The fifth and final season of SyFy’s “Van Helsing” is in the works and actor Dan Cade tells fans that it is going to be epic!
As one of the series’ stars, he gives viewers insight into his character of Roberto and shares about filming in Slovakia. Cade is known for his role as Jim in Ridley and Tony Scott’s “World Without End,” alongside Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer in “The Family,” was in TNT’s “Legends,” NBC’s “Emerald City,” and of course “Carnival Row.” Get to know this talented actor and see what else he has in the works.
Colleen Bement: Thank you very much for taking the time out for Nerd Alert News. “Van Helsing” is popular with our readers. Let’s start out by chatting about Season 5 of “Van Helsing.” I understand that this final season is going to be incredible with its going back in time to vampire’s beginnings. Two questions:
1.) What are you allowed to share about the production and storyline?
Dan Cade: I can’t say too much about the storyline, but it’s going to be epic and very gripping for the audience. You are right, that this season does go back to the vampire beginnings, which is where my character comes in. We shot these episodes in Eastern Europe, Slovakia. The locations in which we filmed, fit the storyline very well, and the producers found some amazing places that can bring the vampire history to life, I think the fans will be very happy. The production values were fantastic and the cast and crew worked really hard to make sure this season will be incredible for the fans.
2.) Tell us about your character of Roberto and how you prepared to play the role.
Dan Cade: Well initially when I did the audition for this character, I wasn’t able to receive the full script so I didn’t really know the full storyline. I got a few scenes to play with and my character interacts with Bathory. Initially, I thought, Roberto was a vampire, so I played him in this way and all the senses a vampire has and needs. The introduction was that Roberto was a strange and intense man, so these were my first thoughts. Though, when I got the role and received the full scripts, I came to realize Roberto is actually a vampire hunter. He is intense, passionate, and loyal to Bathory and has almost military-like skills to hunt the vampires.
I am a pretty physical actor, so I brought this into the character of Roberto. I prepared for the role by working with the actress that plays Bathory, and of course the director and showrunner to bounce ideas off on how this character thinks and behaves. The relationship between Bathory and Roberto is very important in these episodes, so I built up this connection with Jesse Stanley who plays Bathory and we played with this dynamic on the set to make both our characters very layered.
CB: Had you previously watched SyFy’s “Van Helsing” or the film?
DC: I knew of the show and watched bits of the show, but when I got the role, I went back and watched most of the episodes to get a feel for the tone and storyline, which also helped me prepare for the role. I did watch the movie with Hugh Jackman. I’ve always been a fan of this genre, so it’s amazing to be a part of it.
CB: Let’s switch gears and catch up with the exciting projects that you have in the works. I know that COVID has put a stop to so many productions. Hopefully, you have some good news for your fans. “Atlantic Crossing?” The TV series “Shadowplay?”
DC: Yes, both “Atlantic Crossing” and “Shadowplay” are being released over the next couple of months through NRK and Studio Canal. Both these shows are Scandinavian productions. “Shadowplay” is from the creators of the highly acclaimed drama, “The Bridge.” I play an American GI Anthony Deluca, not a good guy, but integral to the story. It’s a gritty war drama, which was exciting to shoot. “Atlantic Crossing” is a period drama starring Sofia Helin who actually played the lead in “The Bridge” series. I play Joseph Lockard, based on the real-life air radar operative who could have potentially stopped Pearl Harbor from happening. This was great to be a part of and my scenes are very dramatic, so I’m excited to see how both of these shows turn out.
CB: Your filmography is fabulous! How did you catch the acting bug?
DC: I’ve always been creative and went to drama school fairly young. I started off in martial arts and wanted to explore this further and combine it with acting. I always loved storytelling and creating characters from a young age and movies, so it was a natural progression to want to be a part of it and actually do it for a living and my life. When I was younger, I was a big fan of all the action movies, and then this further developed into character acting and theatre and exploring that side.
CB: Do you have any hobbies or special interests that have kept you sane during this pandemic?
DC: Well, I’ve been trying to keep up my skills and improve. I train in martial arts and gymnastics, horse riding, and sword fighting, so I’ve been working on these skills to keep them in shape. I’ve also been working on different accents and camera techniques and just keeping in shape physically and mentally. I have found that being active has really helped during the pandemic. I’m looking forward to when we come out the other side of all this.
Written by Colleen Bement
Hugh Jackman was the lead in the film Van Helsing, not Hugh Jackson…
Thank you for bringing that to our attention.