Exclusive Interview with Cainan Wiebe
...Alice Chapman Newgen, The Times-Courier, Georgia, Thurs., Oct. 2, 2008. There is a young actor that you are sure to hear more about in the near future. I was very fortunate to get an exclusive one-on-one interview with him for my column. Cainan Wiebe has starred in a variety of films, commercials and TV shows. The 13-year-old has appeared in shows like “Psych,” “The 4400” and “Supernatural.” Some of the movies to his credit include “Tin Man,” “The Sandlot: Heading Home” and “Snow Buddies.” I first took notice of Cainan in the “Sandlot” (2007) film. In the movie, Luke Perry stars as Tommy “Santa” Santorelli, a baseball superstar who travels back in time to 1976. He relives his boyhood days when he played on the sandlot baseball team in his hometown. This gives him a chance to amend some of the things he did in the past. Santorelli helps the boys on his team try to save the sandlot from a man who wants to use it for his own personal gain. If the businessman succeeds, a part of the town’s history will be destroyed and the kids won’t have a place to play ball. In the process, Santorelli learns a valuable lesson about life, friendship and the cost of fame. Cainan plays Ryan, one of the boys on the team. The film is suitable for family viewing and has a good moral to the story. I highly recommend renting or buying the DVD. Another DVD currently out that Cainan stars in is the 2007 TV miniseries “Tin Man.” This two-disc sci-fi collector’s edition follows an epic adventure that revolves around a small town waitress named D.G. (Zooey Deschanel) who winds up in a mysterious land called the O.Z. (Outer Zone). She meets up with three unusual characters who accompany her on her quest to find the great “Mystic Man” (Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss). Along the way, D.G. encounters the cruel sorceress Azkadellia (Kathleen Robertson), who is feared throughout the land. Little does D.G. know that Azkadellia has a close connection to her past. It’s a journey of self-discovery as D.G. learns about the family she never knew. Cainan plays Kalm, the little brother of Raw (Raoul Trujillo), one of D.G.’s newfound friends in the O.Z. multiple award winner “Tin Man” is a science fiction update of L. Frank Baum’s “TheWonderful Wizard of Oz.” Cainan had to get transformed into the character of Kalm, which was no small feat. I asked him how long it took for the makeup artist to prepare him for the role. He said, “Kalm was a fun character to play. The process of putting on the make up started before the makeup chair. I had to go into the prosthetics lab where they took molds of my teeth and face. On filming days the process started with putting glue on my face then fitting the prosthetic (lion’s brow, nose and upper lip) on me. Once it was secured they started to blend it into my face so it looked real. They used brushes and airbrushes to paint on color. It took about four and a half hours in the makeup chair, and, for most of that time, I wasn’t able to move or talk. I got to see myself change from a brunette to a blond which was pretty cool.” According to Cainan, the beard became itchy after two hours and he had to wear the makeup for eight hours a day during filming. Playing the role of Kalm inspired Cainan. He said, “What I learned from Kalm is how important family is. Your family loves you, supports you, and makes sacrifices for you and you should love them with all your heart.” The Web-series “Sanctuary” is coming to Sci Fi Channel this fall in its second season. In the first season Cainan starred as Alexei, a Russian boy who struggled with his unusual physical ability that created much alarm to those he came in contact with. Alexei is a mutant as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Dr. Magnus (Amanda Tapping; “Stargate SG-1”) and Dr. Zimmerman (Robin Dunne; TV “The Dark Room”) try to learn more about Alexei to help him deal with his mutation and to not harm others because of his inner fear. The actor said it was interesting working on the “Sanctuary” set because it was almost all green screen. Cainan loved working with the cast and crew, especially the director, Martin Wood. Alexei will return in the two-hour premiere of “Sanctuary” that will air at 9 p.m. on Sci Fi Channel, Friday, Oct. 3. In real life, Cainan is totally different from Alexei. I asked him if there was something about Alexei’s personality that he could relate to. He told me, “No, Alexei and I are opposites. He’s quiet, soft spoken, sad, scared and jumpy; but I’m loud, outgoing, happy and energetic. It’s funny that all the roles I get are totally different from my real self. I’m a comedian who plays serious or scary roles. I think some kids can relate to Alexei because he is scared of himself and things around him.” Cainan was recently nominated in the Young Artists Awards category for his role as Alexei. He said it was the best feeling in the world. The actor hopes he will be nominated again this year. Look for Cainan in “A Pickle,” an independent short film where he stars as Charlie, a young boy who becomes friends with a retired police detective named Mack. Charlie is bullied into stealing Mack’s prized baseball signed by the M & M boys. Fortunately, Charlie pulls a switch and gets the real signed ball back to his friend. Cainan will soon reunite with director Bill Dear (Sandlot) in a yet to be titled feature that stars George Lopez. To learn more about Cainan Wiebe and see the full length interview go to www.cainanwiebe.com/press Young Actor Sure to be Making Splash (Exclusive Interview with Cainan Wiebe) ...Alice Chapman Newgen, Pickens County Progress, Thurs., Sept. 25, 2008. There is a young actor that you are sure to hear more about in the near future. I was very fortunate to get an exclusive one-on-one interview with him for this column. Cainan Wiebe has starred in a variety of films, commercials and TV shows. The thirteen-year old has appeared in shows like Psych, The 4400 and Supernatural. Some of the movies to his credit include Tin Man, The Sandlot: Heading Home and Snow Buddies. I first took notice of Cainan in The Sandlot (2007) film. In the movie, Luke Perry stars as Tommy “Santa” Santorelli, a baseball superstar who travels back in time to 1976. He relives his boyhood days when he played on the sandlot baseball team in his hometown. This gives him a chance to amend some of the things he did in the past. Santorelli helps the boys on his team try to save the sandlot from a man who wants to use it for his own personal gain. If the businessman succeeds, a part of the town’s history will be destroyed and the kids won’t have a place to play ball. In the process, Santorelli learns a valuable lesson about life, friendship and the cost of fame. Cainan plays Ryan, one of the boys on the team. The film is suitable for family viewing and has a good moral to the story. I highly recommend renting or buying the DVD. Another DVD currently out that Cainan stars in is the 2007 TV mini-series Tin Man. This two disc sci-fi collector’s edition follows an epic adventure that revolves around a small town waitress named D.G. (Zooey Deschanel) who winds up in a mysterious land called the O.Z. (Outer Zone). She meets up with three unusual characters who accompany her on her quest to find the great Mystic Man (Academy Award winner Richard Dreyfuss). Along the way, D.G. encounters the cruel sorceress Azkadellia (Kathleen Robertson), who is feared throughout the land. Little does D.G. know that Azkadellia has a close connection to her past. It’s a journey of self-discovery as D.G. learns about the family she never knew. Cainan plays Kalm, the little brother of Raw (Raoul Trujillo), one of D.G.‚s newfound friends in the O.Z. Multiple award winner Tin Man is a science fiction update of L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Cainan had to get transformed into the character of Kalm, which was no small feat. I asked him how long it took for the makeup artist to prepare him for the role. He said, “Kalm was a fun character to play. The process of putting on the make-up started before the make-up chair. I had to go into the prosthetics lab where they took molds of my teeth and face. On filming days the process started with putting glue on my face then fitting the prosthetic (lion's brow, nose and upper lip) on me. Once it was secured they started to blend it into my face so it looked real. They used brushes and airbrushes to paint on color. It took about four and a half hours in the make-up chair, and, for most of that time, I wasn't able to move or talk. I got to see myself change from a brunette to a blond which was pretty cool.” According to Cainan, the beard became itchy after two hours and he had to wear the makeup for eight hours a day during filming. Playing the role of Kalm inspired Cainan. He said, “What I learned from Kalm is how important family is. Your family loves you, supports you, and makes sacrifices for you and you should love them with all your heart.” The webseries Sanctuary is coming to Sci Fi Channel this fall in its second season. In the first season Cainan starred as Alexei, a Russian boy who struggled with his unusual physical ability that created much alarm to those he came in contact with. Alexei is a mutant as a result of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. Dr. Magnus (Amanda Tapping; Stargate SG-1) and Dr. Zimmerman (Robin Dunne; TV The Dark Room) try to learn more about Alexei to help him deal with his mutation and to not harm others because of his inner fear. The actor said it was interesting working on the Sanctuary set because it was almost all green screen. Cainan loved working with the cast and crew, especially the director, Martin Wood. Alexei will return in the two-hour premiere of Sanctuary that will air at 9 p.m. on Sci Fi Channel, Friday, Oct. 3. In real life, Cainan is totally different from Alexei. I asked him if there was something about Alexei’s personality that he could relate to. He told me, “No, Alexei and I are opposites. He's quiet, soft spoken, sad, scared and jumpy; but I'm loud, outgoing, happy and energetic. It's funny that all the roles I get are totally different from my real self. I'm a comedian who plays serious or scary roles. I think some kids can relate to Alexei because he is scared of himself and things around him.” Cainan was recently nominated in the Young Artists Awards category for his role as Alexei. He said it was the best feeling in the world. The actor hopes he will be nominated again this year. Look for Cainan in “A Pickle,” an independent short film where he stars as Charlie, a young boy who becomes friends with a retired police detective named Mack. Charlie is bullied into stealing Mack’s prized baseball signed by the M & M boys. Fortunately, Charlie pulls a switch and gets the real signed ball back to his friend. Cainan will soon reunite with director Bill Dear (Sandlot) in a yet to be titled feature that stars George Lopez. To learn more about Cainan Wiebe and see the full length interview go to http://www.cainanwiebe.com/press. [Newgen is a North Georgia resident who covers arts and entertainment for the Progress. She can be reached at anewgen@ellijay.com.] Exclusive Full Interview with Cainan Wiebe ...By Alice Chapman Newgen, September 2008. Cainan Wiebe is getting to be quite an accomplished young actor. His resume is getting longer and l-o-n-g-e-r. His competitive edge and seemingly endless energy is sprinting him toward the big screen of success. Two of his latest accomplishments are his roles in the TV mini-series "Tin Man" and a web-series called "Sanctuary." Cainan's character (Alexei) will return in the two-hour premiere of "Sanctuary" that will air on the Sci Fi channel on Friday, October 3rd at 9 p.m. Another project in the works will reunite Cainan with director Bill Dear (Sandlot) in an untitled feature that stars George Lopez. Acting became a part of Cainan's life when he was around four years old. That's when he used to participate as a background performer with his family in large group scenes for TV commercials and movies. It wasn't long before it became quite obvious that he wasn't content with staying in the background. He loved being directly in front of the camera. Cainan's mom realized he was destined to be an actor when he was on a Got Milk? commercial. He had to endure long hours that included a car scene with a stunt driver, a wind machine, a rain machine and a falling tree on a very cold day. His mom was amazed at how Cainan was so well-behaved considering his young age. He even sang at times to keep himself amused. Since then, Cainan has kept a busy schedule going to auditions and taking on roles in films and TV shows. In the mix, he has school studies and participates in a variety of sports. His athletic endeavors have already earned him a black belt in martial arts. The sports enthusiast competed in swimming events over the summer. He is also taking up tumbling and the trampoline. I'm surprised he had time to answer the questions in this exclusive interview. Way to go, Cainan! Alice Chapman Newgen: How does your character Alexei respond to Dr Zimmerman and Dr. Magnus in the "Sanctuary" two-hour premiere and in Season 2 considering they want to help him and they have a better understanding of his background now? Cainan Wiebe: I loved working with the cast & crew of "Sanctuary," especially the director, Martin Wood. I 'm waiting to see if they will have me back for season 2 so I can play Alexei again. Alice Chapman Newgen: Who helped you practice your accent and lines for your portrayal of Alexei in "Sanctuary?" Cainan Wiebe: Alexei is a Russian boy mutated because of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster that happened in the Soviet Union. I practiced my Russian accent from clips on the Internet. My dad has a great ear and so do I. Between us, we were able to come up with the accent I used for Alexei. ACN: Is there something about Alexei's personality that you can relate to? That all kids (and even adults) can relate to? CW: No, Alexei and I are opposites. He's quiet, soft spoken, sad, scared and jumpy; but I'm loud, outgoing, happy and energetic. It's funny that all the roles I get are totally different from my real self. I'm a comedian who plays serious or scary roles. I think some kids can relate to Alexei because he is scared of himself and things around him. ACN: How long did it take for the makeup artist to prepare you for your role as Kalm in "Tin Man?" CW: Kalm was a fun character to play. The process of putting on the make-up started before the make-up chair. I had to go into the prosthetics lab where they took molds of my teeth and face. On filming days the process started with putting glue on my face then fitting the prosthetic (lion's brow, nose and upper lip) on me. Once it was secured they started to blend it into my face so it looked real. They used brushes and airbrushes to paint on color. It took about four and a half hours in the make-up chair and for most of that time I wasn't able to move or talk. I got to see myself change from a brunette to a blond which was pretty cool. ACN: How many hours did you have to wear the special lion makeup? And was it itchy or irritating to wear after a certain period of time? CW: I wore the lion make-up about eight hours, a full day. After about two hours it was very itchy where the beard was placed and the prosthetics smelled a bit. ACN: What did you learn from Kalm's character that could help you in real life? CW: What I learned from Kalm is how important family is. Your family loves you, supports you and makes sacrifices for you and you should love them with all your heart. ACN: How does Kalm compare to Alexei in your opinion? CW: Kalm and Alexei are the same. They are both scared of their situations, they both regret what they are doing, they have the same personality, they're both different physically and they're both wanted by the evil characters in the films. ACN: How was it different working on the "Sanctuary" set versus the "Tin Man" set? CW: The Sanctuary set was almost all green screen, the cast was smaller and it was like a big family because most of the cast and crew had worked together for many years doing the "Stargate" series. "Tin Man" used large sets, a huge cast and crew and the cast were bigger names. ACN: Tell me what was it like being nominated in the Young Artists Awards category? CW: At the time, I was playing in my room and in walks my mom. She says, 'You're nominated for the Young Artists Awards.' It was the best feeling in the world. I hope I get nominated again for this year. ACN: What are the pros and cons about being a child actor in your opinion? CW: The best part of acting is performing and the feeling you get performing in front of everybody--the cast, crew and camera. I like being a part of a team and talking to adults. I like being a child actor so I can move forward in my dream without having to support myself like adult actors. Oh, I also like craft service & lunch. Unfortunately, you can't book anything like birthday parties, team sports, field trips or special events because if I'm working, or I get an audition, I won't be able to go. But my mom says if I miss something because of acting it's only postponed to a later date, never cancelled. ACN: I understand that you were awarded a black belt in Sun Hang Do Martial Arts last year. I know you are a competitive swimmer and are planning on tackling the trampoline and tumbling this fall. It looks like you will be well prepared for action films in the future considering your athletic abilities. Do you want to do a lot of your own stunts? CW: Yes, yes, yes, yes!!!!!! I do want to do my own stunts because it's exhilarating and fun. My parents try to put me in activities to help my acting. My mom says it's good if you're well rounded. ACN: Is there a particular genre that you would like to add to your acting resume? CW: Yes, I'd like to add more voice-overs to my acting resume. I've been taking a voice-over workshop with Michael Daingerfield (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective) working on animation and narration. My favorite part is animation because you are free to be crazy and wacky and nobody cares what you're wearing. ACN: You are at the stage in your life when you will begin taking on more mature roles. With your acting background and your determination and competitive spirit, do you think you are now better prepared for graduating up to young adult characters? CW: Yes, I think I am ready for more mature roles because the more roles I get, the more I grow as an actor. I'm more competitive, I understand emotion more and I'm growing up. ACN: Is there a particular actor or actress that you would love to work with in the near future? CW: Yes, I would like to work with my favorite actor Morgan Freeman. I really liked him in "Bruce Almighty" and "Evan Almighty." He is an awesome actor because he can play any type of role. He has a unique voice and gets tons of work. He was recently injured in a car accident and I hope he recovers from it soon. ACN: Can you tell me about any new and upcoming projects you have in the works? CW: I have an independent short film called "A Pickle" going to film festivals around the world. It's about my character Charlie and a retired police detective Mack (William B. Davis, X-Files). After Mack and Charlie befriend each other, Charlie is bullied into stealing Mack's special baseball that was signed by the M&M boys. Then, Charlie switches balls and gives the real signed ball back to Mack. It was great to do another baseball film. Thank you for doing this interview with me. I'm very grateful! Cainan signing off! The Sandlot: Heading Home ...Alice Chapman Newgen, May 2, 2007. ...Final Words This 20th Century Fox film tends to make one realize that there are times when decisions, even made during childhood, can have a big impact on an individual for years to come. The moral of the story is appropriate for all ages. We need more movies like this for viewing audiences. I thought (Keanu) Pires was outstanding in his role as young Tommy. It was as if he was actually living the character's life he was portraying in the film, not acting. Cainan Wiebe as Ryan (the boy who hadn't talked for a long time) and Brandon Olds as Two Ton (called that because of his husky size) also had great performances in the film. All of the sandlot boys displayed impressive talent that made the story believable and fun to watch. "The Sandlot: Heading Home" has a PG rating for language and some rude humor. Screen Screams ...Langley newspaper, December 2006 Fans of bloody slasher flicks planning to check out Black Christmas, in theatres now, will catch a glimpse of a young Langley actor named Cainan Wiebe amid all the gore. The 11-year-old plays one of the main characters, Billy, as a child, several years before a maniac slaughters a house full of sorority girls over the Christmas holidays. During an interview back in May, Cainan explained he's not allowed to watch any of the scary movies or television shows he's acted in. "But that's OK," he said, "because I don't really like horror movies." A breakout year ...Lynne McNamara, The Backlot, The Vancouver Sun, Wednesday, December 6, 2006. Another great kid actor story: Langley's 11-year-old Cainan Wiebe has had a breakout year. Starting out at the age of six. Cainan has been featured in more than a dozen commercials including the award-winning Got Milk birthday spot. In 2006, he has had guest roles on The 4400, Supernatural and Masters of Horror. He also broke into movies with parts in Whisper, Air Buddies, The Sandlot 3 and Black Christmas, which premieres on Dec.25. He plays the part of Billy, the killer, at ages five and 12. In the feel-good baseball flick The Sandlot 3, which debuts next May, he's Ryan, one of the lead characters. Cainan, whose parents ran a performing arts school and who home-school him, began performing at three. "Cainan and his sister took all our preschool classes and performed in every performance we put on. They stole the show every time!" says dad Hank. A bit of casting news from today's "Backlot" column... ...Robert Richardson, February 4, 2006. SCTV's Andrea Martin, who you can still see in reruns as the leopard-spotted Edith Prickley, has joined the cast of the remake of Bob Clark's 1974 spooker, Black Christmas, now in production here (Vancouver). She'll play the soft-spoken sister. (Hard to imagine). Shooting the week with Vancouver actors Peter Wilds, Howard Siegel, Cainan Wiebe and Karin Konoval will establish the back story. On Monday, the cast portraying present-day characters, including Michelle Trachtenberg (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Final Destination 3), Katie Cassidy (When A Stranger Calls remake), and Oliver Hudson (The Breed) and Martin arrive to begin shooting their parts. The original director, Clark, who's executive producer on this movie, sent the crew a message just before filming began, saying he felt that with Glen (Morgan) at the helm, the production would be a great success. PETER PAN ...Peter Birnie, The Vancouver Sun, Tuesday, April 25, 2006. ...The best encapsulation of the show's success is seen in the tight teamwork displayed by the Lost Boys. Here are kids ranging in age from only about 10 to 13, yet every blessed one of them is not only individually talented but able to work in an ensemble that sings, dances and sells its junior comedy with panache. Kudos to Cainan Wiebe as Tootles, Douglas Younger as Nibs, Jesse DeCoste and Andrew Haydock as the twins, David Cohen as Curly and especially the remarkably mature 11-year-old talent of Denzel Ace Austria as Slightly Soiled... Langley actor prepares for a Black Christmas ...Kristyl Clark, The Langley Times, Friday, May 19, 2006. At first glance, 10-year-old Cainan Wiebe is a normal freckle-faced boy who, like other kids his age, would rather be playing outside than stuck inside an office speaking to a reporter on a sunny Friday afternoon. His soulful brown eyes mirror a world of maturity far beyond his years, and his impressive resume indicates that Wiebe is a special child. The Langley boy is currently making his mark in the entertainment industry with several commercials under his belt, a variety of voice-over work, roles in episodes of two TV series- Supernatural and Dead Like Me-and a role in the upcoming horror remake of Black Christmas, slated for theatres late this year. In the film, he plays the main character Billy as a 12-year-old. The sickly young man, whose skin is yellowed with jaundice, discovers that his mom and her boyfriend have killed his father. "I had to wear all this sticky yellow paint all over my body," said Cainan. "But I got a really nice trailer to stay in during shoots with a big TV and CD player." Born and raised in Langley, Cainan has been pursuing his acting career since the age of six. He is not the only one in his family bitten by the talent bug-both his mother and father are musicians. His 11-year-old sister, Hailey, has also appeared in several commercials and is a skilled singer/dancer. His mother, Julie, said she knew there was something truly amazing about her son when he was a baby."He was just such a beautiful baby boy who was always trying to make people laugh," she said. "I thought why not send out his pictures to a few agencies, so I went ahead and sent them and have not regretted it." Julie has put aside her career as a music teacher to help her two kids pursue their dreams in the entertainment industry, and keep a watchful eye on them. She said that it isn't as hard as one may think to step out of the role of mom while Cainan is on set. "He's just so unbelievably professional," said Julie. "He works really well with the directors and other actors and is quick to learn his lines so I really don't have to really worry about him too much." Although she may give him his space on stage, he still has rules to follow the second he steps off the set. "I'm not allowed to watch any of the scary movies that I've been in until I am older," said Cainan. "But that's OK, because I don't really like horror movies." Julie reveals that it was during one of his first shoots, a 'Got Milk?' commercial, that she knew he was truly cut out for the entertainment industry. "It was a freezing cold day and Cainan was being filmed in a car that was stacked way up high," said Julie. "He was in there for about five hours, and I was getting really worried, thinking he must be so bored and upset. The director let me put a set of ear phones on so that I could listen to see if he was OK, and I heard him singing quietly to himself. It was the cutest thing!" As for the future, Cainan said he hopes to continue pursuing his acting so that he can work alongside with his favourite actor, Morgan Freeman. |
