It goes without saying that Lifetime lands the best actors for their VC-Andrews-verse sagas.
And landing a New Kids On The Block member is right up there with their greatest hits.
One of the most exciting aspects of the V.C. Andrews Dawn Miniseries event is that we have the likes of Joey McIntyre channeling ’70s Bad Boy Michael Sutton in part two of the Cutler Saga.
Of course, nothing topped chatting with the heartbreaker himself as he discussed the quick turnaround of getting this role, his great working chemistry with lead Brec Bassinger, and so much more.
We were fortunate enough to catch up with McIntyre ahead of the SAG-AFTRA strike to discuss the project. Check out our full interview below!
So how exactly did an NKOTB member end up in a V.C. Andrews film?
Not the way you’d expect!
McIntyre told us, “I got the offer on a Friday, and by Sunday, I was on the plane to Vancouver.”
He joked about how it could seem like he’s willing to take any role, but he shared,” I love Vancouver, Lifetime has a great reputation for these series, and I delved in and was reading the pages like “Oh, boy.”
McIntyre wasn’t too familiar with V.C. Andrews, but he quickly found out while reading the script what everything was about.
And making things better for him was his costar, Brec Bassinger.
McIntyre had nothing but praise for his screen partner and how much of a pleasure it was to work alongside her. And she very much felt similarly during our Brec Bassinger interview.
Of course, McIntyre had his hands full playing a bad guy, so to speak.
Michael Sutton isn’t exactly a fan-favorite character for what he does to Dawn, which we will see when the movie premieres.
And McIntyre’s response to that? “If you don’t want to see me play a bad guy, just turn the volume down. Then it’ll look like an amazing, passionate love affair.”
He reminds us that with it taking place in the ’70s, it was an obviously different time compared to now, where we’re finally starting to see the “chickens come home to roost” concerning inappropriate relationships and power dynamics.
McIntyre discusses how he approached the character and the distinction between his version of Michael Sutton versus what’s originally in the books.
He mentions that he brought a certain vulnerability to Michael; that was what he felt he brought best being cast in the role. It’s something Bassinger also mentioned when discussing his role.
He also brings some fantastic chemistry and synergy with Brec Bassinger.
When we sat in during the V.C. Andrews Virtual press with the cast, we heard about how well the cast got along with each other and how Bassinger and McIntyre were both impressed by and inspired by one another while working together.
Within the film, the actors share some intimate scenes with each other as they portray what would presently be deemed an inappropriate, troublesome relationship due to the power dynamic and some level of grooming.
Naturally, the context can be hard to navigate, but both actors rose to the occasion, building trust and partnership that made tackling their scenes and this complex relationship easier, and it’s evident in the final product that they pulled it off well.
As actors, they both encouraged the best from the other as they honed in on their craft.
“The credit goes to her [Bassinger] … it takes a lot to carry that whole story as the role and the actor too. It wasn’t easy, but there was tons of respect between the two of us, and we wanted to do what was right for the role and movie but also take care of each other within that as well.”
It’s evident that McIntyre had a blast in the role and on set. He regals us with a story about him dressed in his costume for the film and goofing off on set, dancing to Staying Alive, which he shared on his Instagram Reel.
And overall, for a new experience for him, it’s clear he had a great time in the role.
And we had a blast chatting with him about it, too.
You can find Joey McIntyre in V.C. Andrews’ Dawn Part 2: Secrets of the Morning, premiering Saturday, July 15 at 8/7c on Lifetime.
And don’t forget to return for a full review. Check out our full interview below!
Jasmine Blu is a senior staff writer for TV Fanatic. She is an insomniac who spends late nights and early mornings binge-watching way too many shows and binge-drinking way too much tea. Her eclectic taste makes her an unpredictable viewer with an appreciation for complex characters, diverse representation, dynamic duos, compelling stories, and guilty pleasures. You’ll definitely find her obsessively live-tweeting, waxing poetic, and chatting up fellow Fanatics and readers. Follow her on Twitter.