Scott Caan, born into a family deeply rooted in the entertainment industry, inherited his passion for acting from his father, the esteemed actor James Caan. Despite his father paving the way for him in Hollywood, Scott found his own success, too, after gaining recognition for his role as Scott Lavin in the popular HBO television series Entourage. However, it was his portrayal of Detective Danny “Danno” Williams in the long-running CBS series Hawaii Five-0 that truly catapulted him to stardom.
In a recent interview, Scott Caan opened up about a pivotal moment he had with his father before he started his acting career. He shared that his father advised him on how to navigate Hollywood by highlighting the challenges and realities of the industry.
Scott Caan says he never intended to pick up an acting career
During a discussion with Fox News Digital at the 2024 FOX Spring Preview for the upcoming second season of FOX’s Alert: Missing Persons Unit, the 47-year-old actor opened up about his bond with his late father. Reflecting on his journey into the acting world, he revealed that initially, he had no intention of pursuing an acting career.
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“I would do anything to not go to school, so I had all these different creative ideas,” Scott explained. “Anything to not finish high school and go to college. I sort of got lucky and met a director and ended up on a set somehow.”
The 47-year-old explained that when he decided to embark on this venture, his father expressed reservations about his decision. “It’s funny because he was pretty contradictory. He would say, ‘Don’t take it too seriously,’ but then he also took it very seriously,” Scott admitted. “He always just said, ‘Look, work’s not your life,’ and I think it’s a good lesson.”
Scott added that James also advised him on the importance of dedication to one’s craft as a pathway to achieving significant accomplishments. “You gotta be passionate about what you do and love what you do, but, at the same time,” he confessed. “It can’t be the most important thing. You’ll die in it.”