'Cedar Cove' Drama Series Ushers in an Impactful Bad Boy Character Played by the great Tom Stevens

    LOS ANGELES, CA, February 09, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Tom Stevens is a fantastic actor who's been working in film and television for more than half a decade. His diverse range as a performer has allowed him to work in genres ranging from sci-fi to comedy to drama and romance.

Primary among his acting credits, Stevens was a lead in the WWE-produced film, "12 Rounds 2," alongside Randy Orton. He's also been seen in many hit television shows including Fox's "Wayward Pines" and Hallmark's "Cedar Cove."

"Cedar Cove" is an hour-long drama that aired for three seasons from 2013 to 2015. The series is based on Debbie Macomber's novel of the same name about Municipal Court Judge Olivia Lockhart's life within the town of Port Orchard. Starring Andie McDowell, it was Hallmark's first original scripted series.

Stevens played Eric Griffith, the town's rebel without a cause. As a character, Eric never had a chance to be anything but a misfit. He grew up angered by the absence of an alcoholic father and was forced to raise himself alone.

"Portraying ego and anger, I really like that," Stevens said. "Eric was too tough for the town, the only bad boy in town kind of thing."

Ron French, who executive produced for "Cedar Cove" and produced for "Wayward Pines," said, "Mr. Stevens really stood out to me as an actor gifted with rare talent and one who possesses a noteworthy work ethic. He was always a pleasure to have on set and I would feel fortunate to work with a one-of-a-kind actor of his abilities in the future."

In the story of "Cedar Cove," Eric arrives in town after years of aimless wandering across the country. A simple knock at the door reunites him with his estranged father, Jack (played by Dylan Neal). Jack is in many ways a completely new man. He's sober, working as a newspaper editor, and has a developing love story with McDowell's character. Nonetheless, it doesn't take long for conflict to kick in between father and son.

This role was a great change of pace for Stevens, as he often played well-intentioned, nice guys, but those who simultaneously have a potentially darker undertone. By the end of Season 2, Eric had cheated on his soon-to-be child's mother, Shelly (Hayley Sales) and teamed up with the villain of the show - Warren Saget (Brennan Elliot) - a cutthroat land developer with mafia ties. All of Eric's wrongdoings built up to a peak when the season ended in his possible death.

By Eric's finale at the beginning of Season 3, one that featured his survival and moving away from Cedar Cove with Shelly and their newborn, Stevens had portrayed the character with a complete arc.

"He went from being a scruffy granola beatnik to wearing a soccer dad coat," Stevens said. "He's ready to be an adult. I made the decision for the character to be completely sober. He's always had a mature mind, but you had to see him come into it. Boy to man. Classic arc."

For Stevens, his character's definitive moment came in Season 2. "When we're running Shelly into the OR for a cesarean, I'm running beside the bed. She said she wants to put the baby up for adoption because she says I'm not going to be the man she needs me to be," Stevens recalled. "The moment we get there, the reality of losing his girlfriend and baby, who may die in there, from that point on, that was where he started to change from being that boy to being that man. He made a decision to change. The match was struck."

At the time of his casting, Stevens ironically was living a life that left him perfect for the show. He partied, played in a Vancouver based band and lived in a house full of friends. The unwitting method immersion was a positive though as Carl Binder-- the Season 1 showrunner-- noted Stevens was scruffy around the edges, but beneath still had that All-American boy look they were seeking for the series.

"The most challenging part was dealing with Eric's naivety," Stevens said. "I was really regretfully making decisions as a kid too. As the great John Patrick Shanley said, 'Theatre is a safe place to do unsafe things.' I had to play those moments in front of the camera. You're making those decisions, making those actions and stuff happens in the moment where you have to do it because this is a safe place to do it."

The tough guy looks didn't represent the man that Stevens truly was, though. He was a series regular and he understood the responsibilities that came with the line of work.

"It's a craft. It's a job. You have to put in serious effort," he said.

And it all paid dividends in the ends. To Stevens, a film set is a family. It's a collaboration, and if everyone puts in their best work, then the product will ultimately provide the greatest satisfaction to its creators and viewers.

Within every family, there are always a few standouts, and Stevens felt a great connection on set during his scenes with Andie McDowell.

"She nailed me to the wall and told me this is how Eric needs to get done," Stevens said of MacDowell. "Working with her is a blast. She's old film. Everything's about rehearsing, working, finding more. She was really adamant about grinding out these scenes."

Despite his immediate admiration for MacDowell, he had to win her approval. In Stevens' debut on "Cedar Cover," Season 1, Episode 3: "Reunion," his character finally meets Andie's. In the scene, he interrupts her character on a date with his father character, Jack. In the midst of the action, he began improvising. Eventually, he plopped a huge clump of salad on McDowell's plate. The director called cut, and immediately expressed admiration for what he'd done. His fellow actors commended him as well, and understood Stevens had the needed initiative to get the job done the right way.

"Cedar Cove" brought Tom Stevens the realization of great success and fandom. He moved fans of the show to take to Twitter to enthusiastically discuss his characterization, and whether or not he was a bad guy influencing "Cedar Cove."

"What's entertainment is something that sticks with you," he said, "whether it's superficial or something that pisses you off."

While the show has reached its end, it is easy to verify Tom's name will continue to trend on Twitter, and to trend as a mainstay in acting for film and television in years to come.

Tom Stevens is a film and TV actor from Canada.

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