Portraying Jack Bauer in 24, Kiefer Sutherland has cemented a legacy that is not only a highlight of his illustrious acting career but has also left a lasting mark on television. Establishing such a legacy has been the result of the actor’s strong commitment to his role, which often blurred the lines between him and his iconic character.
Amid the successful run of the TV series, Sutherland often spent considerable time in makeup to have his character’s tattoo applied. To streamline the process, he ultimately decided to get the same tattoo himself, permanently embodying a piece of Jack Bauer in real life.
Kiefer Sutherland endured hours of makeup to hide his tattoos on 24
Kiefer Sutherland had already established himself as a successful actor before he took on the role of Jack Bauer in the crime thriller series 24. The character has since become one of his most popular and acclaimed performances.
And throughout his time on the show, his contributions ranged beyond bringing the iconic Jack Bauer to life on screen, including his decision to get the same tattoo as his character in the series.
As per Looper, Sutherland, who has several tattoos in real life, had to endure hours of makeup to cover them up, as his character did not have any.
However, during Season 3, when the storyline required Bauer to have a tattoo of the Virgin of Guadalupe, makeup artists had to meticulously recreate the design on Sutherland’s skin each time it appeared on screen, adding an extra layer of complexity to the already time-consuming process.
Kiefer Sutherland got a real tattoo to avoid hours of makeup for 24
Initially, the makeup artists’ task was to precisely cover Kiefer Sutherland’s real tattoos. However, the process became even more demanding in Season 3 when Jack Bauer apparently gets a tattoo of the Virgin of Guadalupe while undercover with the Salazar Brothers.
And to avoid spending hours in the makeup chair to get the tattoo recreated for every shoot, the Emmy-winning actor ultimately decided to make it permanent, getting the Virgin of Guadalupe tattoo inked on his arm for real.
The decision not only saved him significant time in makeup but also deepened his connection to his character, further blurring the lines between Sutherland and the iconic Jack Bauer.
Kiefer Sutherland shared how his tattoos tell the story of his life
The Virgin of Guadalupe tattoo joined several others that Sutherland has collected over the years, each marking different chapters of his life. In an interview with The Times, the actor revealed that he got his first tattoo at the age of 17.
Talking about the Virgin of Guadalupe tattoo, he shared that he was inspired to get the tattoo after noticing how many Latin American men in his neighborhood had images of the Virgin Mary on their cars.
“Where these men came from in life is so cruel,” he said, before adding,
They’ve been praying to Jesus and God their whole life, so they started praying to Mary thinking she might be kinder. I thought that was really profound and so unique to my neighbourhood that I got that tattooed.
Among several of his tattoos, is one representing the Douglas clan, a tribute to his mother, Shirley Douglas, as well as a design featuring three birds, which he revealed symbolize the three times he had been to prison.
“I was never going to put myself in that position again,” Sutherland said, explaining that his tattoos serve as a reminder for him to do better and avoid putting himself in similar situations again.
24 is available to watch on Disney+.
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