Since switching careers from police officer to actor, Jim Klock has appeared in many screen hits including Deepwater Horizon and The Whole Truth and this year he appeared in Warner Bros. release of Alex & Me. In 2015, Jim could be seen portraying the role of Detective Chisolm in popular TV series Scream Queens and also played the father of Jack Kilmer’s character in The Stanford Prison Experiment. Catching up with Jim, we find out more about working on Deepwater Horizon, filming alongside Armie Hammer for the Special Olympics Virginia and his current projects.
Who is your character Joe Wills in Alex & Me and can you describe him?
Joe Wills is a loving father and husband who unfortunately gets a little too focused on his son’s college football career and can’t see his little girl is in need of her Dad as well. Fortunately, he sees before it’s too late that he must do all he can to help his daughter pursue her love of soccer. He agrees to help coach her soccer team after they end up without a coach, but he doesn’t know anything about soccer. Thankfully the amazing Alex Morgan secretly lends a hand. It was a wonderful character to play in a very loving family film.
How long were you filming?
We filmed for three weeks in the fall of 2017.
What was it like on set of Deepwater Horizon alongside Mark Wahlberg?
It was a lot of fun. Mark was such a gracious and fun actor to work with. I really enjoyed my scene with him and being directed by Peter Berg was awesome. It was a high energy set full of amazing people.
Where did you film your role of Detective Chisolm in Scream Queens?
Season one was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana.
How did the video come about that you filmed alongside Armie Hammer for the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office for Special Olympics Virginia?
I’m a part time deputy sheriff with the Stafford County Sheriff’s office in Stafford, Va. and I work directly with Sheriff David Decatur who is an amazing person. He and I share an abundant love for the Special Olympics and he works very closely with the Virginia Law Enforcement Torch run for the special Olympics. So it first started with Alex Morgan on the film “Alex and Me” where I just started asking my co-stars if they would like to get involved. Alex jumped at the opportunity that led to my friend Keanu Reeves having Sheriff Decatur and I visit him on set of “John Wick 3” for some promotion of the Special Olympics and then when approached, Armie didn’t hesitate for a second. Armie is a special person and he has a big heart. I loved working with him and getting to know him and his wife was a special treat. He loved getting involved with the Special Olympics and helping us out.
Without giving spoilers, are you able to tell us about your recurring role in Cloak & Dagger?
I can only say I play a hardnosed basketball coach that drives the team and players with a lot of intensity.
What was it like on the set of the award-winning film The Stanford Prison Experiment?
Such a fun experience. I loved working with the director Kyle Patrick Alvarez and Billy Crudup was simply wonderful. Not only is he an amazing actor but just a great guy. Jack Kilmer (Val Kilmer’s son) played my son and was absolutely incredible. Such a talented and kind young man, I’m excited to watch his career.
Who is your character Warren, and who did you spend most time with on set?
I played a dad who was visiting one of the students who was pretending to be an inmate. I was just a concerned father who could feel this experimental situation may not be working out so well. I spent most of my time with Jack Kilmer, an incredible young actor who played my son.
What was Jump Outs like to film and would you like to bring it back to screens?
Jump Outs was a reality-based show that mixed a sports element with a law enforcement element. It was a lot of fun to film and in the vein of something like “The Amazing Race”.
How long was Interrogations Gone Wrong in the making, and how did you come up with the idea?
I first created Interrogations Gone Wrong in 2013 and truly was just looking for a creative outlet to work in the comedy arena. After I did the first episode, I really thought wow these characters could be fun to explore and grow. It’s changed a little from the beginning but has really found its voice over time and of course with a guest star like Keanu Reeves it went to a new level with a larger audience. I came up with the idea because I used to be a detective and I just thought it would be funny to create an environment where these interrogations just went completely off the rails with two cops who have no business being cops in the first place!
Who is Leblanc in The Whole Truth?
Leblanc is an extremely confident and strong prosecutor who believes without a shadow of doubt he has the right killer. He thinks he has a slam dunk case and throughout the trial he thinks he’s putting nail after nail in this coffin but when it takes a turn, he knows immediately that the defense is throwing a Hail Mary with the intent to sway the jury by destroying the victim’s name and making the prime suspect a victim in this case. This was an amazing role and I absolutely love working with director Courtney Hunt. She was such a strong and honest director who really built me up and let me fly. The cast was wonderful and I’m very grateful to Keanu and Renée Zellweger for being such amazing actors and people.
What can you tell us about Code 3 Films?
Code 3 Films is the production company I own with my best friend Darrell Martinelli. We started the company many years ago when I was just trying to create opportunities for me as an actor. We started producing all kinds of projects and learning filmmaking through many ups and downs but always saying to each other the only thing we can’t do is quit. Thank God we didn’t and now we’ve been able to grow our little company into a wonderful full-service production company. With other members of our team Emily Adams and Chris Hubbart we have a lot of exciting projects we’re looking forward to making in the future.
How does it feel when you’re nominated for and winning awards?
It’s very humbling anytime your work as an artist is seen and appreciated by other artists and industry professionals. I’ve been very blessed to have some work as an actor and filmmaker be noticed or critiqued in a favourable manner but also, I’ve been blessed to learn from the times my work didn’t turn out as well. I think everyone likes accolades especially when you spend many years working towards your goals, but I’ve learned in the entertainment business we grow just as much when we stumble and fall so I try not to get too high or low based on any attention, good or bad. I simply want to appreciate the people who take the time to encourage me and stay focused on my journey being a marathon not a sprint and reminding myself I will never stop growing or learning, ever.
How did you find switching jobs from police officer to actor?
At first it was really difficult. I missed my brothers and sisters in law enforcement and I really missed that feeling of doing something bigger than myself. I think it took me a few years to realise that I needed to find ways in my new career to give back to others in some manner. Staying a part time deputy and working with Sheriff Decatur has helped immensely and also as my career has grown, I start to really see the opportunities all around me to still be someone who helps people in need.
Are you able to say anything regarding the work you’ve recently filmed, such as Santa Jaws and Above Suspicion?
Santa Jaws was a wonderful adventure and my first time working in the Sci-Fi genre. It was so much fun, and we had a wonderful cast and crew. The director Misty Talley and producer Daniel Lewis really created an environment for all of us to do what we love in an extremely enjoyable way. Misty is such a talented filmmaker and I am very blessed to have worked with everyone on the film.
Above Suspicion I can’t say much about but it’s a very interesting real-life story and I enjoyed my time on the film.
What productions are you currently working on?
I can currently be seen in the film “Green Book” directed by the amazing Peter Farrelly and starring Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali. I had such an amazing time working with these men and it was an absolute treat to be directed by Peter. What a funny, kind and brilliant man. Working with Viggo and Mahershala was a treat I will never forget. I loved spending a few days with those amazing actors. They were so gracious and wonderful to everyone.
I recently completed the “untitled Babak Anvari Project” starring Armie Hammer which was awesome, “The Long Shadow” starring Tess Harper, the “untitled Henry & Rel Sci-Fi project” for Netflix starring Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt and I just directed a film I wrote, produced and starred in called “Red Letters” under our Code 3 Films banner which co-stars Mike Capozzi who also stars alongside me in “Interrogations Gone Wrong”. This is a horror film which will be released in 2019.
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