The Kennedy assassination, time travel and … Ancaster
An TV miniseries based on a thriller by Stephen King about the Kennedy assassination that features a time travelling hero played by James Franco — sounds like a sure winner, no?
Oh, and one of it’s executive producers is J.J. Abrams, the same guy who directed “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
Throw in the fact that it was filmed partly in the Hamilton area and it makes “11.22.63” a must for local viewers. “11.22.63” represents the date John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Tex.
It’s also the name of King’s 849-page novel in which a school teacher, played by Franco, travels back in time to try to prevent Kennedy’s assassination.
Apparently, the task isn’t as easy as you would have thought, especially when you fall in love with somebody living in the past (played by Toronto actress Sarah Gadon).
Franco’s character learns that time doesn’t like being toyed with and history doesn’t like being changed.
The eight-part TV series of the same name kicks off Wednesday, Feb. 17, on Super Channel at 9 p.m.
One person sure to be watching is 17year-old Anthony Colonello. The Westdale Grade 11 student is part of the cast. It’s not a big part, but, hey, he got to be in a couple of scenes with Franco (unfortunately we’re going to have to wait until Episode 4 to see them).
“It isn’t a huge part, but it was really cool to experience it. It’s nice to have that foundation. It will look very cool on a resume being in a show produced by J.J. Abrams and Stephen King. It was nice working with James Franco.”
Colonello, an aspiring actor since playing the Munchkin mayor four years ago in Theatre Ancaster’s Wizard of Oz, got himself an audition in June through the Fulcher Agency in Toronto.
“The audition was all of about two minutes long,” says Colonello. “I walked in. I read my lines … It was a pretty casual audition.
“They knew what they wanted. It was the look. It’s so selective on looks. A lot of the other guys (at the audition) had the same look as I did.”
In July, the production company turned Ancaster’s Mount Mary Retreat Centre into a ’60s-era Texas high school. Franco played a teacher, Colonello one of his students.
The toughest part about the role was the dental work he had to have done for it.
“I had to get my braces off (before the shoot) and then put back on again (after the shoot),” Colonello said. “The series takes place in ’60s and they didn’t have clear braces back then.”
Colonello has worked in a number of local theatre productions and shot a 60second commercial for Go RVing Canada. He is also a competitive tap dancer with Rythum Plus Dance in Stoney Creek and an instructor with Hamilton’s Dreamlight Studio.
Colonello would love to pursue acting as a career, but remains realistic. He still plans to go university as a backup.
“I want to do psychology as an undergrad and will probably go into law after that,” he says.