Director Joe Cornet’s latest Western, The Wide West, marks the latest indie effort from the director in association with actor and producer Alexander Nevsky. The film follows a gunman and sheriff who pair up to foil the terrorist plot of a ruthless gang, with the help of two envoys: Japanese sumo wrestlers traveling to meet President Roosevelt.
Baillie is also tapped to appear in the next installment of Cornet’s Rio Bravo trilogy which chronicles the adventures of real-life former soldier-turned-lawman, Ivan Turchin, played by Nevsky. The actor discuss this, among other aspects of his career and future plans in the interview below, coordinated with the help of Nevsky and his team.
How did you begin your career as both an actor and a producer?
I started acting back in 1993 after I dropped out of University. It was a childhood dream of mine that I finally decided to pursue, and I am so happy I made that decision. I studied in Montreal where I grew up, and I began doing theatre soon after. Then student films and extra roles on tv shows and in movies. After that I got my first agent and began auditioning and booking small roles and slowly moved to bigger and bigger roles. My producing also started early on as I produced a stage production of Sam Shepard’s Fool for Love in 1996. That experience taught me so much and made me realize that I have to create my own opportunities.
The Wide West seems to pay homage to classic Spaghetti Westerns. Do you have any personal favorites from that genre?
It’s hard to pick one to be honest as they were all so great. I’d have to say The Good, the Bad and the Ugly with Eastwood and Eli Wallach. Wallach was always one of my favorite actors. So versatile. Also Ennio Morricone’s soundtrack is the quintessential in westerns in my opinion. As soon as you hear it, you can see Clint Eastwood and the dusty landscapes in your mind.
Was it exciting to work with Japanese sumo champions Ichi and Hiroki Sumi on this project?
Yes, it was a real joy and privilege to work with these impressive men. To see them in person is something special. When Alexander Nevsky isn’t the biggest man in the room, then you know that these men are huge! They were so focused and easy to work with. I didn’t have many scenes with them, but the ones I did were such a pleasure. We all worked in 100 degree temperatures in Palm Springs and they never complained. They definitely had it the worst as they had to do a sumo match outdoors in the blazing sun. They really impressed me as athletes, performers and as people.
The Wide West features an ensemble cast, including Alexander Nevsky, Tatiana Neva, and Joe Cornet. What was it like working with them?
It was such a great experience working with all of those talented professionals. We always had a great time on set, while making sure we delivered the best possible product. We developed and ease working together and I look forward to working together again.
You’ve produced several independent films over the years. Do you prefer acting or producing—and why?
I love both, and sometimes I prefer one over the other. It really depends on the project and the role. Having said that I always love to have control over what I am doing. Producing allows me more of that. Of course it comes with it’s own significant challenges, the main one being finding money, but it’s still more where I like to be. When you are just an actor, you really are at the mercy of so many factors that are out of your control. It doesn’t matter how talented and hard working you are. As a producer, if you are determined, you will get your projects made.
What did you learn while producing The Wide West that you didn’t know before?
Working with Alexander has taught me how important publicity and promotion is to the success of a movie. Too often that’s where independent filmmakers drop the ball. They put all their effort into the movie itself, which of course is admirable, but if nobody knows about it, then you’ll never make your money back. Promoting myself has never been my comfort zone, but I have learned that if you don’t do it yourself, nobody else will.
Could you tell us about your work on the TV series Taken, which was based on the classic action franchise?
I was a guest star on one episode and it was so much fun. I played a bad guy who gets targeted and takes the fall for a criminal organization. Live by the sword die by the sword as they say. It was a wonderful experience. The team was great and the city of Toronto, where we shot, was one of the best places to shoot in the world.
Did you have any role models who inspired you as an actor or producer?
I grew up watching Burt Reynolds and Clint Eastwood, DeNiro and Pacino, and so may more. They all inspired me, and I wanted to live the lives they lived and entertain people. It always looked such a fun job. I continue to be inspired by so many actors today as well. As a producer, honestly Alexander Nevsky has been my role model. He has taught me so much about making films since we met. How to raise money, how to get a great team together, how to market, promote and sell a movie. There are so many stages where it can all fall apart. His track record speaks for itself. So many great action movies and now westerns, that have all been successful. I have made a few movies, but they were passion projects. Alexander is making sure all of our movies make money so we can keep making more! Most of all he always reminds me to have fun!
You worked with Anthony Michael Hall on The Dead Zone. What was that experience like?
My experience with Anthony Michael Hall was amazing. He was such a generous and kind actor. I played a very complex role on that episode. I was a priest who was possessed by the devil, and it challenged me like no role had before. It was very taxing on me as I stayed in that zone for much of that shoot, which was several days. One day I was shooting a big scene and it was my closeup, but I was young and maybe a little over focused on my emotional state. He walked up to me and quietly told me that I was in a closeup, without alerting the director anyone else. It was such a generous act, as he wanted me to know that I should probably bring my levels down since it’s a closeup and the camera will read it as too over the top. He just wanted the best for all of us and I never forgot that.
What are some of your favorite films, and which genres are you most drawn to as a viewer or filmmaker?
As a viewer I’m drawn to dramas like The Shawshank Redemption, Crash and Pulp Fiction. I love a great story and those are some examples of an incredibly well crafted script. As a filmmaker I love to make horror and thrillers. Of course lately westerns have been my new favorite genre. I’m also looking forward to making an action movie with Alexander next year. To be honest any movie set is a joy and a privilege to be on. I have never taken it for granted. I realize how hard it is to stay in this business. Most of the people I started with back in the 90’s have left the business, or don’t get to work much any more. Things have really changed since Covid, making it even more essential that we all create our own work and don’t wait for opportunities.
What projects do you have coming up next?
Well I have 2 more projects with Alexander coming up this year and another one next year. We are shooting a horror movie called The Ominous, as well as The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo, which is the 3rd in the trilogy that he and Joe Cornet collaborated on. I’m super excited for both projects. We plan to shoot both before the end of 2025, so we’ll definitely be busy in the coming months! In 2026 we will be shooting Savage Attack which is a much more ambitious action movie in the vein of Die Hard. Lots to look forward to.
Images courtesy of Alexander Nevsky