JAMES PRESTON ROGERS AND THE NEW FRONTIER

Ask a casting agent or a director and they’ll tell you that finding the lead actor/actress for a production is actually fairly easy. That’s not to infer that the talent of these artists are less but rather that the public tends to fall in line behind certain personalities they see as “alpha.” Casting the actor who plays the character challenging the lead is much more difficult. In fact, it can be somewhat defeating. The first seasons of Canada’s Take Shot Productions multi-nominated hit TV series “Frontier” had become a huge hit internationally thanks to the exposure it received on Netflix. Lead actor Jason Momoa (formerly of “Game of Thrones” and appearing as Aquaman in the upcoming Justice League film) was ideal as Declan Harp. The producers of the series wanted to step up the action and intensity of the series with a new character, Vladimir “The Siberian” Tetukin. The problem was, Momoa is such a commanding presence on screen that it would take an actor who was intimidating in both his physical presence and his performance to match this. A global search was conducted and auditions held but no fitting candidates appeared. Plans were made to scrap the character and conduct rewrites, until James Preston Rogers was found. Rob Blackie (Executive Producer, Writer, Co-CEO Take the Shot Productions) professes, “JPR beat out actors from London, Moscow, and LA to play the Siberian. In addition to being a great actor with a propensity for action/physical roles, James was impressive with his command of four languages. The temperatures during filming were brutally cold but a professional like James never lets this affect his performance adversely. James is probably the only actor who can make Jason Momoa look small onscreen and the fight scenes between the two were among the highlights of the entire second season of Frontier. We almost gave up on the character of The Siberian because it was so difficult to find someone who communicated such a strong personality; finding James was a huge coup for our production. A giant, intimidating actor with a strong presence, fighting background, & multiple language skills…these people are a rare find. It’s no exaggeration for me to say that James added exactly what we needed to make the second season of Frontier become the exciting story it is. Every main character needs a seemingly unstoppable challenge and James was that challenge as the Siberian.”

The challenge for any actor of assimilating into the cast of a hit show might be that of matching the tone of the cast; for Rogers this was exacerbated by the fact that the show was green lit before season one had even aired, which meant that James was essentially “flying blind” as he came to the show. Filming began with block shooting, meaning that there were multiple storylines being shot without Rogers have a profound knowledge of what had occurred during the first season with all of the characters. The constant wardrobe and makeup changes (for different episodes and scenes) were a whirlwind experience for the actor for also considered it a great learning and proving ground. Block shooting in sub-zero temperature while speaking multiple languages with accents is a sure way to impress your costars and crew members.

The uniqueness of “Frontier” is a major contributor to the studios belief in the production and its subsequent popularity. The writing is detailed with in-depth character development. It has been touted as a North American version of “Game of Thrones.” With a budget in the multi-millions per episode, an incredible cast, and a stark portrayal of the violence of this era, the show casts a formidable shadow. The story centers around Declan Harp (played by Momoa), a part Native-American outlaw who is campaigning to breach the Hudson’s Bay Company’s monopoly on the fur trade in Canada. Taking place in the eighteenth century, the show displays the diverse culture in the area at the time including: English, Scottish, Irish, French-Canadian, and of course Native-American. Amidst all of these, Rogers appearance as the towering Siberian who may be the most intimidating and powerful character in the storyline. The Siberian is a fierce, angry, and seemingly indestructible bounty hunter looking to collect on the capture of Harp but his motivation transforms into the desire to destroy Declan. Rogers describes him as, “…a loner who takes pleasure in the pain of others. He’s a perfectionist, extremely talented in the art of killing which he has honed over the years. He takes pride and pleasure in things that would make the average person cringe and run away. He’s crazy, uncompromising, and unpredictable like a wild animal. He sees himself as not much different than the average man, which is something that makes him even more frightening. He really feels he’s a valuable member of society. He has a bounty hunter’s license and contributes to society in bringing bad men to justice. He believes he functions in between the lines where he’s allowed to exercise his strengths. The fact that he takes such joy in it is what separates him from those who do it because it is necessary to keep society safe.”

James is quite disparate from this character. He notes that while Vlad (the Siberian) has little care for others, Rogers conducts himself inversely. At 6’ 6” and 280 lbs. it’s difficult to walk amongst “normal” people without being aware of the potential risk to them. Conversely, when director Brad Peyton asked Rogers to have at it with Jason Momoa, it afforded the opportunity to make use of his size and strength. Using his physical attributes are required for “Frontier” but not the only talents he can exhibit. Beyond his work in Outlander, Reign, and other dramas, James has appeared in the feature film Pixels as well as the upcoming release Benjamin (starring alongside Kevin Pollak, Dave Foley, Rob Corddry, Peri Gilpin, and numerous other comedy talents). Still, having the versatility to project humor as well as a menacing visage has led to an eclectic career for the actor. Rogers attributes another of his impressive skills to growing up Canadian. The diversity of cultures there led to James having a predisposition for accents and languages. His role in Frontier displayed his abilities in speaking English, Russian, French, and Inuttiut (impressively blending it with a Russian accent).

Rogers relished the experience of being part of “Frontier” and its success but concedes that it was not an experience that afforded creature comforts. He notes, “The locations had some of the most extreme conditions I have ever filmed in. Sub-zero temperatures with land that can only be described as tundra, without a tree or any rocks to break the wind; it was a constant barrage of cold. The Siberian didn’t wear hats or gloves. He had to hold a rifle which is made of metal. I found my body going into shock. It’s the kind of extreme and potentially dangerous cold that many people never experience. It can affect your mind and, as an actor, that can affect your ability to remember your lines. It was the kind of situation that you can’t be prepared for because the physical harshness so deeply impacts the mental part of you. We were only able to do four maybe five takes before we would all start to lose mobility in our faces. They’d call ‘cut’ so the cast and crew could retreat for cover. The cold is a factor that I could not anticipate when rehearsing my lines, but it definitely was a factor at the moment.”

“Frontier” is a big budget TV show and this is easily visible when viewing. The cinematography, the authenticity, and the characters make one feel as if they are looking back in time. The year-long search for an actor that could convincingly portray Vladimir the Siberian may have been arduous for the show’s producers but the numerous accolades that James Preston Rogers received for such a powerful performance vetted their decision to cast him.