When an actor outs the bad behavior of another actor, you can be your bottom dollar there’s truth to the tale. Freddie Prinze Jr. recently confessed his hatred for Kiefer Sutherland on the set of ’24,’ saying “he’s the most unprofessional dude in the world,” and he just “wanted to quit the business” after working beside the star. Sutherland’s rep tried to squash the spat by saying, “This is the first he has heard of Freddie’s grievances,” and Sutherland “enjoyed working with [him] and wishes him the best.” FOX also came to Sutherland’s defense, insisting that he was “nothing but professional during the run of the show and is beloved by cast and crew.” They furthered that they “wouldn’t have done another ’24′ if Kiefer were anything like Freddie described.”
While it’s possible that this is a mere misunderstanding, it’s mighty suspicious. Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo is another former costar of Sutherland who has seconded the criticism, saying, “I’m afraid working with him proved to be hard. That young man was pretty angry.” As for Prinze, he won’t back down. He has since said that Sutherland suffers from a drinking problem, often showing up to set late and holding up production. If any of this is true, perhaps this revelation could cause change. As for the accolades from FOX, my experience behind-the-scenes in Hollywood has educated me on the extent of executives’ greed. If you make them money, they’ll excuse just about anything. And for your viewing enjoyment, watch the clip below (sorry, Kiefer).