HALIFAX, N.S.–You can count Jason Priestley out of the Two and a Half Men sweepstakes.
“I’m booked,” says the busy actor/director. His TMN/Movie Central series Call Me Fitz has wrapped production on a second season and he’s busy shooting four episodes of Haven, which returns for a second season on Showcase July 18.
Priestley says he knows Charlie Sheen well, having sat in on poker games with the man many times over the years. (Who did most of the #WINNING? Priestley says he won his share.) He says Sheen is one funny dude and is one of those who still expects Sheen to magically reappear when the series eventually finds its way back onto the CBS schedule. “The ratings would be through the roof,” he remarks.
Priestley is having a ball playing the son of the mayor on Haven, a role written for him by executive producer Shawn Piller. Piller wanted Priestley to join Haven for a number of reasons, not the least of which was Fitz and Haven share the same crews and everybody loves working with Priestley. Another reason–fate. Several years ago, Piller was renting a place out in Vancouver. A Mr. Priestley used to come around once a month to collect the rent. Piller started getting all these phone messaged for some guy named “Jason,” wishing him well after his car accident. He put two and two together and figured out he was renting Jason Priestley’s house and didn’t even know it!
The kicker to the story: the tenant one floor below also had a TV show–executive producer Chris Carter from The X-Files. According to Piller, Priestley and his pals used to relief thenselves off the balcony into Mr. Carter’s garden below. Used to piss the X-man off, literally.
Priestley sounds like he’s settled down from those carefree B.C. days. Having a 1 1/2 and three year old at home tends to settle a guy down. As for Haven, Priestley says he`s having a blast hanging with chummy co-stars Emily Rose, Lucas Bryant and Eric Balfour. Priestley`s also scheduled to direct this season`s eighth episode.
