| |
Pages 26-29 of TV ZONE, Issue 94,
1997
Derek de Lint
A Man With A Legacy
- Patrick Perez
DEREK DE LINT is a most fortunate
man, having achieved what most in his profession can only
hope to accomplish: he is a working actor happy with his
professional as well as personal life, and he is the star
of Poltergeist: The Legacy. The series
began two years ago on the Showtime cable network, airing
22 (*pilot counted as 2) episodes in the first
season. The show's popularity was such that a full second
season was ordered even before the first season had
finished airing.
The series is very loosely based upon the highly
successful 1982 film Poltergeist, where
the Freeling family was menaced by supernatural forces
which ultimately kidnap the youngest Freeling daughter
into the spiritual para-universe. The family,
understandably did not know how to deal with these
problems, so experts were called in.
The call went to an organization called The Legacy. It
is with this group that the series Poltergeist:
The Legacy concerns itself. The Legacy is an
international secret organization that has been fighting
evil supernatural forces for centuries, with 'Houses'
throughout the world.
Derek Rayne
The action of the series concerns itself with the
activities of the San Francisco House, headed by Derek
Rayne, played by de Lint. Derek de Lint has had a long
journey towards becoming the star of one of TV's most
successful syndicated genre programs. Like most people
who gain notoriety in the performing arts, it has been a
long life of hard work leading up to his becoming an
'overnight success'. He began acting over 20 years ago in
his native Holland. "I started in the theatre in
Holland, and my very first film, which I did about 19
years ago, was directed by Paul VerHoeven (Total
Recall, RoboCop, and the
current Starship Troopers) called Soldier
of Orange. That was really one of the best films
ever made in Holland and for me was a real stepping
stone. It was a wonderful experience for me. It was the
second year I was acting; I was doing the musical The
Rocky Horror Show on stage when he
[VerHoeven] asked me to audition. I had never really
worked before a camera and acted, so I was really green;
and he directed me really well. When the film was
finished, I fell in love with film-making, from an
actor's point of view.
"Since then, I worked both on stage, for
television, and in features; in Holland for about 10
years. I did about 12 or 18 features, all in Dutch, and
in 1985 or so I shot a film called The Assault,
which [received] an Academy Award, [as well as] a Golden
Globe for best foreign language film; which for me was a
confirmation. It was not for me, of course; but for the
film. The film was the first Dutch film to win an Academy
award, and I thought it was a confirmation of what I was
doing.
"I went abroad, and for about 5 years I worked in
English in co-productions in Europe; and mini series, and
then there was The Unbearable Lightness of Being,
and again it was a confirmation that I was on the right
path [personally] and I should continue.
"There was an English movie I shot in Bosnia
called Stealing Heaven. It is the story
of Heloise and Abelard and takes place in the 12th
Century. It was released in America, but didn't play
long. It had a wonderful, long release on video; I still
receive letters on that movie, and I shot it 10 years
ago. I played Abelard, and it was a nice stepping stone
too, for me, internationally.
"I did all kinds of guest appearances, a
mini-series with Donna Mills, A guest starring role in NYPD
Blue, and Perry Mason, those
kinds of shows. I would go to Los Angeles for a few
weeks; get a job, and stay a little longer; and go back
to Amsterdam. So in the meantime, I was doing all kinds
of features, because in Holland they ask you to do a role
in all types of very interesting projects, which is where
my heart goes. So I did wonderful features, but they're
in Dutch, and kind of low budget [by American standards].
"A couple years ago, a producer I had previously
worked with called, and I did a feature for him in
Holland, one of the first projects in Holland where they
shot a feature all in English; with Lysette Anthony. [It
was] about a Dutch diamond [merchant] who falls in love
with an American girl; so we could get away with that.
Then, when [Poltergeist: The Legacy
producer/creator] Richard Lewis was interested in me for
a reading, I decided to go to LA for a few days, to meet
with him.
"I had one day. They flew me down for a fitting
from Vancouver to Amsterdam to pack; right to Victoria,
British Columbia, and I began shooting. The first season
I did by myself; which was difficult; and now my whole
family is with me. All my kids go to an English
[language] school here, which is great. I still live in
the centre of Amsterdam, I love Amsterdam. I would never
want to move, but it was an incredible opportunity for my
boys to be bilingual, because we speak a lot of languages
in Holland."
Head of the House
Derek Rayne leads the San Francisco house, but he is
not the first Rayne to be a Legacy House Precept. Derek's
father had also been a Legacy House Precept, and Derek
witnessed his father's death at the 'hands' of a demon;
cementing his own destiny to join in the fight against
Evil. Asked about how such a traumatic experience affects
the adult Rayne, de Lint responds that, "he is very
dedicated to the cause, but I really strongly believe he
should be flesh and blood, and he should have a love
interest, and is something that so far hasn't developed.
All of the girlfriends he has were all 15-20 years ago,
and he is still dealing with them [emotionally]. In the
new season, there are some shows where a lover I had 15
years ago surfaces. My personal wish list is that Derek
Rayne would have a little more personal relationships.
When you think about it, it is kind of weird, all these
people [of the San Francisco Legacy House] living
together in this big mansion, and [they] have no
[personal] life."
Internet Popularity
As with most television programs nowadays, Poltergeist
has become popular on the Internet, having spawned
several official, as well as unofficial sites on the
World Wide Web. De Lint mentions his own experiences with
the new communications medium by relating how he
"hooked up lately, and was overwhelmed by what some
fans have done. I felt like I had opened a room and there
were a thousand people waiting for me. They're asking,
'Are you willing to read some questions?'. Finally, I was
hooked up, and I was checking my page, and all the
questions people asked about the show. It was nice and
really positive and sweet.
Right now I am in the process of doing something [with
one of the sites]. Trying to answer those questions for
the fans that have made the pages themselves. My private
life has always been very private, although I am not
opposed to answering some personal questions. It is a
whole different world there, and I was pleased when I saw
such reactions out there."
Being the star of a show devoted to the Supernatural
leads to the obvious question of how one's own beliefs
are either in conflict or concert with the program’s
basic premise. De Lint is quick to point out that while
he does not have any particular specific experience with
the types of paranormal phenomena portrayed on the
programme, neither does he discount the possibility of
the existence of such phenomena. But he does mention that
"I didn't have any real experiences like we have on
the show, but I did meet with a clairvoyant, [and] I have
definitely met people who are able to see and feel
things. There are always little things in my life that I
cannot explain myself. When I started the show I was also
a little worried, because I had heard rumors about it;
after doing the show for two years now, I am surprised
how down to earth the work is." He adds that there
have been no particular 'supernatural' events perhaps
inspired by the show's subject matter.
Directing?
One of the first season episodes, The
Bones of Saint Anthony, was directed by Poltergeist:
The Legacy co-star Helen Shaver, which leads to
the obvious question of whether or not directing is in
the cards for Derek de Lint.
Asked if he aspires to work behind the camera as well,
he responds "Yes, but not [on] Poltergeist, I'd much
more like to direct something like a low budget movie, or
a short subject; but where I'm much more involved in the
project, and also [have] more power... To do an hour
show, in six-and-a-half or seven days is almost
impossible. Even people who have 500 hours [experience
directing] in TV drama have a difficult time completing
it in time; and also for Helen it was almost impossible
to do that because it is so hard to make a show that
looks good, with lots of coverage [multiple shots of the
same action, from different viewpoints], and everything;
and special effects; and still do it within the time
frame, so I think to answer [the] question, I'd love to
direct, but then I would love to do something that I
wrote, or was involved with creating, [but] just being on
such a tight schedule, and deliver a show in six or seven
days; remember acting in a different language is
something I've done for 10 years, but it is a handicap of
course.
"I really have to do my homework and I'd have to
be totally focused. Directing would be something I would
like to do, but to do it, and do it like Helen did; and
acting in a show you have to finish [post production
work] is a little bit too much." As for his future
plans, the second season of Poltergeist: The
Legacy is about to start airing in syndication.
This year, a new character is being introduced. His name
is Sloane, and will be played by Daniel Travanti. Sloane
will be Derek's superior in the hierarchy of The Legacy,
and will be on hand to add a dramatic conflict on the
program.
The second season has already finished shooting, and
whether or not a third will be ordered yet remains to be
seen. Would Derek de Lint welcome the chance to play
Derek Rayne in a third season of Poltergeist: The Legacy?
His response is an enthusiastic 'yes', as long as the
writers can continue to come up with strongly written,
interesting scripts.
|