Rossif Sutherland Reveals the Sweet Way He's Dedicating His Upcoming Series to Late Father Donald Sutherland

Mar. 15, 2025

Rossif Sutherland (left) and Donald Sutherland at the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival.Photo:George Pimentel/WireImage

George Pimentel/WireImage

Rossif Sutherland’s next project will honor his late fatherDonald Sutherland’s memory.

Murder in a Small Town, Fox’s upcoming detective drama based on LR Wright’sKarl Albergbook series, will be dedicated to the late actor — but not for the reason that fans may think.

When Rossif, 45, was cast as the lead role in the series, he was unaware that his father Donald had been working for decades to bring the story to life with a movie adaptation.

While speaking toDeadline, Rossif recalled how he told Donald the happy news and discovered that he had worked tirelessly to “get a movie version off the ground” for 30 years.

Donald Sutherland (left) and Rossif Sutherland.Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

Jean Baptiste Lacroix/WireImage

“He befriended [producer] Nick Orchard and Ian Weir, the writer, and they tried to get it produced," he continued. “Unfortunately, it never happened.”

Though Donald never got to play George on screen, the series producer Jeff Wachtel revealed that the late actor helped develop the character. Before his health declined, Donald was slated to appear as George.

“Now, Donald got older, and even though [George] was a guest role, it’s a significant guest role,” Wachtel explained. “His health was failing, and so he had to withdraw from the project, but we loved it anyway.”

Eventually the role went to James Cromwell, but Donald was slated to make a cameo as a man who gets murdered in the series premiere.

Despite their plans, Donald was unable to “make the trip” due to his declining condition. Sadly, on June 20, PEOPLE confirmed thatDonald diedat age 88 after a long illness.

Donald Sutherland.Arnold Jerocki/Getty

Now,Murder in a Small Townwill be dedicated to the Hollywood legend for his lengthy contributions with bringing the story to the screen.

“People were asking what they could do to honor dad and, since dad had such an intimate relationship with the birth of this project, I proposed that they dedicate it to him,” Rossif said. “He was so happy to know that I was going to be playing this man. And I’m sorry that he’s gone, because he would have loved to have seen it."

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Murder in a Small Townpremieres Tuesday, Sept. 24 on Fox.

source: people.com