Scott Bailey has had a long and varied career in the acting business. He recently appeared in the acclaimed Lifetime Network Movie, “Prayers for Bobby”. Now he can be seen on the hit CW4Kids action series Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight. Bailey plays the lead henchman of the baddie General Xaviax. He plays JTC/Kamen Rider Strike. Recently, Nerdsociety had the chance to interview Scott about his role on Kamen Rider and his career:

NERDSociety (NS):Scott, Tell our readers a little about yourself. How long have you been involved in acting.

Scott Bailey (SB): I took an acting class while earning my degree in Mechanical Engineering to become a better public speaker and developed a passion for acting that has fueled an almost decade long career starring in theater, TV shows, and films.

NS:  How did you get involved in acting?

SB: One of my first auditions was for a TV show called “Walker Texas Ranger” with Chuck Norris(my boyhood idol) and I was lucky enough to answer the phone that day and actually make it to CBS within an hour and book the job!! I remember Aaron Norris asking if I could leave the next day and fly to Texas for 2 weeks and if I could rollerblade…..truth is my midterms were that week and I couldn’t rollerblade at all…but I said ‘you bet!!”, dropped out of the engineering PhD program, hopped on a flight to Texas and asked the stunt double to teach me how to rollerblade!!! I had an amazing time fighting, shooting guns, acting with the cast, and hanging with Chuck and when I got home I realized that acting was a pretty fun job and maybe I should do it for a living.

NS:  You were on the hugely popular daytime soap opera Guiding Light. How was it working with the veteran cast members on that series? Were you intimidated at all coming onto such a popular series? Soap opera fans can be rabid, any unique fan experiences you’d care to share?

SB: I loved working on Guiding Light!! At the time I got the job I was taking every acting class I could find but that show provided me a chance to learn by working my butt off every week!!! The veterans on that show like Kim Zimmer, Robert Newman, and Ron Raines were class acts, full of great advice, and they really blew my mind with their ability to bring truth to such a volume of material day in and day out!! I developed a new-found respect for daytime actors who sometimes have to do up to 40 pages of material a day and make it truthful and believable. Taking on that challenge for 3 years provided me with training that has molded me into a fearless actor! I was admittedly intimidated at first but everyone involved in the cast and crew of Guiding Light were so nice and nurturing that I soon grew confidence and relished every opportunity to work with them!! I love soap fans!! Since they watch their “stories” in their living rooms every day they feel like the characters are a part of their family. I’ve gotten hugs, thanks, scoldings for my characters bad behavior, free meals, respect, and I still do to this day-and I love every minute of it!!

NS:  Recently, you were in the critically acclaimed Lifetime television film Prayers for Bobby. What was it like being a part of the film? Did you realize while you were working on it that the film would be turn out to be so special?

SB: First off, I am honored to be part of such an amazing story coming to life!! Last week it actually earned two Emmy nominations: for best made for TV film and for SIgourney Weaver for best actress in a made for TV film. The fan mail and respect for being in that film has been tremendous: many have written or told me that it has changed their lives! I don’t think we can ask more of a film than to tell a story that has a significant positive impact on peoples lives. One email was very simple, it said: ” Hi, I’m —— from —– and I’ve been planning my suicide for the last two weeks and I just watched your film last night and changed my mind. Thanks.” Every time I think about it just hits me right in the heart and that is exactly what this story did to me from the very first time I read the book. I hope it wins Emmys and opens the hearts and minds of many!!!

NS:  How did you get the role of JTC/Kamen Rider Strike on Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight?

SB: I auditioned for two prolific casting directors here in Los Angeles named Dean Fronk and Donald Paul Pemrick. Thanks Dean and Don!!!! They brought me in to read for some mysterious action show and a month later I got a call to go to a studio and do a camera test. I almost didn’t make the camera test because I had another meeting and had no idea what kind of mystery show this was going to be but I motored down there and barely made it in time and walked right into a huge studio with a line of producers/casting/camera/etc. in front of a huge studio length green screen. As I walked in I quipped that it was a good thing I didn’t wear my lucky “green” shirt as I would’ve blended in and looked like a floating head which got laughs all around and I read the scene and improved a few things and forgot about it for a good 6 months. Then one day MIke Wang calls and asks If I’d like to play a character called JTC who is smooth and manipulative for what I thought would be a couple episodes and I said “you bet!!”. A few episodes of JTC turned into the rest of the 30 something episodes of the series and multiple characters!!! A year later the show is airing every Saturday, my nephew thinks I”m awesome because I play Strike on his favorite show and I am going to Comic Con to present the show for fans!! AWESOME!!!

NS:  What appealed to you most about playing Kamen Rider Strike?

SB: He is such a badass!! Kidding, actually I loved how many different sides he has: He can be a really genuinely nice guy, a charmer, a bit a manipulative snake, and an awfully cocky fighter!! I really enjoyed playing all of his sides and embodying what it must be like to walk around knowing you have an advent deck and superpowers!!

NS:  Kamen Rider Strike is a badass. Lets face it, most henchmen are not as tough as he is. Is it fun playing someone so evil? Why is he so loyal to General Xaviax? Or is that something we will have to discover on our own as the series progresses?

SB: As far as henchmen go he is very effective. Usually in films, the henchman always screw up somehow but I loved that when Strike says he will take care of a problem he definitely did!! I don’t think of him as evil, I think he is actually just very reliable and capable!! He is the perfect muscle! In regard to his loyalties to Xaviax I would love for the viewers to discover them in the upcoming episodes this fall!! I will say that he is an interesting guy with a past and many dimensions…..

NS:  The fight that Kamen Rider fans are looking forward to seeing most is between you (Strike) against Len (Wing Knight)? Do you think you can take Wing Knight? We interviewed actor Matt Mullins recently and he’s a great guy. What was it like working with him and the rest of the cast?

SB: Strike doesn’t think about whether he can take anyone: HE KNOWS HE CAN TAKE EVERYONE!! I love the simplicity of a guy who is that confident and actually walks the talk! In fact, it was quite the joy playing Strike because he is so effective and such a badass that he really relishes and enjoys taking people out! Yes, Matt Mullins is a great guy, and a badass!! I did enjoy trading a few words and strikes with him. He is an amazing martial artist and very humble about it!!! He is also quite a good actor as was the rest of the cast. The Kamen Rider story was such a fun story to tell especially with the Wang brothers at the helm that I sincerely enjoyed every minute of it!! I wish them great success and many more episodes….I know I’ll be ready to jump back into Strike anytime!!!! Wing Knight versus Strike!!!??? Indeed that would be a hot-ticket! All I can say is that battle was pretty brutal and magnificent at the same time, like an epic showdown in an old school martial arts film!! I hope the fans enjoy it as much as we enjoyed playing it!

NS:  Where can fans contact you and find out about your latest projects? Are there any upcoming projects that you’d like to share with our readers?

SB: Fans are welcome to check out my website scottbaileyonline.com to find out more about me and projects I am working on. Early next year I can be seen in a couple of films called “Backlight” and “Truth About Layla”. I can currently be seen on Lifetime in the Emmy-nominated film “Prayers for Bobby”, and of course I can be seen every Saturday at 11 am on the CW playing JTC and STRIKE in “KAMEN RIDER DRAGON KNIGHT”!!!

NS:  Any final words for Kamen Rider: Dragon Knight fans?

SB: I am looking forward to meeting you at Comic Con!! Feel free to drop me a fanmail if you have any thoughts. Thank YOU!!!

Thanks to Scott for his time and for the excellent interview.

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