Interview: Luke Perry's Gamble Pays Off

L to R: Ricky Schroder, Luke Perry, Katharine Isabelle

For fans of the Hallmark Movie Channel’s “Goodnight for Justice” films who are anxiously awaiting the next installment, your wait is over. Luke Perry returns as Justice John Goodnight in the third film of the series, “Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts,” which premieres Jan. 26 at 8/9c. This time, John rescues a beautiful woman from a stagecoach gunfight, never realizing she is actually an outlaw on the run. As a romance develops between them, he helps her escape the corrupt man (Cyril Knox, played by Ricky Schroder) who is after her, until finding out she might not be as innocent as she seems. I spoke with Luke recently about this latest “Goodnight” film.

Daytime Dial: So tell us what John Goodnight has been up to since we last saw him in “Measure of a Man” until we see him come face to face with a bear in the opening scene of “Queen of Hearts.”

Luke Perry: Between “Measure of a Man” and “Queen of Hearts,” I never wanted to see another woman again, especially if she is going to spring on me, “Oh yeah, and that’s your kid.” I rode out of that (at the end of “Measure”) and was thinking: “Man, I’m not even going to stop and talk to a girl again. Are you kidding me?” But I come up on this situation that required some dealing with. And when I open the door, who should be there? A pretty girl. Isn’t that always the way?

DD: So in that opening scene, were you really face to face with that huge bear, or was there a protective barrier there between you?

LP: I did that face to face. That bear touched my face. That was an “oh sh*t” moment for everybody. It got real muddy, and the bear was slipping and I was slipping, and we were really close to each other. But they were sweet bears, and their breath smelled good. They’d been eating cookies, and their breath smelled like Oreos.

DD: Speaking of doing your own stunts, there is a really cool scene at the end of the movie, which I won’t mention to give anything away, and it really looked like you doing that stunt. Was that you?

LP: Yep, that was me. I’d been wanting to do stunt ever since I was 6 years old. And that’s a hard thing to pull off, because for insurance reasons, in America they won’t let you do it. But up in Canada, where we shot, as the producer of the movie, I was able to get it figured out. I think that’s a really neat thing for the audience. That’s why you do it.

DD: Did you let your stuntman do anything?

LP: Not to not take anything away from the lovely and talented Eli Zagoudakis. Eli jumped off the cliff before I did, because as a producer, I had to make sure that we got the shot in the can, so the responsible thing to do was to let Eli go first. When Eli got done, I looked at the assistant director and asked, “How much time do we have?” and he said, “Eighteen minutes.” I said, “Load ’em up again, boys.” And I climbed up there and got to do my take at jumping off the cliff.

DD: I got a laugh out of that scene in the beginning, where John shows he is not infallible, as he inadvertently lets off a young Butch Cassidy …

LP: There are two things I always wanted to do with this character: I liked the idea of him bumping up against history — Butch Cassidy, for instance. If you’re somebody who likes history, it puts you in the mind of what period they’re in. I’ve always liked stuff like that. And the other thing I’ve always said is judges are not perfect people. They’re just people who have to have this job of judging. That’s always interested me — the dispensation of justice by people who clearly are imperfect, because mistakes will be made.

DD: I finally saw “Lonesome Dove” for the first time a few months back...

LP: That was great, wasn't it?

DD: I absolutely loved it, especially Ricky Schroder. Aside from being a very good actor, was knowing that he could handle a horse and that he knows his way around a Western a big reason you decided to cast him as Cyril Knox?

LP: My hope was that all those people who saw “Lonesome Dove” would think, “Oh yeah, I saw him in ‘Lonesome Dove.’” And then they would turn up and watch this movie. Yes, absolutely, I wouldn’t try to hide that from you. But he was a good choice, and clearly he identifies with this type of material. We have seen him before and have seen him do it very well. And, of course, I wanted a good actor in the role.

DD: I also like that you cast him against type as Cyril Knox; we are used to seeing Ricky as the good guy.

LP: For me as an actor, I oftentimes wish producers would take a chance and cast me against type, and they often don’t, so when you get a chance, you do it. At least I do. I got a chance to say, “No, no, it’s not the guy that they would expect, so let’s do that.”

DD: How was Ricky to work with? Or is it Rick? I go back and forth …

LP: Rick, Ricky — I don’t think he cares, to tell you the truth. As long as you call him for lunchtime, he’s happy. I think he had a pretty good time on the shoot. And it was good for me to know that when we send him out on a horse and tell him to come riding in the shot, he would most probably stay on the horse. A lot of the time, actors can’t do that, but we knew with Rick that he would be really good.

DD: Your female foil in this movie, Katharine Isabelle, was really great in the part. What was she like to work with?

LP: Katie was great. She was a trouper. We had a real good time, and she didn’t fall either. Seriously — because a lot of times, people say they can ride a horse when you’re in casting but they can’t. Katie really could ride. That’s always Katie you see riding, and she does a great job with it. But not just with that stuff. She also did the scenes really well. She’s sweet, she’s really pretty and she’s sassy — all good qualities onscreen.

DD: And you reteamed with your “Jeremiah” director, Martin Wood. I’ll assume it was a good experience on “Jeremiah” for you to hire him for “Queen of Hearts.”

LP: Yes, it was. Martin is one of the best directors I’ve ever worked with. And people get the idea because he’s done a lot of sci-fi that he can only do sci-fi. I always knew that if I put him in another situation, he would be able to deliver for me. I think this is our best (“Goodnight for Justice” film) yet. Martin really had great command of all the elements, and we had a good pre-existing rapport with each other and a lot of trust. And he was great with all the actors. It’s always great when you get a chance to give someone an opportunity to step outside his envelope and show people that he can do it.

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Q and A: Week of Jan. 21

Q: I heard that Luke Perry and Jennie Garth are planning to do a project together soon. Is that true? — Dahlia A., via e-mail

A: When I spoke with Luke recently, he was mum on the subject of Jennie, but he WAS eager to tell me about his latest Hallmark Movie Channel movie: “Goodnight for Justice: Queen of Hearts,” which premieres Saturday, Jan. 26, and re-airs throughout the week. (Check local listings.)

On his love for his “Goodnight” series, and Westerns in general, Luke told me: “I don’t need any aliens with my cowboys. I’ll just take my cowboys straight up if that’s OK with everybody else. We all talk about Westerns. There were some great ones made.

“What I love about (the ‘Goodnight’) movies is that you know what you’re going to get going in, which makes it like the old Western serials that would play before the movies. There’s a bit of a cliffhanger element, and the guy rides off in the end. But if he comes back the next time, you know there’ll be some more shooting and some girls and some action, and another little bit of the story will get told. That’s what I wanna do. I’ve never felt really compelled to do the bigger, better, more bang, more stuff. You can still make a good Western.”

Check back later this week for my entire interview with Luke. You don't want to miss it!

Q: Has “Body of Proof” been renewed for another season? — George T., via e-mail

A: The Dana Delany-starring medical drama will return to ABC for its third season on Feb. 5 at 10/9c with a two-part season premiere (with the conclusion airing the following Tuesday). This season, Dr. Megan Hunt tackles the biggest case of her career, and her biggest personal mystery life: Did her father really commit suicide, or was he murdered?

Q: I love this season of “The Biggest Loser,” but I wondered if they are nervous about including kids this time around? — Harriet W., Owings Mills, Md.

A: I spoke with host Alison Sweeney and asked her just that. Being a mom herself, she told me that the show plans to help these kids in the best way possible, and won’t make them submit to the grueling programs that the adults go through.

“The first thing we did was to take into consideration the age of the contestants, and how we could best help and guide them,” she said. “They don’t live on the ranch; they are not going to be competing. We encourage the families to also change their nutrition choices, and get them out there and exercising. This is all done in a kid-friendly way.”

Q: Can you tell me when Charlie Sheen’s “Anger Management” returns for a new season? — John R., via e-mail

A: The FX comedy — whose series premiere was the most watched cable-sitcom premiere in history — returned on Jan. 17. The network has ordered 90 new episodes, which will be produced over the next two years.

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Interview: Luke Perry Gets Back in the Saddle

When “Goodnight for Justice” premiered on the Hallmark Movie Channel in January 2011, it became the network’s highest-rated film ever. “Goodnight” star, series creator and executive producer Luke Perry returns as Circuit Court Justice John Goodnight for the second part of the intended trilogy, which premieres on the Hallmark Channel Saturday, Jan. 28 at 8/7c. “Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man” follows Justice Goodnight as he travels alone through the Wild West dispensing justice to towns that would otherwise stumble into chaos. On this particular journey, John finds himself facing a woman from his past, Callie Bluepoint (played by Stefanie von Pfetten), who lives in a town threatened by a murderous outlaw, Deke Spradling (Teach Grant).

Celebrity Extra: When you learned that the original “Goodnight for Justice” broke records for the Hallmark Movie Channel, what were your hopes for the future of the “Goodnight” franchise?

Luke Perry: I was hoping maybe to get the chance to do another one. That’s what I was hoping. I just don’t go into it with any expectation other than I just try to make the best movie every time. Sometimes it works out, and sometimes there’s a baseball game or basketball game or something on that draws all the television audience away. There are just too many variables to worry about and that kind of stuff, so you just make the movies that you can.

CE: Because of the success of the previous film, did you feel the pressure to really deliver with “Measure of a Man”?

LP: I felt pressure to deliver a really good movie. I feel the pressure to do all I can to promote the film, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know that audiences are fickle and different things happen. You just try to make the best movie you can and control what you can, which is your part of the process.

CE: Last we saw John Goodnight, he had a lady friend, Kate Ramsey, who isn’t in this movie. I assume the traveling required of him for his job makes maintaining relationships pretty difficult.

LP: Yeah, it’s just the nature of the position — you have to travel. She wasn’t in a position to go with him, and he’s got to keep traveling. But it would be great for him to get back to her eventually.

CE: When we first see John, there is definite evidence being on the road is wearing on him: His hair is shaggier; his clothes are a bit shabby …

LP: I’m glad you liked that and noticed that, because those are the kind of things — believe it or not — that you have to fight for. People were like: “No, clean up. Look good in the clothes.” I said: “Wait a minute, guys. He’s out there weeks at a time; it’s just not going to happen. You gotta look rough.” And I do look rough.

CE: Since there are few ties to the original film aside from some explained back story, “Measure of a Man” really can be viewed as a stand-alone movie as well as part of a series. Was that your intention?

LP: I hadn’t thought about that. That’s a very interesting point that you make. One of the things that I had discussed was that with each movie and the nature of the franchise is that each one is going to be a different story. He’s going to be in a different place, always traveling, so within the telling of the actual story, you don’t have to cover [what he’s been doing between movies]. The next movie that you will see is the one where it all comes full circle. I feel like we really hit our stride completely. “Measure of a Man” is the perfect segue between the two. It all ramps up, and by the third one we just all go in gangbusters.

CE: I also have to tell you that from the opening frames of the movie, the musical score really caught my attention — it’s just beautiful.

LP: I’m glad you mentioned that, and I would really like to take the time to talk about Graeme Coleman, our composer. He’s just such a talented guy. I told him: “Graeme, go for it. Give me that big Western stuff.” I want the music to be as much a character in this movie as anything else, because in all my favorite ones it is. And he doesn’t shy away from it. He steps right up to it. People who love traditional Westerners are looking for a good score. I’m very proud of Graeme’s work.

CE: You have a lot of scenes with Cameron Bright (of “The Twilight Saga”), who plays Will. Did you spend a lot of time together off set to build up camaraderie and chemistry?

LP: Oh, yeah. We had dinner together almost every night. I spent a lot of time with Cameron, and he was cool because he came in and put some time in — as much as he could — before the movie, getting to learn stuff he didn’t know how to do. If you don’t know how to ride a horse, don’t say you do. He didn’t do that. He was really honest about what he could do, but he was also really honest about being willing to learn, and he had a good capacity for it, so it was cool.

As we were shooting, I’d think, “Let’s just see how much of this we can get shot today, and Cameron was really great. He stayed in that saddle a lot longer than a lot of other people would. He hung in there, and we climbed him up there in those mountains, and he was great.

CE: Cameron plays Alec in the phenomenally successful “Twilight Saga,” which has a screaming-fan contingent wherever the stars seem to go. You’ve had to deal with your share of screaming teens; did you give him any advice?

LP: (Laughs) I wouldn’t know anything about that sort of thing.

CE: This time around, John has really found his niche and is in his element. What does he enjoy about his job and his life?

LP: Anytime you have to kill someone, even in the name of the law, it is no small feat. It’s not something this character does lightly. I think it’s really rewarding for him because you can see how the law can really be the great leveler in protecting the weakest among us, and that’s what it’s supposed to do. What I think is interesting about him also is he’s an active participant in this world by traveling through for his job.

CE: You mentioned a third “Goodnight” film. Can you give me any details?

LP: Well, we shot the third one. We started shooting it the day after we finished the second one. The third one is, it’s not as heavy a story. I said they can’t all live in a super highly dramatic state. Sometimes this guy is just out there, and there is still some justice that needs to be weeded out, but it doesn’t always come down to a life-or-death thing, and it doesn’t always come down to something intensely personal for him. Some of my favorite Westerns were a little bit lighter in tone, and there’s some good run and jump in the next one.

CE: Is the third film the end of the John Goodnight saga, or can we expect a new chapter?

LP: We are actively negotiating the future for this character, because so far it’s something that has worked out well for everybody. I like making them, and they do very well for the channel, so if that continues, then we will continue.

CE: You could be like Tom Selleck with his “Jesse Stone” movies …

LP: Aw, man — compare me to Tom Selleck. Yeah, I wish. He’s so great. I’d love to do a Western with him.

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Q and A: Week of Jan. 9

Q: I know how much you love Fox’s “New Girl,” so do you have any scoop on what will happen in the new year? Jennifer S., in California

A: I recently spoke with Kali Hawk who’s co-starred in such movies as “Couples Retreat,” “Get Him to the Greek” and “Bridesmaids” and she will be appearing in a multi-episode arc in January and February. Kali told me: “It was one of those things where everything lined up. I’m good friends with one of the series regulars, Jake Johnson, who plays Nick on that show. For my episodes, I play a love interest for Winston, played by Lamorne Morris. I’m someone from his past who resurfaces. It’s very interesting to see how that goes because as we all know, sometimes when you reach back, it’s not exactly the same as it once was.”


You can read the rest of the interview here later this week to learn about her experiences on all of her different movies, including the upcoming Tyler Perry movie “We the Peeples.”

Q: I read in your column that Ricky Gervais is hosting the Golden Globes this year, which I am excited for. Is he currently in a TV series or movie that I can catch him in? Delilah F., via e-mail

A: Ricky’s hit BBC Two show, “Life’s Too Short,” will debut Sunday, Feb. 19, on HBO. It also stars Stephen Merchant and Warwick Davis, and centers on Warwick, who plays a fictionalized version of himself, and his day-to-day life. The series boasts A-list guest stars such as Johnny Depp, Liam Neeson, Steve Carell, Sting and many more.

Q: Will Luke Perry be making a sequel to last year’s “Goodnight for Justice” for the Hallmark Channel? I really enjoyed it. Jonathan P., via e-mail

A: It just so happens that Luke will indeed star in another “Goodnight” movie, this one called “Goodnight for Justice: The Measure of a Man,” which premieres Saturday, Jan. 28, at 8/7c. Luke returns as traveling circuit-court judge John Goodnight.


I asked Luke how he felt when he learned the original movie became the highest-rated film in the history of the Hallmark Movie Channel. He told me: “I was just hoping to get the chance to do another one. I don’t go into it with any expectation other than I try to make the best movie every time. I feel the pressure to do all I can to promote the film, but I’ve been doing this long enough to know that audiences are fickle and different things happen, so you make the film and control what you can, which is your part of the process.” Check back next week to read our entire interview.

Q: I love Laura Dern’s new show, “Enlightened,” on HBO. Will it return for another season? Sally T., Jacksonville, Fla.

A: HBO just announced that “Enlightened” will be back for a second season. However, it has decided to cancel “Hung” and “Bored to Death,” both of which completed their third seasons.

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Q and A: Week of Jan. 31

Q: I was thrilled to see that Luke Perry and Jason Priestley were working together again in the Hallmark Channel movie “Goodnight for Justice.” How did that opportunity come about for them to get together? — Gina H., via e-mail

A: I spoke with Luke recently, and he gave me the scoop on how it all went down: “I like working with Jason a lot. There is a company involved in making this movie called Entertainment One. They work here in the United States, but they are based in Canada. So, if you are in business with them you have to do your stuff in Canada, which means you have to have a Canadian director. And when they said Canadian, I thought, ’I’ve got one of those.’ That was easy enough, and it was the right way to go because he’s a smart director. It was great working with him on this.”

Q: Is Donald Trump going to film another “The Celebrity Apprentice”? I like the original “Apprentice” just fine, but the celebrity version is always so much more fun! — Tiffany T., Atlanta

A: You can bet The Donald knows a good thing when he sees it. Another round of celebs have been rounded up for this next installment of the competition, which crowned Bret Michaels as its winner last year. This time around, the participants are: David Cassidy, NeNe Leakes, LaToya Jackson, Lisa Rinna, Dionne Warwick, Gary Busey, Jose Canseco, original “Survivor” winner Richard Hatch, Lil Jon, Meat Loaf, Mark McGrath, John Rich, Hope Dworaczyk, Star Jones, Marlee Matlin and Niki Taylor.



Q: What did you think about Ricky Gervais’ hosting of the Golden Globes? Some people think he was too mean, but to be honest, I thought he was spot on. — Eric P., St. Louis

A: I agree with you, Eric. Either the Hollywood Foreign Press Association did not give out enough booze to loosen up the celebs, or some of them are feeling a bit too self-important these days. As we learned last year, Ricky’s style of hosting is roast-like, which is a style of comedy most Americans love — as long as they are not the intended target. Instead of people like Bruce Willis, Tim Allen and Tom Hanks getting their shorts in a bunch about Ricky’s jokes, it would have been funnier — and would have made it all less awkward — if they would have just played along instead of pompously butting heads.

Q: One of my favorite shows was “Six Feet Under.” I know Peter Krause is in “Parenthood” and Michael C. Hall is the star of “Dexter,” but what is Lauren Ambrose, who played Claire, up to lately? — David F., via e-mail

A: The beautiful redhead just joined the cast of “Torchwood,” which is set to premiere its fourth season July 1 on Starz. According to Entertainment Weekly, Lauren, 32, will play a heartless public-relations guru named Jilly Kitzinger for 10 episodes.

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Interview: Luke Perry Lays Down the Law

For 10 years, Luke Perry was best known for his portrayal of troubled rich kid Dylan McKay on the seminal nighttime drama “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Since the show ended in 2000, Luke has steadily been shedding any layers of Dylan that might still be associated with him, taking on roles in the gritty prison drama “Oz,” the family-oriented sitcom “What I Like About You” and even making fun of an exaggerated version of himself in “Family Guy” and “FCU: Fact Checkers Unit.”

In 2008, he starred in “A Gunfighter’s Pledge,” an original movie for the Hallmark Channel, which just so happened to be his favorite genre of film: a Western. Luke is back in the saddle in another Western for Hallmark; this time playing circuit judge John Goodnight in “Goodnight for Justice,” which premieres Saturday, Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. and re-airs all throughout the weekend (check local listings for times). I caught up with Luke recently, and he told me all about his latest endeavor with the Hallmark Channel.

Celebrity Extra: Judge John Goodnight is a character that you created, although you didn’t write the movie. What was the process of Judge Goodnight becoming the central character in the movie?

Luke Perry: I was reading a lot about Andrew Jackson. Before he was the president of our country, he was a circuit judge. I found the time that he was a circuit judge in the Carolina hill country in Tennessee to be really interesting, and this whole idea of traveling from place to place as judge, jury and sometimes executioner. I thought, “That’s an interesting character.” I developed the story. I wrote three or four pages of what I thought the story would be. Then I met Neal and Tippi Dobrofsky, who are a husband-and-wife writing team that Ira (Pincus), the other producer, put me in touch with. And they fashioned a screenplay out of the story.

CE: Was it Hallmark’s idea to get Jason Priestley involved, or had you been wanting to work with him again?

LP: I like working with Jason a lot. There is a company involved in making this movie called Entertainment One. They work here in the United States, but they are based in Canada. So, if you are in business with them, you have to do your stuff in Canada, which means you have to have a Canadian director. And when they said Canadian, I thought, “I’ve got one of those.” That was easy enough, and it was the right way to go because he’s a smart director. It was great working with him on this. We got to prep the picture together and do the casting and all that stuff. We’ve had years and years of practice together, and it was just easy.



CE: Speaking of casting ... I felt the casting was superb. Everyone did a great job, whether they had a minor role or a major role.

LP: That’s nice of you to say, because we read with every single actor. I was told that most producers and directors don’t do that. We read with every single person that came into the room — every boy, girl, man, woman, child. It was fun for me. I mean, it was hard and made for long days, but it was so nice to hear you say that. It really is, because a lot of times those actors think, “Oh, Luke’s in the movie and it’s directed by Jason, and that is all anybody is going to notice or hear or talk about.” And to hear you make an observation like that, that makes me feel good.

CE: In this movie you get to work with horses, which you have told me you love to do.

LP: Yes, I prefer them over people.

CE: And you didn’t have to shave, so that was a bonus.

LP: Yeah, you just comb your face and get out there.

CE: How long did it take you to shoot the film?

LP: Fifteen days. We had exactly 15 days to do it, and that’s a crazy-fast schedule. That’s very much tribute to Jason and the crew, and how hard everybody was working.

CE: What are some things that you hope that the audience takes away from this movie?

LP: You hope that everybody has a sense of right and wrong. Sometimes I look at the stupid stuff that goes on in the world and I’m not so sure that everybody has a sense of right and wrong. You sort of want to give everybody the hope that if something bad happens to them, somebody somewhere is going to try to make it right in the right way. The law should not be about finding loopholes for guys like Bernie Madoff to steal billions of dollars, the guys at Enron, stuff like that. It’s the lawyers who allow a lot of that to take place. When you strip away all of that and you get down to the basics, it’s always about somebody trying to do the right thing. That’s always a great place to tell a story from.

CE: I love in the very beginning when your character, John Goodnight, says, “Every man is ordinary until he does an extraordinary thing.” It’s simple, but it’s profound.

LP: The best things in life are simple. I’ve always been a fan of the simple things. It doesn’t have to be complicated; it can be that simple, right there, just a thought that sticks in your mind. You’ve got to do something extraordinary at some point in your life.

CE: With you and your career, I like that you pick roles that are right for you. You seem to be a bit choosier than other actors. That way we get to see you in these good roles that are sometimes a bit obscure.

LP: The trick is you really have to keep trying different things and taking chances. When you get so precious about your work, or the perceptions of your work, you die creatively. As an actor you’d be dead in the water.

CE: What’s next for you?

LP: Well, what to do … I don’t know. I’ve got two more of these circuit-judge stories I’d really like to tell that I hope Hallmark will be willing to do. We are talking about that again next week, actually. But I’m definitely going to be getting back to work, I know that. I haven’t been doing much the past two or three years, and I feel good and rested and ready to go.

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