Tony Bray Interviews Drew Fuller
Source: TVNow
Article By: Tony Bray
Date: March 5, 2007

His charmed life on television will continue with Lifetime's new series "Army Wives," while his lead role in "The Ultimate Gift" should make him a movie star.

Jason Stevens (Drew Fuller) thinks he has it made. His family has enough money to run a small country. Caitlin (Mircea Monroe), his beautiful girlfriend, will do anything he wants as long as his credit cards have no limits. He doesn't have to work for a living. Jason even has looks that a model would envy.

What he doesn't have anymore is his late grandfather, Howard "Red" Stevens (James Garner), the billionaire businessman who built the family fortune, but that doesn't bother Jason because the two were estranged for years, so he doesn't really expect to inherit a ton of cash when he meets with Red's best friend and attorney, Ted Hamilton (Bill Cobbs), for the reading of the will with the rest of the Stevens clan, wealthy people consumed by greed who make Scrooge look like an angel on his worst days.

Jason also doesn't get the money he wants. Red left him a series of tasks, called gifts, to perform in order to find out what his inheritance is worth. The assignments don't seem to make any sense to the young man. He has to help a wealthy rancher (Brian Dennehy) put fence posts on his land, which is larger than most cities. He has to deliver books to a small library in Ecaudor, where rebels decide that he deserves their special attention. He has to find a real friend, someone who will care about him as a person, not as a cash machine. A chance meeting with a poor, single mother (Ali Hillis) and her ill child (Abigail Breslin, Oscar nominee for "Little Miss Sunshine") gives him the opportunity to build new friendships, but even that simple task seems hard for the self-absorbed heir.

The story of Jason's quest for money plays out in the touching 20th Century Fox Faith film "The Ultimate Gift." Based on Jim Stovall's book, the movie will leave viewers with happiness in their hearts, not blood splattered on their shoes from violence played out on the big screen, which is what most dramas offer in 2007. "The Ultimate Gift" premieres in select American cities on Friday, March 9.

I had a chance to speak with Drew Fuller about the making of "Gift" and other matters, including his days on The CW's "Charmed" as Chris Halliwell. The conversation helped me understand why he was chosen to headline a film that features a cast of Emmy and Tony winners. A former model, Drew is a real human being, which is what Jason needed to become to inherit any money. Compassion is part of Drew's personality. It will carry him a long way during life's journey. The good thing is that it's not an act with him.

Tony: I know you have the "Charmed" fan base. This new film was a different type of project for you.

Drew: This is definitely a different genre. Hopefully, people will respond in a positive way.

Drew: When I originally read the script, I didn't know who was involved or who was attached. When I got the part, they said, "By the way, James Garner is playing your grandfather." I got really silent for a second, fell back on my feet and then I yelled. I yelled. I was so excited. And then when Brain Dennehy signed on too, I mean these are legends.

Drew: Yes, Bill Cobbs definitely ... to work with these guys, to have individual scenes, one on one scenes with acting legends who really bring it every single time they walk on stage, on the set ... I could not ask for anything more. That was a gift, I mean, forgive the pun, which was an amazing gift.

Drew: That's the thing about great actors, they make it so easy for the other person because they're listening. That's one of my favorite words when it comes to acting, "listen." You listen wholeheartedly and then all you have to do is react to what they are saying and how they are saying it.

Drew: I feel like I have. I feel that I've been really blessed by the people that I've been able to work with, whether it's Alyssa Milano, whose comedic timing is really genius, to James Garner or Brian Dennehy. I'm working right now with Kim Delaney and Catherine Bell (note: Drew is talking about the new Lifetime series "Army Wives"). These are veteran women actors who are so fantastic.

Drew: That was a joy. We have such great chemistry, Abby and I. I think she's fantastic. She's a little rock star. I love her. She's so sarcastic, so witty and kept me on my toes and that's impressive for a ten-year-old. We shot the whole film in North and South Carolina.

Drew: The Thanksgiving scene was shot just in the heart of Charlotte at a famous house that's now closed to the public. It was really beautiful. It was like a half museum, half hotel.

Drew: I loved North Carolina. I'm actually in Charleston, South Carolina right now. It's so beautiful, the charm, that old world throw back with the cobblestone streets. The Carolinas are stunning. It's one of the best kept secrets in all of the United States. I love it. Everyone is so friendly and the food is out of this world.

Drew: (laughter)

Drew: I'm actually unfamiliar with his work.

Drew: That's very flattering. I can't thank you enough for the compliment.

Drew: Yes they were ... at a VA center. Those were some of the most fantastic couple of days. It was also some of the most difficult stuff because that's where Abby spends a lot of time. We got to develop such a bond over a period of a month and a half. We were also able to be around many veterans. During breaks, some of us would tour the different wings of the hospital and say "hi" to people, listen to them and their stories. Everything about this film was so organically constructed, perfect beautiful. Everything always worked out. I walked away with several really close friends. It was just the most amazing experience.

Drew: Yes, it was powerful. Everything in that hospital was powerful. Ali Hillis played the mother and is a great actress, as is Abby. They made it easy for me. Like I said earlier, when you act opposite great actors, you don't have to do anything. You can just listen to them and react in the appropriate way. That was what was appropriate in that moment. And God bless Michael Sajbel for having enough confidence in us as actors to enable us, to allow us to just go in there and do our thing.

Drew: Right now I'm working on a show called "Army Wives" for Lifetime. I'm playing this bright-eyed idealist who loves his country, loves the Army, believes in everything that it stands for, and is going to do his best to go fight for his country. You know, fight blindly. It's a different character then I've ever played before ... a sweet, innocent boy who is learning about everything for the first time. He believes wholeheartedly in everything he's told. There's something really beautiful about his innocence ... pretty scary too.

Drew: Obviously war changes a man. I'm going to come across that bridge when it happens on my show.

Drew: I appreciate that.

Drew: Yes, because he was coming from the future. So Brad Kern, the creator of the show, sat down with me at the very beginning of the show and said, "this is what I was thinking for your character. Don't tell anyone because you can use it." The whole point of Chris was to keep a secret. He had a big secret that he had to keep. He had to save the family and basically save the world. It was a big cross to bear. He didn't want personal feelings to get involved, so he didn't want to fill them in immediately that he was Holly's and Brian's son. It was very needed that I had knowledge of who my character was.

Drew: I appreciate it. That's a really sweet thing to say. Thank, you.

Drew: I will.