Christian Kane:Cruising To The Top
By Kristen Foley - Teen Celebrity Magazine 2001

Christian Kane is quickly becoming one of the hottest young stars in Hollywood, and he just might have Tom Cruise to thank for it. Well, kind of. Christian says that it was somewhere in the middle of Top Gun that he decided he wanted to be an actor just like Tom. He came to this conclusion only after spending much of his childhood in local movie theaters, "My best friends growing up were the movies and the movie theater," says Christian. He would spend every Sunday in the darkened theater aspiring to be just like the characters on the big screen. Finally, he realized that if he was an actor portraying those characters he could do it all.

Living the Dream

Today 26-year-old Christian has already taken memorable turns as series regulars in Rescue 77 and Fame L.A. and he recently played a sweet talkin' blues singer in MTV's Love Song, as well as a classic cowboy in Crossfire Trail. You can also "catch" him next in the upcoming flick Summer Catch, where he'll show off his baseball skills along side Freddie Prinze Jr. and real-life pal Marc Blucas. These days, however, you might know Christian best as the scheming lawyer, Lindsey McDonald, on the WB's Angel. Christian says he can't wait to read what the writers have planned for his devious character each week, though he does have one complaint, "I'm getting a little sick of getting beat up by everybody [on Angel]," laughs Christian. "Everyone beats me up. It's like who can we beat up? 'Oh, Lindsey is in this scene, so we'll beat him up.'"

The fact that he's become somewhat of the show's punching bag doesn't get him down. He's thrilled to be a part of the cast, especially since he gets to work with long-time friend David Boreanaz. "Even though Lindsey's not a series regular, I feel like I'm one of the boys. It's nice," he says. "It's really cool 'cause it's tough to be in a recurring role that's already written. But now the writers are starting to notice me and the way I do things and the way I speak and that's very cool."

A Little Bit Hollywood...A Little Bit Rock 'N Roll

Though his role on Angel keeps him on his toes, it's not the only thing keeping Christian busy these days. He's also the lead singer for the southern rock band KANE, a group he formed with friends Steve Carlson and Mike Eaton. The three guys collaborate on a majority of the songs, with Christian penning the lyrics and Steve and Mike writing the music.

Before moving to L.A., Christian often sang back-up for his cousin, country singer Brandon Hart. "He would play clubs around Oklahoma and every once in awhile I would jump up onstage and sing with him," remembers Christian. Today both have found their own musical niche but still enjoy taking to the stage together when their schedules allow. "It's really nice 'cause we were both the 'you're not going to amount to anything' kids back home,'" he says. "And here we are living the dream." Right now KANE entertains mostly L.A. crowds, but with a record deal in the near future, Christian hopes the band will be playing in a town near you soon. Until then you can check out his band's music on their web site.

Surfing the Web

Christian has gained quite a following in Cyberspace. Tons of web sites are dedicated to his character on Angel, but several pay homage to Christian himself. One such site is http://www.christiankane.net/. The unofficial fan site was created last May by Kristine, known on-line as Zoe, a 26-year-old from Calgary, Canada. After searching the web for Christian information and finding next to nothing, she took matters into her own hands. "One night after watching an episode of Angel, I thought, 'This guy needs a web site,'" she says. "So with a modem squeal and stern determination, I hit my keyboard and the hunt for Christian information began." So far her web site has had more than 25,000 hits and the enthusiastic response has been encouraging. Perhaps the biggest accomplishment was when Christian posted a message on her site last December. He thanked Zoe and the rest of the site's visitors for being so dedicated, Kristine felt like she should have been the one thanking him. "I guess despite all my hard work, I didn't think much notice would be paid to my site, least of all by Christian," she gushes. "When I read his post, he was so kind and gracious. I think my respect for him has increased tenfold." Christian returns the compliment, stating, "Actors can say whatever they want, but I think that's one of the biggest compliments you can get as an actor. Someone is taking the time out of their day to put their imagination, effort and their money behind something that promotes you."

With his bright blue eyes, southern drawl and easy-going nature, it's easy to see why Christian has gained such a devoted following. What's even more attractive is that he's living out his dreams. Watch out Tom, here comes Christian Kane.

* Interview taken from "Teen Celebrity Magazine", Summer 2001 issue. No copyright infringement intended.