Welcome to the original Callum Keith Rennie Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document! Callum is a rising Canadian actor whose presence as the edgy Stan Kowalski on due SOUTH has earned him the adoration of many international fans. He's now moved on to a variety of film projects, and we'll continue to cover his career as it grows.

This FAQ will utilize information distributed in the press / media. It is not meant to invade Mr. Rennie's privacy, so you won't find his home address here. Contributions of material to share with other fans is welcome at JRD203@aol.com.

• Who is Callum Keith Rennie?
  Callum is a Canadian actor whose intense portrayals in Canadian films has earned him critical acclaim. He is now known internationally due to his role as Detective Stanley Raymond Kowalski in the series due SOUTH, which is aired in over 150 countries. He's currently focusing his career on film. For a comprehensive overview, please check out his Biography page.

• What are Callum's overall 'stats'?
  Callum was born September 14, 1960. He has blond hair and blue eyes. His height and weight have not been stated absolutely, but were mentioned at 5'10-1/2" and 159 lbs. respectively, on an episode of due SOUTH ("Spy vs. Spy"). In comparing him to other actors whose heights are known, this may very well be correct information.

• Where is Callum from?
  Callum was born in the industrial town of Sunderland, England. His parents (both Scottish) moved to Edmonton, Alberta when he was four years old, and he remained there until he was 18 (last we can uncover).

• Does Callum have family?
  Yes. Articles state that his parents are still alive (but separated) (MacLean's, 13 October 1997), and he has one older brother, and one younger brother. His mother was born in Inverness, and his father in Aberdeen, Scotland, respectively.

• Is Callum married?
  No. He pretty much keeps his personal relationships private, although in the March 1998 issue of Saturday Magazine, he stated that during his drinking period, he lived for nearly two years with actress Babz Chula, a woman 14 years his senior whom he'd met at a Starbucks in Vancouver. He also mentioned in one article that he had several girlfriends who were painters. At the 19th annual Genie Awards, he thanked an 'extraordinary friend, Liz', who was sitting next to him (and is also his agent).

• What is his educational background?
  He attended Strathcona High School in Edmonton, Alberta. One of his classmates and friends was Bruce (Kids in the Hall) McCullough, who introduced him to punk music. He received a student loan to attend college ($5,000) but instead of furthering intellectual pursuits, he purchased a truck and went fishing for a couple of months.

  

• The following quotes are from Callum's twelfth grade yearbook, where he was listed as "Callum Rennie." What they mean is anybody's guess, but then teenagers aren't known for posting eloquent prose in yearbooks... a years later usually change their minds!
  • Favorite Saying: I'm only smiling because the photographer has a birth defect, pick on the guy who comes from the broken home.
  • Activities: Consuming a fermented beverage which enlightens my inner being, rock climbing, pumping limestone.
  • Past Glories: Not getting caught stealing cookies since 1965, getting beat up by a tree.
  • Pet Peeves: The photographer's shirt that I borrowed, which has armpits that smell like a hamster cage, Bruce M., non-existent pockets, things that are yellow.
  • Ambition: Go down under to the fishin' hole and catch me a mess-o-catfish, lost arrow spire, the Harlin route on the Eiger with Labek, to do a dance routine with Ginger Rogers.
  • Likes: Mum's apple pie, soiled underpants, realized ultimate reality, pitons, Dougal Haston Laton Kor, John Harlin, John Travolta.

• What kind of studying did he do to learn acting?
  He attended Bruhanski Theatre Studio in Vancouver in the 1980's and took several classes. His teacher felt he had a tremendous acting talent.

• What has he done professionally?
  For an excellent overview of Callum's acting work, please check out Internet Movie Database, which lists his television, theatre and film work.

• What sort of awards has he won, if any?
  Callum's acting talents have not gone unnoticed by his peers. He's been nominated for several Canadian awards, and won several, including Leo Awards for Flower and Garnet and Suspicious River; Genie Award for Last Night; and Gemini Award for My Life as a Dog.

• What is Callum doing right now?
  Movies and television!

• When did Callum get into acting?
  According to several articles, he didn't get into acting until he was in his mid-20's, while he was at college, but he thought about it at age 18 but didn't do anything about it. ( Saturday Night Magazine, March 1998) Callum also said that it was doing a radio show that hooked him on acting. "After doing the one show, on that one day, Saturday, I took all my climbing gear and books about it and threw 'em out, and I said, this is what I do now. I'm going to be an actor..." (Globe and Mail, 14 December 1996)

• What was Callum's first TV role?
  The syndicated series Highlander, and he said it was a 'terrifying' experience.

• A lot of articles have mentioned Callum's drinking problem. What are the details?
  It is a topic that doesn't escape the press, as it is a large and integral part of Callum's life. He began drinking when he was in his mid-teens ("When I was seventeen, I drank a 26-ounce bottle of vodka in half an hour and went into convulsions. I ended up in hospital." (Saturday Magazine, March 1998) Despite that near fatal experience, Callum continued his self-destructive behavior. For Callum, drinking had become of way of dulling pain, of speaking his mind, but it also ate up an incredible chunk of his life, which has been cited at a decade. He would 'dry out' for periods while acting, but afterwards, would slide back into the habit.

  In the summer of 1993, a period he has called the 'Christ Year'(Ottawa Citizen, 29 October 1996), his life turned around after a dramatic event. He went into a rough Vancouver bar, and, admittedly, ticked off a construction worker. He 'flipped the bird' to the construction worker, who punched his fist through a plate glass window, and drove a shard of glass into Callum's left eye and retina. "There I was, three days later, almost having a heart attack realizing where I'd sunk myself. I haven't had a drink since." (NOW, 17-23 October 1996)

  The glasses he wore in the movie Double Happiness were his own.

• Is that tattoo on Callum's arm real?
  Yes, the tattoo on his upper right arm is that of the Champion Spark Logo, which is an homage to the American painter Stuart Davis, not the actual sparkplug.

• What are his favorite hangouts?
  They're unknown, and wouldn't be posted here anyway. But, as a teenager in Edmonton, he liked to hang out at RATT and Dewey's while on campus.

• What kind of jobs has he held in the 'lean years?'
  Tree planter, paper baler, bartender, laid railroad tracks, worked in restaurants and nightclubs, including the Anza Club and Graceland [Vancouver]. Cook and construction worker.

  

• What's the story with the ring he wears?
  Several photos of Callum have shown him wearing a distinctive ring. While working on Hard Core Logo, Callum struck up a friendship with Hugh Dillon, lead singer of the rock group, 'The Headstones.' Dillon gave him a Headstones ring, which Callum wears to this day.

• What is his nickname 'body hammer' all about?
  This was a nickname given to Callum, reportedly, by one of his brothers. However, we have no idea what it is reference to.

• What kind of music does Callum listen to?
  As a teenager (so his tastes may very well have evolved), he listed to punk groups, such as the Viletones, D.O.A., and the Diodes.

• What does he do to stay in shape?
  One article (Flare Magazine, October 1996) stated that he was "formerly an obsessive rock climber," a passion he adhered to during high school and for four years after (until the acting bug bit). He said that while working on the due SOUTH episode "Doctor Longball," he developed a love of baseball. He also did his own stunts on that series, but smartly left the dangerous ones to the pros.

• Does he have any favorite foods, habits?
  Many articles have quoted him as drinking lots of coffee, and smoking cigarettes. The 13 October 1997 Maclean's Magazine said he made carrot juice in his trailer on due SOUTH.

• Does he aspire to be a movie star?
  No. While he enjoys the freedom that movies afford him, he's perfectly content to take on supporting roles. It's the acting that attracts this shy man to the craft, not the lure of the big lights.

• An article said he owned a classic car. Does he still have it?
  Callum had a 1964 truck, and in mid-1998 (after due SOUTH ended), he purchased a black 1998 Ford Expedition SUV. He drove down to Mexico in it, and there, he had his first try at saltwater fishing. He caught a 300-pound swordfish (dubbed Marlon Brando) which reportedly will hang in the office of his close friend and manager, Elizabeth Hodgson.

• What is Callum's favorite film?
  On a 1999 episode of Star TV (a Canadian program), he said it was the Canadian flick Men in Uniform.

• Does Callum have a fan club?
  No official ones exist. However, please see the Web Site note below.

• Does Callum have any web sites devoted to him?
  Yes! Many fan due SOUTH sites include information on Callum, and there are several that are devoted exclusively to his talents. To access the most current list, please check out the Due South Internet Site page.

• Where can I write to Callum? Can I request an autographed photo?
  See Callum's Biography page for a current address.
  
  If you're writing from the States, please be aware that postage costs more to Canada. You can request an autographed photo, but we really don't know how long it takes, or how busy Callum is, to undertake such a task.

On himself and his future in acting.
"I'm not handsome enough for leading roles and not ugly enough to play criminals." (TV Times, 16-22 June 1995)

On the kinds of role he gets.
"The Vancouver-based Rennie adds that he often finds himself playing working-class types. 'They just seem to fit me,' Rennie says. 'They're not typically what you would consider the leading man." And, he adds with a laugh, 'they hardly ever get the girl.'" (Maclean's, 19 June 1995)

On his rising career.
"It's not about success or competition. It's about exploration and overcoming internal fears." (Flare Magazine, October 1996)

On his high school years.
"The challenging started.. the music changed... the Sex Pistols, the Ramones. I was hanging out with Bruce McCulloch (Kids in the Hall) at high school. People I'd grown up with were offended by my choice of a new friend and my choice of social commentary which had an anti-conservative message rage to it." Citing a 1996 interview in the (Vines Magazine, April-May 1996)

On his college years.
"I had my hair in a Mohawk and got my ass kicked by a lot of folks who didn't get it." (The Edmonton Journal, Oct. 5, 1996)

On acting.
"I was always interested in theatre but thought it was egomanaical to decide all of a sudden you wanted to be an actor." (Vancouver Province, 15 Oct. 1996)

On family.
"In the movie [For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down], Bines' main motivation for going straight is to be a good father to his son; Rennie says one of the reasons he acts is because 'my brothers both have kids. I don't want to be seen as just a freaky uncle.'" (TV Guide [Canadian], 14 December 1996)

Regarding long-term TV commitments.
"I'm 36 and I can do that stuff later if that's what I feel like doing. My interest is more film and when you sign those deals [TV shows] you're hooked up for a long time... If it works out you might get over-exposed and I really worry about that. I worry about being caught on a successful series... It's like William Shatner, it's like anybody who was on MASH. They're doing dinner theatre. Television will pay you a lot of money but there is a risk of having all of our chops seen." (Edmonton Jounral, 15 December 1996)

On committing to due SOUTH for a year.
"I like working on lots of different gigs so that [Due SOUTH] was a bit hard. You got to play a character and discover lots of different things about him but there's also you can get, maybe, safe...." (Canoe web site, 06 October 1997)

On his own acting abilities.
"I may move to New York and go to school - acting school. I suck." (Canoe web site, 06 October 1997)

On fame:.
"When you're shiny, everyone wants to stand next to you." (Vancouver Sun, 01 April 1997)

On being interviewed.
"It's hard to be interviewed. I don't want to sound arrogant, but I don't want to sound like a pushover and I don't know I am but I think I am defined by my relationships but I don't have that many friends..." (Saturday Magazine, March 1998)

On stuntwork.
"I enjoy doing all that stuff but they'll bring a stuntman in when the insurance calls for it because they don't want the actors to hurt themselves and have shooting grind to a halt. Strangely enough, the stunts that don't look like they are going to be painful are the ones that actually are." (TV Zone #104, July 1998)

On due SOUTH.
"The truth is it was the best working environment I've ever been in and that includes the crew as well as the cast. Not to get mushy, but as an actor, when you have that kind of backing, you feel as if you can do almost anything and we did." (TV Zone #104, July 1998)

On working on Last Night
"Don [McKellar] had completely specific ideas about what he wanted. I had a lot of questions, but Don was going to stick to his guns. There were sparks." (Eye, 18 June 1998)

On how he might spend his last six hours on earth...
When questioned along with co-star Sandra Oh during a press junket for the film Last Night, Callum said: "I'd eat airplane food as my last meal. The kind you'd get in coach. The chicken entree." (Toronto Sun, 24 May 1998))

Curtis's Charm.
"The pairing of Rennie and Wint is a stroke of brilliance. Each is an accomplished actor in his own right; together they generate a dramatic intensity rarely, if ever, seen in Canadian film. (Toronto I.F.F., date unknown)

Curtis's Charm.
"Rennie's nuanced performance as the straight man, meanwhile, is truly compelling." (Maclean's, 12 February 1996)

"His was a self-destructive tremendous talent. Callum's battles were never with his craft. They were always with Callum." - Alex Bruhanski, acting teacher, Vancouver. (Saturday Magazine, March 1998)

For Those Who Hunt the Wounded Down.
"Callum certainly captured Jerry's hurt," says Bailey. "He plays him as very wounded. There's no false sentimentality, just truth." (Toronto Star, 15 December 1996)

For Those Hunt the Wounded Down.
"He's definitely brought a sexiness to the part. You look at Callum, you're interested in him immediately." Norma Bailey, director (TV Guide [Canadian], 14 December 1996)

Hard Core Logo.
"And as his [Dillon's] foil, Rennie (the shy suitor opposite Sandra Oh in Double Happiness) looks like another Canadian movie star just waiting to be discovered." (Maclean's, 14 October 1996)

Hard Core Logo.
"Through it all we'll watch the tension build as Dick realizes that Tallent - who has a chance to play with a successful L.A. band called Jenifur - is a reluctant member of Hard Core Logo. As played by Callum Keith Rennie, Tallent is ambitious, not always likeable, and very self-centered. It is a remarkable performance from Edmonton-born [sic] Rennie, who manages to bring a surprising degree of sympathy to the part of the troubled guitar player, even as he bickers with bandleader Dick." (The Edmonton Journal, date unknown)

"Faces to Watch in the New Year: Actor Callum Keith Rennie proved himself in the recent cult hit Hard Core Logo. This could be the year for the thirtysomething Vancouver-based thespian, who has played everything from junkies to good guys, to shine on a larger stage." (Vancouver Province, 29 Dec. 1996)

Mastermind.
"...The supporting cast is lively, ranging from [Brenda] Fricker as a tough Molly Brown type and the ever dependable Jay Brazeau to eccentric Bentley gang members played by Callum Keith Rennie and David Paul Grove." (Variety, 20 August 1997)

Men with Guns.
"...the script slides into grim, blood-slick formula. But there is a strong cast, including Paul Sorvino as a crime boss and Callum Keith Rennie, who steals the movie with his off-kilter performance as a spaced-out druggie." (Maclean's, 15 September 1997)

"Callum Keith Rennie is one of the lead actors in Men with Guns, and he also appeared in Double Happiness. He is one of the most in-demand thesps right now in Canada..." (Variety, 12-18 May 1997)

Paris or Somewhere.
"Although there are times in the movie where it's made-for-television seams show, the performances make it special. Rennie, in particular, makes Christy a facinating and believable character..." (The Edmonton Journal, 18 March 1995)

Callum was of the 100 Canadians to Watch
(Maclean's, 01 July 1997)

Twitch City.
"What a top-notch cast of regulars they've assembled! Kids in the Hall's Bruce McCullough, Daniel MacIvor, Callum Keith Rennie (Canada's hottest new screen actor), Tracy Wright and Molly Parker..." (Toronto Star, date unknown)

Sexiest Man?
Callum was chosen as one of Canada's 15 Sexiest Men in the June 1999 issue of Chatelaine magazine and was given this bizarre assessment: "Not much of an advertisement for Canadian dentistry, but you can't have everything. Slide him into a lumberjacket and the actor best known for Due South and Hard Core Logo resembles the scruffiest salesman on the Christmas-tree lot- the guy who reeks of rye and cops a feel while handling over the fir. Rennie's hoser accent is the dollop of whipped cream that puts this Canadian-made butter tart over the top."