Star Apps: Dean Cain
Dean Cain plays secret-ridden basketball coach Pete Davenport on VH1's hit series "Hit the Floor." Best known for playing Clark Kent/Superman on "Lois and Clark," Cain is no stranger to playing a man with a secret. I chatted with Cain about the season finale of "Hit the Floor," "Lois and Clark," hitting baseballs with Charlie Sheen, and his favorite apps.
Catch Hit the Floor on VH1.
(Credit: VH1)
With the "Hit the Floor" season finale coming up, what can fans expect?
The truth is that we as actors don't know the answers. They film several alternate endings, and we don't know which one they're going to use. So I can't give away anything.
What drew you to the series initially?
The role, playing a professional basketball coach. I love professional sports. I played professional football. And the wonderful, gorgeous dancers -- I enjoy watching them, too. And I was very happy that I'm not the lead in the series, because I'm a single father. So the fact that I don't have to carry the whole show -- all of those factors led me to say, "Let me do this."
On a show with so many plot twists and turns, was there one so far that you were particularly shocked by?
You can go back to the opening episode. One of the biggest bombs dropped on Pete Davenport was that he has a daughter, and she's the girl who just made the dance team that he yelled at. That was the biggest problem from the get-go. After that there are not a whole lot of bombs that you can drop that are more shocking than that. His on-and-off relationship with Simone and her rationale for ending or continuing their relationship always gets me. But nothing is bigger than the "You have a daughter" bomb.
Going back to your real-life athletic career, you grew up in Malibu and Santa Monica alongside future actor Charlie Sheen. What's your greatest memory of that time with Sheen?
I played every sport under the sun, from football to baseball. We both went to Malibu Park High School. There was an all-stars baseball playoff game we were playing together when we were 13. I was playing second base, and I think Charlie was on third. We're facing this guy who was a great pitcher for this other squad, and nobody hit this guy forever. I got a single off the guy.
When we came back in for the next inning, he was up, and Charlie was on third. He hit a single, and then something happened, and when he tried to get to second base, I tagged him very hard, and he was out. So he decided he had to punch me in the face, and I proceeded to pick him up and slam him on the turf, and then it was a bench-clearing brawl. The opposing dugout was closest to our third baseman, and our third baseman was Charlie Sheen. I don't know what Charlie did there, but I think he got out of the way quickly. I don't remember that fight, but I know they were coming after me, and I took off toward center field, 'cause there were just too many guys. Plus, they were bigger and older. Somewhere in there, Charlie was involved, but I think it was every man for himself at that point.
With all the sports that you played, how did you settle on football?
Football was naturally what I did best, and I really enjoyed the physical aspects of that sport, and I was best at that sport. Basketball, being 6 feet tall, the odds are stacked against you. If I was 6'10", that's a different ball of wax. Plus, basketball wasn't my natural sport. Plus, I've always enjoyed contact. Basketball is a contact sport, but basketball players don't seem to enjoy that contact as much as football players.
You had already done a bit of acting by the time you signed with the Buffalo Bills after college. Why did you pick football over acting?
It was never one or the other. I wanted to be a screenwriter, and acting was something I'd move into after. The thing about acting is that it doesn't matter what your age is, you can start at any point in time. So I wanted to play football till that ran out, and football has a notoriously short career span. So I didn't expect that to last for too long. I was very happy to play while I was playing, and screenwriting at the same time, and figured I'd use my mind and my body. But then I just got hurt pretty early, and had to turn to acting and writing instead of playing football. It was a pretty shocking change, which is why I tell players all the time, make sure you're well-rounded, because your time in the NFL is likely very short, if you get there at all.
Your first major acting break was on "Lois and Clark." When you're playing the Man of Steel, you have a huge legacy to live up to. What was it like stepping into that role?
In the audition process, I thought this is a character that I understand because they made it about Clark, and I felt like I understood him completely, so it wasn't a giant stretch for me. I didn't feel a huge pressure. I just wanted to play Clark. I didn't think about playing America's greatest icon. But I didn't grasp the size of what it might mean, because as a 26-year-old kid, my scope of the world was rather limited. I didn't realize that I'd forever be known as that character or associated with that character.
In hindsight, was it a good career move or a bad one?
It's the best role I've ever played thus far. It launched my career, it's the role I'm the most known for thus far, and it taught me more than any other role.
Do you keep in touch with Teri Hatcher?
We're not not in touch. But we live very different lives quite far apart. So we don't see each other very often. But when we do, it's wonderful. As someone who was a big part of my life for many years, and my costar and my sparring partner, she was just fantastic. She's still without a doubt the finest Lois Lane ever.
Who do you relate to more: Superman or Clark Kent?
Without a doubt, Clark Kent with that secret. That I can seriously take you out if I have to. I'll try not to, and having that twinkle and knowing that little secret was the key to playing Clark.
Dean Cain is no stranger to playing a man with a secret.
(Credit: VH1)
And on your new show, you play someone with lots of secrets.
Yeah, lots of secrets but no twinkle. He doesn't know that he can take you out. He doesn't have that Superman side to turn to. He has lots of secrets and lots of issues, and it's very fun playing a flawed character. That's very rich for an actor to play a guy who makes mistakes like people do in real life and experience those and let your character experience those on camera.
What's his greatest flaw?
Maybe that he's not secure in himself. He needs others around to validate him, and that leads him to behavior that may not be the best for him.
It says on Wikipedia that you were in some Internet Explorer 8 commercials.
Absolutely, and they're fantastically hysterical. I played this ridiculous announcer guy who would just show up out of nowhere and have a cheesy announcer voice and would wear plaid pants. It's the most outrageously silly character. My favorite one ends with this: "Dean Cain lives in our chair."
You've done a lot of movies in your time.
Yeah, not all great, and I'm the first to admit it.
You've been an outspoken opponent of unemployment, saying that you never relied on it and that that's why you've done subpar films to stay afloat. Which are you the least proud of?
There's no film that I'm not proud of a little bit. I put my best foot forward and did the best I can in every role I've ever played on camera.
Do you have any advice for the current Superman, Henry Cavill?
No, Henry Cavill does a great job with the character. It's a completely different incarnation than anything I've ever done with Superman. Humor and romance were very important on our show. That's not what this new one is about, where you have that angsty feeling 'cause you're an outsider. It's a very different movie. Henry did a great job. Maybe not kill as many people in the buildings that go down. But that's not Henry's choice.
You make an interesting point. All of today's superhero movies are much darker than they were even a decade ago. Why the shift?
I think it's because of the whole "Dark Knight" thing and those becoming so successful. My favorite is actually "Iron Man." I think Robert Downey Jr. does an incredible job with that character. I think he should receive the lion's share of accolades for bringing back that character.
What are your top five mobile apps?
1. I use Waze, especially in Los Angeles, for the traffic.
2. I like that Twitter app. I use that a lot, much to some people's chagrin.
3. I also like Words With Friends.
4. I like Cinepolis, so I can go see movies and have my seats picked out beforehand.
5. My son uses the Pandora app all the time.
