Chris Potter in ‘Heartland.’ Photo Courtesy of UP Faith & Family.
Actor and filmmaker Chris Potter chatted about starring in the popular series “Heartland,” and directing the series.
Potter also opened up about being an actor and filmmaker in the digital age.
‘Heartland’
“Heartland” is a Canadian family comedy-drama TV series, and Season 17 will premiere on April 25 on the streaming service UP Faith & Family.
“The series ‘Heartland’ has been fantastic,” he exclaimed. “We’ve been at it for a very long time. We are now going into our 18th season.”
Portraying Tim Fleming
Potter plays the character Tim Fleming. “My character is pretty consistent at this point,” he admitted. “I know him like the back of my hand. I like how he is antagonistic, which can be challenging, so it keeps me interested.”
“While I don’t really like my character very much, I do like playing him,” he added.
Working on ‘Heartland’
“Heartland is a wonderful environment to work in, which is a big key to its success,” he said.
“People are all in when they start the season,” he said. “Heartland is the best gig that you could possibly have in the country, especially to be able to work on it from the beginning to the end. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
“They don’t make shows like that. Our show has been around for 17 years and counting,” he added.
Potter on directing ‘Heartland’
Directing the show has been “very good.” “It revolves around a multi-generational family and the components are children and animals, logically, it is not an easy show to direct because there are a lot of moving parts,” he said.
“For me, directing it has always been a challenge,” he admitted. “There are so many components with weather and scheduling. We shoot in blocks of two episodes, so there is a lot to pack in that time. I enjoy doing both at the same time, when I feel fully engaged. I’ve been happy that they’ve allowed me to direct over 30 episodes.”
“I started directing in the ‘90s for the USA network cop show that I did called ‘Silk Stalkings’ and I loved doing that show because it had a lot of cop action and car action,” he explained.
“We filmed that one in some beautiful locations of California, while Heartland was a different environment when I started directing there,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor and filmmaker in the digital age, he said “I think it has been a bonus.”
“For a long time, people were nervous with the transition such as they were with the transition from analog in music. I think it has done nothing but improve the landscape. It all comes down to the storytelling and writing,” he explained.
“While I don’t really participate in social media world, I think I was more of a technie as a young man than I am as an older man. I think it has all been a benefit,” he added.
Voicing Gambit in ‘X-Men’
On voicing Gambit in the “X-Men” animated series, he said, “I miss Gambit and I loved playing him.”
“I am very excited to be involved in the new ‘X-Men ’97’ as Cable,” he said. “I am really happy to be a part of it. I feel like I’m the original Gambit and your new Cable provider.”
“It is fun to have been involved with both of those characters. Gambit is always going to be in my heart,” he added.
Playing Dr. David Cameron in ‘Queer as Folk’
Potter is known for playing the role of Dr. David Cameron in the ’00s drama series “Queer as Folk.”
“It was fantastic. What an opportunity. It was groundbreaking,” he called. “David was a great character too, and it was a very important series. It was riding the Jetstream of the original series in Britain.”
“I had a lot of laughs on that show; there were a lot of funny men on that show. The cast made that show fun to do, and the writing was really great. That led me to ‘Wild Car,’ which was the exact opposite,” he elaborated.
Advice for young and aspiring actors
For young and aspiring actors, Potter said, “Don’t do this unless you have to. Most artists would understand that. There is no easy road and there are no secrets.”
“Your talent is your secret and if you truly have it, it will emerge, and you can’t really hold it down. Acting is a lifestyle, and it can be a very working-class lifestyle,” he explained.
“In the acting world, my favorite part of it is the one between the words ‘action’ and ‘cut’,” he noted. “The rest of it is just life and how you deal with it; it’s your journey. It is still a career and it’s worth pursuing if you have to do it.”
Potter acknowledged that a career-defining moment for him was actually getting into the acting business itself.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Potter said, “Life is so good right now.”
“My wife, Karen, and I have four children. They are grown-up and thriving, and they love their partners,” he said. “Things have worked out pretty well for us.”
Favorite motto to live by
Regarding his favorite motto to live by, he said, “To thine own self be true.”
Success
Potter equates the word success with consistency. “Success allows you the opportunity to have a consistent lifestyle,” he said.
“I’ve been doing steady work for 35 years. Success is also an opportunity at times to help others,” he concluded.