Star Advertiser Interview: ‘Lost’ actor turns to ‘God,’ comedy

HIC's in there,Interviews 6 June 2014 | 1 Comment

For much of his career, and certainly during the past decade, actor Henry Ian Cusick has built a reputation on dramatic roles.

He spent his time in serious roles, including his pragmatic (and lethal) Kane in the current series “The 100,” a terrorist last season on “Hawaii Five-0,” and the quirky, obsessed Desmond during the long, successful run of “Lost.” He even played Jesus in a movie.

But in his latest film, “Frank vs. God,” which has its Hawaii premiere Friday at the Maui Film Festival, the Lanikai resident works to make the audience laugh.

“It’s a strange little comedy,” Cusick said of his role as David Frank. “It’s about a man suing God. He has lost his wife. He has lost his house. He has lost his dog. And when he finds out he is not covered by insurance because it is an act of God, he wants someone to pay for it.”

The part is Cusick’s first comedic role in a feature film and his first comedy since he was a regular on the Scottish television series “The Book Group” in 2003, Cusick said in a telephone interview.

“I would love to do more,” he said. “I got a taste for it. This is light comedy, but it also has some serious arguments to make, which I enjoyed as well, about religion and faith. And these are topics that have always interested me.”

The film was shot in 21 days last year in Orlando, Fla. It also stars Ever Carradine (daughter of Robert Carradine of “Revenge of the Nerds” fame) and was directed by Stewart Schill.

Audiences will be able to relate to Frank, a cynical, burned-out attorney who finds inspiration in his case, Cusick said.

“They will root for him and his journey in the film,” he said. “He is fairly likable. This is a fun movie, I think.”

The film premiered last week at Dances With Films in Los Angeles, where Cusick watched it for the first time. It went well, he said.

“The audience laughed at the right places and some surprising places,” he said. “But by and large they were with it. They were touched and some cried.”

Cusick won’t be on Maui for the screening. He’s in Utah for three weeks of filming “Let It Go,” the story of a pastor who forgives the drunken driver who killed his wife and some of his children. After that, he’ll head for Vancouver, British Columbia, to work on the second season of “The 100.”

In Utah, Cusick will work alongside his 20-year-old son Eli, who will play the younger version of the pastor. Eli Cusick is a student at Loyola Marymount University but took a year off to work in the film industry.

Cusick said he isn’t looking for projects with a religious or spiritual backdrop.

“I don’t know if I am being drawn to these movies or they are being drawn to me. I am just going with the flow. But I like the message of love and forgiveness. It’s good to put that out for the universe.”

“Frank vs. God” will screen at 8 p.m. Friday, doors open at 6:30 p.m. with entertainment at 7 p.m., at the Seaside Cinema at the Grand Wailea Resort. For ticket information, visit www.mauifilmfestival.com.