know that the guy has his heart in the right place. But unfortunately, he’s going to go about living his life in a very dark sort of place, so he’s in an extremely immoral state of mind.
Q. And you?
A. I’m in L.A. I live in hell.
Q. Why don’t you like Los Angeles?
A. Does anyone really like L.A.? I think it’s a really artificial town with people who have not-so-hidden agendas. Like just a minute ago, I was driving down Sunset Boulevard and this woman almost slammed her Mercedes into me. Really rude. She was really obnoxious and swerving from side to side trying to get her lipstick on straight. You have to look good for the possibility of a good gold-digging moment.
Q. What do your sons think about your roles?
A. I don’t let them watch movies like this. I don’t think that’s a good thing. I would never completely censor them, but I am very, very supervisional when it comes to what they enjoy on television, videos and even computer games.
Q. Patsy Kensit plays your love interest this time around. Was her husband Liam Gallagher (Oasis’ lead singer) around a lot to see the two of you shoot the love scenes?
A. The band came to Toronto (where we filmed) once on tour, but I never saw him on set.
Q. He’s got quite the temper. It’s just as well.
A. I think he would’ve liked watching us. (He laughs.) No, this doesn’t have to do with him, but there are a lot of married people who just don’t take it seriously. I’m not married now and my relationship unfortunately didn’t work out. But when I was married, I was very serious about it. If you get married, you shouldn’t take it for granted just because divorce is so prevalent. It’s shameful, because I think it takes a lot of intimacy out of our culture. That’s my soapbox statement of the day.
Q. Will you do “The Last Don III,” if they decide to continue on with another miniseries?
A. It’s a definite possibility. But right now I just finished a short film based on a monologue that I had written that I used to read at poetry slams. I’ve expanded it into a short film that I’m going to direct in July. I’m also developing a TV series for next year, a drama. It’ll be a huge hit. (He laughs.) I don’t know if I’ll be in it or not, and I can’t really tell you what it’s about now, but it’s a very, very popular and interesting topic.
Q. Like Leonardo DiCaprio interesting?
A. Not quite that interesting! I don’t think there’s anything quite that big and popular now.
