"No Shortcuts to Success" Lorne Cardinal

BEAVERLODGE – Lorne Cardinal says there is no shortcut to success. Because if there was, the comedic Cree actor would have found it a long time ago.

Cardinal, a 40-something actor originally from the Sucker Creek Reserve, near High Prairie, shared that tidbit of wisdom with students at Beaverlodge Regional high school yesterday.

“I come out to small schools like this because no one else comes out here,” he said, noting rural students often feel isolated in a small town.

“I want to give them some hope and inspiration. If I can make it, anybody can make it. “It’s hard work to succeed in anything. It’s very hard work. There are no shortcuts.”

Cardinal spoke of how at 23, he was an unemployed, rugby-playing tree planter who lived in Kamloops.

He spoke of how he almost became a teacher but gave that profession up for his true calling – acting. Students listened as he retold his experiences of breaking into the acting business – both the successes and setbacks.

The message he wanted to get across to students was simple.

“Anything is possible, if they put in the work and have the passion for it,” said Cardinal, who currently lives in Squamish, B.C. “There are no shortcuts.”

Even when a young girl questioned his comment about the validity of shows such as American Idol, Cardinal stuck to his guns.

“There are no shortcuts to success,” he repeated.

The student said the show contestants do work hard while following their dreams. Cardinal did not disagree. He only wanted to get the point across that everybody has to work hard to succeed.

“It’s good for her to disagree,” he said, after the presentation. “That’s very good. I want them to question.”

Best known for his role as Const. Davis Quinton, the bumbling small town cop, on the CTV hit Corner Gas, Cardinal’s roots run deep in the Peace Country. With three sisters, a brother, several nieces, nephews and cousins living in Grande Prairie, he always makes time to visit them when in the city.

First, it was all business yesterday morning, as Cardinal also visited Hythe Elementary school. He will also visit other Peace Wapiti Public School Division schools before the week is over. Speaking to kids, he said, is a responsibility that comes with celebrity.

“You can choose to hide from it and not partake at all,” he said. “What’s the point? You’re wasting a valuable opportunity to help people. Most important, it’s to help these young ’uns. They are our future.”

Recently, Cardinal was in Cape Breton, N.S. visiting schools with high rates of suicide. He joined aboriginal actor Glen Gloud, from Cashing In on the Aboriginal Peoples Television Network (APTN), in Gould’s home community to tour the schools.

“That was a tough one, going into communities all hurting because they all knew them,” he said, adding they were paid with gas money and dinner. “We went around to five different places. We were just there to talk to kids and give them hope because they had none.”

Growing up, Cardinal and his family moved frequently. At the start of every new school year, he was always the new kid, along with his brother. Most of the time, they were the only native kids in the schools.

This is where, he says, he developed his comedic flare.

“Being a shy kid, that’s one thing that always got me through,” he laughed. “I just found being a class clown was a way to ease in without getting beat up too much. People liked me even though I was terribly shy and frightened. I always had my big brother to back me up and that was always good.”

Since Corner Gas finished taping in September, Cardinal has hosted award shows, directed a few shows at the Firehall Theatre in Vancouver, and acted in a few movies. Over the years, he has acted with Al Pacino, Hilary Swank, Robin Williams and Gary Sinese. These days, he is waiting for a callback for a movie with Kevin Spacey.

“It was tough one to come to an end,” he said, referring to Corner Gas. “But at the same time, it was time to move on. The tough thing about playing Davis was he was a two-dimensional character. You know, he doesn’t have that third emotional level. It’s tough playing the same character and trying to make him believable. I would have played him for another go at it for sure, but, no, Brett wanted to end it early.”

Next up for Cardinal is to receive an honorary doctorate from the Thompson Rivers University in Kamloops, on June 4. Additionally, he will be shopping around some plays in order to sink further into the director’s chair.

crhyno@bowesnet.com

Copyright © 2009 Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune

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