Kiefer Sutherland is a Canadian actor who has starred or played prominent roles in films and television series over several decades, including Stand by Me, , Young Guns, Flatliners, , Dark City and most notably Jack Bauer in the Fox action series 24. He is known for his voice roles in the Call of Duty and Metal Gear video game franchises.
Sutherland's film career began in 1983 with the role of Bill Costello in Max Dugan Returns. He gained recognition for his role as Donald Campbell in The Bay Boy (1985). Sutherland's breakout role came in 1986 with Stand by Me, where he portrayed John 'Ace' Merrill, followed by The Lost Boys (1987). Throughout the late 1980s, Sutherland starred in Bright Lights, Big City (1988), Young Guns (1988), and Renegades (1989). In the 1990s, Sutherland continued to build his filmography with Young Guns II (1990), Flatliners (1990), and A Few Good Men (1992). He ventured into voice acting, with The Nutcracker Prince (1990) and Armitage III (1996). Sutherland received acclaim for his performances in Eye for an Eye (1996), A Time to Kill (1996), Dark City (1998), and Phone Booth (2002). His career included directorial efforts like Truth or Consequences, N.M. (1997) and Woman Wanted (2000). In the 2000s, Sutherland took on diverse roles in The Sentinel (2006) and Melancholia (2011). He continued to lend his voice to animated films, including The Wild (2006) and Monsters vs. Aliens (2009). Recent projects include Forsaken (2015), Flatliners (2017), and The Contractor (2022) and Father Joe (2026). Sutherland's portrayal of Lieutenant Commander Phillip Queeg in The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial (2023) garnered him a Critics' Choice Television Award nomination.
Sutherland's television career includes a mix of acting and voice work. He made his television debut in 1985 with Amazing Stories. He hosted an episode of Saturday Night Live in 1991 and directed and starred in the television film Last Light (1993). His role as Jack Bauer in the critically acclaimed series 24 (2001–2010) brought him widespread recognition and awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 2006. Sutherland continued to make television appearances, including voice roles in The Simpsons (2006–2011) and Family Guy (2006). He starred in the Fox series Touch (2012–2013). In 2014, he reprised his role as Jack Bauer in 24: Live Another Day. Sutherland played President Thomas Kirkman in Designated Survivor (2016–2019), earning a nomination at the People's Choice Awards. He starred in the Paramount+ series Rabbit Hole (2023).
Sutherland has acted in video games. He voiced Jack Bauer in 24: The Game (2006) and Sergeant Roebuck in Call of Duty: World at War – Final Fronts (2008). His most prominent role was voicing and providing facial capture for Venom Snake / Big Boss in Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (2014) and Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain (2015). Sutherland played Gideon Jones in the DLC "Dead of the Night" for Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018).
Film Year Title Role Notes Reference(s) 1983 Max Dugan Returns Bill Costello 1985 Donald Campbell 1986 At Close Range Tim Stand by Me John "Ace" Merrill 1987 Crazy Moon Brooks Promised Land Danny "Senator" Rivers David Powers The Stranger 1988 Bright Lights, Big City Tad Allagash Young Guns Josiah Gordon "Doc" Scurlock 1969 Scott Denny 1989 Renegades Detective Buster McHenry 1990 Young Guns II Josiah Gordon "Doc" Scurlock Flatliners Nelson Wright Chicago Joe and the Showgirl Karl Hulten Hans / The Nutcracker Prince Voice Flashback Free "John" Buckner 1992 Article 99 Dr. Peter Morgan Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me FBI Agent Sam Stanley Lieutenant Jonathan James Kendrick 1993 Jeff Harriman Athos 1994 Teresa's Tattoo Roadblock Officer Uncredited cameo Sonny Gilstrap Felidae "Bluebeard" Unreleased film 1996 Eye for an Eye Robert Doob Freddie Lee Cobb Armitage III: Poly-Matrix Ross Sylibus Voice; English dub Freeway Bob Wolverton The Last Days of Frankie the Fly Joey 1997 Truth or Consequences, N.M. Curtis Freley Also director 1998 Dark City Dr. Daniel P. Schreber A Soldier's Sweetheart "Rat" Kiley Break Up Officer John Box Ground Control Jack Harris 2000 After Alice Detective Michael "Mick" Hayden Beat William S. Burroughs Woman Wanted Wendell Goddard Also director Picking Up the Pieces Officer Bobo The Right Temptation Michael Farrow-Smith 2001 Cowboy Up Hank Braxton To End All Wars Lieutenant Jim Reardon 2002 Dead Heat Albert Paul "Pally" LaMarr Desert Saints Arthur Banks Behind the Red Door Roy Haddad Phone Booth The Caller 2003 The Land Before Time X: The Great Longneck Migration Bron Voice; Direct-to-DVD Paradise Found Paul Gauguin 2004 Taking Lives Christopher Hart NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience The Narrator Voice; Documentary Jiminy Glick in Lalawood Himself Cameo 2005 River Queen Doyle 2006 Samson Voice Secret Service Agent David Breckinridge 2008 Dragonlance: Dragons of Autumn Twilight Raistlin Majere Voice Mirrors Ben Carson 2009 Monsters vs. Aliens General Warren R. Monger Voice 2010 Twelve The Narrator Marmaduke Bosco Voice 2011 Melancholia John 2012 The Reluctant Fundamentalist Jim Cross 2014 Pompeii Senator Quintus Attius Corvus 2015 Forsaken John Henry Clayton 2016 Zoolander 2 Himself Cameo 2017 Where Is Kyra? Doug Flatliners Dr. Barry Wolfson 2022 The Contractor Rusty Jennings 2023 They Cloned Tyrone Nixon The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial Lieutenant Commander Queeg 2024 Juror #2 Larry Lasker 2025 Stone Cold Fox Sergeant Billy Breaker Tinsel Town Bradley Mack 2026 Brothers Under Fire Captain Jordan Wright Father Joe Father Joe Filming Filming
Television Year Title Role Notes Reference(s) 1985 Amazing Stories "Static" Episode: "The Mission" 1986 Brotherhood of Justice Victor Parks Television film Trapped in Silence Kevin Richter 1991 Saturday Night Live Himself (host) Episode: "Kiefer Sutherland/Skid Row" 1993 Last Light "Denver" Bayliss Television film; also director 1995 Fallen Angels Matt Cordell Episode: "Love and Blood"; also director 1996 Duke of Groove The Host Short film 1999 Watership Down Hickory Voice; 3 episodes L.A. Confidential Detective Jack Vincennes Unreleased pilot 2001–2010 24 Jack Bauer Lead role; 192 episodes; also executive producer 2005 The Narrator Voice; Documentary 2006–2011 The Colonel / Jack Bauer / Wayne Voices; 3 episodes 2006 I Trust You to Kill Me Himself Documentary Family Guy The Narrator (Jack Bauer) Voice; Episode: "Stu and Stewie's Excellent Adventure" 2008 Corner Gas Himself Episode: "Final Countdown" 24: Redemption Jack Bauer Television film; also executive producer 2009 B.O.B's Big Break General Warren R. Monger Voice; Short film Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space Voice; Television special 2011 The Confession The Confessor Lead role; 10 episodes; also executive producer Night of the Living Carrots General Warren R. Monger Voice; Short film 2012–2013 Touch Martin Bohm Lead role; 26 episodes; also executive producer 2014 24: Live Another Day Jack Bauer Lead role; 12 episodes; also executive producer Playhouse Presents: Marked James Dempsey Television film 2015 Rammstein in Amerika Himself Documentary Keeping Canada Alive The Narrator Voice; 6 episodes 2016–2019 Designated Survivor President Thomas Adam “Tom” Kirkman Lead role; 53 episodes; also executive producer 2019 Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Himself Episode: "Compounding Pharmacies" 2020 The Fugitive Detective Clay Bryce Main cast Creepshow Richard Pine Voice; Episode: "Survivor Type/Twittering from the Circus of the Dead" 2022 The First Lady President Franklin D. Roosevelt 10 episodes 2023 Rabbit Hole John Weir Lead role; 8 episodes; also executive producer John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial The Narrator Voice; Docuseries
Video games Year Title Role Notes Reference(s) 2006 24: The Game Jack Bauer 2008 Call of Duty: World at WarFinal Fronts Sergeant Roebuck PS2 counterpart to World at War Call of Duty: World at War 2014 Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes Venom Snake / Big Boss Also facial capture; Role billed simply as "Snake" 2015 Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain 2018 Metal Gear Survive Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 Gideon Jones DLC "Dead of the Night"
Music videos Year Title Artist(s) Role Notes 2004 "Don't Wanna Think About You" Simple Plan Narrator Voice 2005 "The Longest Day (Remix)" Armin Van Buuren Jack Bauer Archival footage
See also List of awards and nominations received by Kiefer Sutherland
References
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