Scott's A Quick Study (Tyler McLeod, Calgary Sun)

10.09.98

Scott Speedman plays a university freshman on the new series Felicity. He's experienced at any rate, having attempted post- secondary education multiple times.
 
 "I've never really been a great student, man. I can work hard, but it never really ..." admits the Toronto native.
 
 "I left U of T -- it was like oil and water. Then I went to school in New York and I dropped out. I don't like being a student but I can play one on TV."
 
 And the third time wasn't a charm. In order to utilize immigration laws, Speedman enrolled in another school when shooting of Felicity began in L.A.
 
 "I got kicked out of school here. Yeah, that's third reason I shouldn't go back to school. So I think I'm done with school for now."
 
 Well, not quite, Scott. The bell rings every Sunday night at 7 p.m. on DE.
 
 Last Sunday we met Felicity Porter, who decides, on graduation day, to not attend Stanford medical school after all, and instead follow her high- school crush across the continent to NYU.
 
 Speedman plays Ben, the crush. Now he must face the fact female viewers, especially of the early teen variety, will develop crushes on him as well.
 
 "I saw this picture of me in a teen magazine -- it was a horrible picture and horrible magazine," Speedman laments, qualifying there are some teen publications of distinction.
 
 "Seventeen's not so bad, but this was crappy. I called my publicist and I was asking, you know, is there anything I can do to stop this? I guess there's really not. I'll get used to it, I guess."
 
 The 23-year-old reluctant heartthrob had better. Felicity has drawn more U.S. viewers than Dawson's Creek, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Clueless. Good news for the fledgling Warner Brothers network which labelled the show a hit.
 
 "Can you imagine if, like, it sucked and nobody watched it? I was totally freaked," he laughs.
 
 "I worried we'd get the numbers back and, like, 20 people in Iowa watched it. I'm scared by the ratings things."
 
 Demographics and publicists and over-night numbers are all new for the actor whose previous credits consisted of independent Canadian films before landing the big time U.S. network series.
 
 "The network is interesting. I just think they're funny most of time."
 
 It's along way from, say, Kitchen Party. Speedman stars in the teen melodrama now playing at the Globe cinema.
 
 He plays the neurotic host in the film written and directed by Calgarian Gary Burns.
 
 "That's the one I'm really proud of. I think it's a really good movie and it's so fun to watch," Speedman says.
 
 He says he never imagined doing indie films in Canada would lead him down this path. But then again, he never imagined being an actor.
 
 One day, Speedman took a dare from friends and put a dollar in MuchMusic's Speaker's Corner.
 
 Casting agents were in town looking for someone to play the role of Robin in the Batman films. Speedman dropped a loonie and told the camera the job was his. Chris O'Donnell got the part, of course, but Speedman still got noticed.
 
 "To be honest, I don't know what I was thinking when I did that. I was going to a high school with a big drama program, but I was in the jock program. I was swimmer," he relates.
 
 Speedman is grateful his character on Felicity is more than a cute jock. Set decoration, if you will.
 
 "We get more into his life in later episodes so he becomes more of a character you can identify with."
 
 In fact, Speedman says he avoided playing the jock when auditioning for the role.
 
 "I think they had trouble filling it. I think most actors fell into the trap of playing him as the tough guy, not being a real guy with heart.
 
 "That's what I did want to show."