Dean Cain: ‘Hollywood’s kind of died’
Former Superman star says the industry is emerging from its ‘woke’ era, explains why filmmakers are fleeing California, and reveals what comes next
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Over 30 years later, Dean Cain still believes that Superman’s values epitomize the American experience. As the star of the hit ABC series “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman,” Cain brought the superhero to life for millions of Americans.
But he almost ended up in Hollywood by accident. He originally planned to play professional football and was signed by the Buffalo Bills in 1988, but a devastating knee injury ended his NFL career before the regular season.
Over the past decade, Cain has emerged as an outspoken conservative, and has not shied away from criticizing Hollywood and going against the grain in the entertainment business.
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Dean Cain said that he believes Hollywood “kind of died.” (REUTERS/Daniel Cole)
“We’re the most giving, most compassionate nation in the history of mankind. And so, for me, it is truth, justice and the American Way, and I believe in the American Way. We’re not perfect, we are always striving for a more perfect union, but I love this country,” Cain told Digital.
“There’s no place like the United States of America. And so I’m 100% in on keeping this republic, as Benjamin Franklin said, ‘a republic if you can keep it.’ And we’ve had some ups and downs as of late. I’m very happy with the current administration, and I think we’re headed in the right direction.”
Cain argues that Hollywood is on the ropes and its woke chickens have come home to roost.
“Well, Hollywood’s kind of died … I mean, when I first started … there were three networks back then. My dad was a film director, so I knew everything about the business being around him. He said, ‘You can be an actor in television or you can be an actor in film’ … you had to pick one. That’s changed.
“Then there was a time where you had to be a television actor to become a film actor. George Clooney. Johnny Depp. And then it was make a sex tape and you get a shot to make a movie. That was the Kardashian thing.”
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George Clooney notably got his start in television before becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. (Christopher Anderson/Esquire)
“But it’s changed in that it has become very woke in that sense. It’s hurt the box office. Hollywood’s dying. I left Hollywood three years ago. Nobody lives in California anymore. Everybody leaves. The last movie I shot in California, I wrote, produced, and directed, and I shot it in California.
“I just shot a movie in Alabama, I just got back from a movie in Texas. You know, it’s everywhere else. Hollywood’s behind the curve. And the ability to make these smaller independent films has been wonderful.”
He continued, “And all these different platforms to put things on, it’s always changing, it’s always evolving. Right now, I like the direction it’s in, because I think we’re coming out of the woke epic, if you will. And we’ll look back at this time and go, that was stupid. I hope we do.”
Cain argues that it is Superman’s small-town American values that make him a meaningful character.
Cain is best known for playing Superman in “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.” (Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images)
“At the time, he was supposed to be the best part of America. He was hope. He was raised by a small-town couple with small-town American values, and that’s why he was the most moral guy on the planet.
“There’s other versions of Superman where he was raised in Soviet Russia, and became this horrible, awful thing. And there’s other versions that have him as sort of a Jesus figure. I like the idea of him being raised with small-town American values because I happen to think they’re the best.”
Cain put his money where his mouth is when it comes to Hollywood, recently relocating to the Silver State.
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“So the reason I left California was politics. It was the horrible regulations, the onerous taxes, it was insane. California … I could see it going off a cliff. Nevada, my parents had moved here two and a half years before I did, and they were loving it. They were having a great time, they weren’t paying state income taxes, prices for everything were so much lower. I was like, man, this seems great.”
He explained, “It’s the entertainment capital of the world, there’s sports, there are concerts, there is everything in the world here. I love it. And there’s a film industry here as well.”
Now that Cain has found a new home, his career may be pulling him in an entirely different direction.
Cain said that he believes Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo has done a “fantastic job.” (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
“I got a chance to meet with Governor Lombardo. I think he’s done a fantastic job here. I have been asked to run for Senate here. I’ve been asked for governor here. If I think I can make Nevada better, perhaps I’ll do it, but I don’t want to be a politician, which is the exact thing that would make me or somebody like [Nevada third Congressional district nominee] Marty O’Donnell run for politics.
“We were supposed to be citizen politicians, not career politicians, and so if I thought I could come in, do some good for this state of Nevada and for this country, I would do it and get out.”
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He added, “If I feel like I can help people, I think that should be the metric for why people get into politics. Unfortunately, I think they get into politics for power, for money, and for prestige. I don’t need any of those things.”
