Irish actor and filmmaker Eoin Macken chatted about starring in the new series “Ransom Canyon” on Netflix.
Scottish politician Walter Elliot once said: “Perseverance is not a long race; it is many short races one after the other.” This quote applies to Eoin Macken.
Ransom Canyon: where love, loss, and loyalty collide beneath the crimson mesas of Texas Hill Country. Starring Josh Duhamel and Minka Kelly, “Ransom Canyon” premieres on April 17 on Netflix.
In “Ransom Canyon,” secrets, love and lies intertwine as rancher Staten Kirkland (Josh Duhamel) follows his heart, fights to protect his land and investigates a painful personal loss. Eoin Macken stars as Davis Collins.
The cast also includes James Brolin, Lizzy Greene, Garrett Wareing, Andrew Liner, Marianly Tejada, Jack Schumacher, and Philip Winchester, among others.
Macken on ‘Ransom Canyon’
On being a part of “Ransom Canyon,” he exclaimed, “It was great; we had a blast. The best part about it was obviously meeting Jack Schumacher.”
“To be honest, it was a really enjoyable and fun show to do. It was such a blast,” he added.
Playing Davis Collins in ‘Ransom Canyon’
On portraying Davis Collins in “Ransom Canyon,” he said, “The most enjoyable part of my character was the layered complexity to him. Davis has a lot of dysfunction to him. He is quite charming but at the same time, he has a darkness and is very manipulative. He is also a strong family man.”
“There are lot of layers of darkness to him,” he admitted. “I had a lot of fun with Jack doing the stories with a darker undertone to them.”
Working with Minka Kelly
On working with Minka Kelly, he exclaimed, “Minka is amazing. She was so great to work with.”
Working with the cast of actors
On working with the cast, Macken remarked, “This is one of those shows where there is actually a really great energy to it, which does show on the screen. You can see that sometimes, and people have a good and genuine camaraderie to each other that elevates things beyond what the actual show itself is.”
“I think we are very lucky on this project because everyone got along really well, and that allows you to trust each other from a work point of view, and it also elevates the work that you are doing,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor and filmmaker in the digital age, Macken said, “I feel that the digital age has been around forever. My first two posts on social media were from ‘Merlin’ from 14 years ago. So, to me, it feels like it has been around forever ever since.”
Advice for young and emerging actors
For young and aspiring actors, he encouraged them to have “patience, tenacity, and to make things.” “These days, you can make your own content,” he said.
“Tom Hopper and I made a movie called ‘Leopard,’ and that was a great and creative experience. I think it’s important for young actors to get together and make projects because that is where they get to learn their craft.”
Macken continued, “Sometimes, you don’t necessarily get to learn your craft from the start because you are doing smaller parts, so when you take the time to make something, you can really work on a character that you want to play and you also understand the intricacies of filmmaking. I think it gives you a different understanding of what it is being on set.
“Also, if you make something, it gives you a showcase. It is so much easier to make movies now than it was 10 or 15 years ago,” he acknowledged.
“So, for anyone who wants to become an actor or a filmmaker, you just need to make things,” he added.
Defining moments
On his career or life defining moments, Macken said with a sweet laugh, “I just had a child, so I’m sure, my child is now going to define me. My baby girl has changed my perspective on things.”
‘La Brea’
On being a part of “La Brea,” Macken recalled, “It was a blast. I loved it. We shot it in Australia, and I was a big fan of Australia. ‘La Brea’ was a crazy, weird journey that we started during COVID. We were filming in Australia for three months there. ‘La Brea’ was a complete chaotic-fueled adventure.”
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he revealed, “Growth and Evolution.”
Teen Cancer America
In his spare time, Macken lends his voice to causes that are important to him. Macken is a proud ambassador of Teen Cancer America, which helps transform the lives of young people with cancer ages 13 to 39.
Their mission is to improve the experience, outcomes and survival of teens and young adults with cancer by providing facilities and programs designed especially for them in hospitals throughout America.
Teen Cancer America helps hospitals and healthcare professionals bridge the gap between pediatric and adult oncology care and aims to educate and support hospitals and outpatient facilities in the development of specialized units for teens and young adults.
Superpower of choice
If he were to have any superpower, it would be to “fix climate change and the environment.”
“I wanted to be a marine biologist when I was in college,” he said. “Having a daughter made me want to enhance my environmental awareness. As you get older, your sensibilities change.”
“So, having a child made me more aware of how we sit in with the natural world. I just want there to be balance with the natural world,” he added.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, Macken said, “For me, life has to be cherished and enjoyed. To be honest, I judge my life by the health of my family and my close friends… and the peace of mind that comes with it. That’s how I judge this kind of success in my life.”
Closing thoughts on ‘Ransom Canyon’
For fans and viewers, he remarked, “I want people to enjoy it. What is really fun about ‘Ransom Canyon’ show is that it is a really enjoyable show to watch.”
“I like the characters, I like the set-up, and it is easy to connect with these characters and care about them,” Macken concluded.
To learn more about Eoin Macken, follow him on Instagram.
