Acclaimed actor and TV host Dean Cain (“Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” fame) chatted about hosting “Masters of Illusion” Season 9, which airs on Saturdays on The CW.
He is a man that wears many hats: a multi-faceted entertainer, award-winning filmmaker and actor. An All-American football player at Princeton University, he transitioned to film when an injury ended his (NFL) career with the Buffalo Bills. “I was with the Buffalo Bills for a short time, and it hurt me this year because I thought we were going to the Super Bowl,” he said. “As the host of ‘Masters of Illusion if I can pull a slight of hand or some illusion to get them there, I would do it.”
‘Masters of Illusion’
The popular American magic TV show “Masters of Illusion” features noteworthy magic that is performed by 40 cutting-edge illusionists, escape artists and performers from all over the United States, Canada, France, England and Vietnam. It displays skills ranging from perplexing interactive mind magic to hilarious comedy routines, all in front of a studio audience.
“Season 9 is out now, and it’s a great thing. I feel very confident moving forward that we are going to do even more,” he said.
“We have so many fantastic illusionists and magicians. In Season 9, we have 40 performers and they are amazing entertainers from all over the world. It’s great fun for me because I travel the world, and I will be in different countries, and I would get magicians from those countries on the show, and they would do tricks for me,” he added.
A new original episode titled “Flash, Shine, and Wonderland” will air on Saturday, February 25. “The episodes fly by and they feel like 15 minutes. We have a great pace on the show, and it’s just fun. The whole family can sit down, watch it and enjoy it, and have a good laugh. I am very happy to be associated with this show,” he said.
“I know nothing about how to do these tricks and illusions. People always ask me if I learned something from them, and I tell them that I learned that I don’t understand what is going on. The dexterity with their hands is unreal,” he underscored.
“Magic is great because it bends your perception of reality, and that is just great fun,” he added. “I hope people watch the show, especially if they are with their family. Kids find illusions fascinating and so much fun. It is great family entertainment, and I hope they enjoy it.”
‘Little Angels’
He shared that “Little Angels” is a movie that he wrote, directed, and stars in, and he hopes to get it out in the near future. “I can’t wait to get it out there, it’s a very personal project,” he said. “It deals with a big-time college football coach. It’s a great fun story like ‘The Mighty Ducks’. It’s a feel-good family movie and I am proud of it.”
On being an actor in the digital age, he said, “I think it’s great, there are more places to put your products. Now, it’s phenomenal. You can do a series for 10 to 13 episodes, and that becomes a series that you can do over and over again.”
Dean Cain: a believer in human rights
He is a strong believer in human rights. He was recognized with the coveted Order of Armenia for producing the movie “Architects of Denial,” which is an anti-genocide documentary. “I was able to get a wonderful award from the president of Armenia for that,” he said.
“The Armenian genocide was a big deal and as a history major, it was nice to be able to use my Princeton brain a little bit making some of these projects, even though I don’t use it as much for my illusionists,” he said with a sweet laugh.
‘Hate Among Us’ documentary
His newest documentary, “Hate Among Us,” received Emmy recognition. “Hate Among Us” shines a light on the current rise of anti-Semitism throughout the United States and Europe. “That was a great project, another documentary that won us an Emmy, which is great. It deals with the rise of anti-Semitism and hate so I thought it was a very important project and I was happy to be involved with that,” he said.
“Hate is something that is taught, you don’t grow up hating. You have to be taught hate, and it’s awful. I think it’s important to call it out once you see it,” he added.
Dean Cain: ‘Superman’ in Lois and Clark’ series
Cain is known for his starring role as Clark Kent (better known as “Superman”) in the superhero TV series “Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” which ran for four seasons. “I am super proud of being a part of it,” he said.
“When you star in a network show, and play two (Clark and Superman) of the three leads in it, and the amount of work is dizzying. It dominated my life for 4.5 years, which was great. Every waking moment, I had a huge day and I was on set, and I had so much to get done.”
‘Ripley’s Believe It Or Not’
He also produced and hosted “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” for four seasons. “Ripley’s was a biggie, and at that time it was on cable, and it had the largest opening of any show in cable history. I loved doing that show, it was great fun, and I wish we could have done more years of it,” he said.
Cain has made well over 100 movies, which include “Out of Time,” “The Broken Hearts Club,” God’s Not Dead,” “Vendetta,” “2050,” and “Gosnell.”
Speaking of “2050,” he said, “It was interesting. It was a lot of fun and oddly enough, a lot of those things are coming true, and are still coming true,” he said.
Sean Patrick Flanery
Cain had great words about Emmy award-winning actor and filmmaker Sean Patrick Flanery. “Sean is a warrior poet. He is an warrior in his jiujutsu, and he is a great father, husband, and family man. He is a great guy, who is strong with his faith, family, and fighting. He is a fantastic writer and actor. I have tremendous respect for Sean in every aspect of his life,” he said.
Success
Cain defined success being as “being a good father and a good human being.”
To learn more about actor and TV host Dean Cain, follow him on Instagram.
