Actor, model, and producer Rib Hillis chatted about starring in the new INSP series “The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger.”
INSP is an American digital cable television network, which primarily features westerns.
‘The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger’
The synopsis is: As a fur trapper, legendary mountain man Jim Bridger (Rib Hillis) explored the entire distant West and survived countless hair-raising adventures. Now, he’s a respected trail guide and army scout who knows every river, mountain, and trail of the frontier.
As a new generation of settlers, soldiers, and speculators crowd the Bozeman Trail, Bridger’s hard-won wisdom is more valuable than ever, even if his famous tall tales sound more like fiction than fact.
The West is still a perilous place, and with danger just around every bend, the greenhorns heading west quickly realize they need Bridger’s guidance for much more than the trail.
On being a part of this historical drama series, where he plays the title character, Hillis said, “It was a dream come true. I’ve been going up to Montana for 10 years to the point where I felt like I lived there. When I saw the show opportunity for it, I wanted to be Jim Bridger. I submitted myself but I didn’t hear back from anybody.”
“Once I did the audition for the part, which was an intense scene (that I self-taped for), but I got the role. To go up there and play him was a dream come true,” he admitted.
Hillis was drawn to the Jim Bridger character due to the location of where he lived. “The location was the main thing, I got to ride horses, I wore authentic era clothing, and I loved being outdoors all day long while shooting,” he said.
“From everything I’ve read about Jim, he sounds like a good guy,” he said. “Especially his physical prowess, ability to do things, and survive. He tried to de-escalate situations, and he sounded like a good, solid guy, who tried to keep the peace between the settlers and the pioneers. It was fun to play this guy who was both a good guy and legendary.”
“The shooting felt very authentic,” he said. “I was present. There is something about going back to a time that is simpler.”
“We felt like we were living these characters, and we were living ourselves,” he added. “It’s a fun little glimpse at a time in American history that never will exist again, and I think we do a good job honoring everybody that is involved. We have some incredible Native American actors.”
‘The Date Whisperer’
Hillis opened up about doing the romantic comedy “The Date Whisperer.” “That was amazing,” he admitted. “Getting to work with James Hyde was incredible; I got to work with James a long time ago in Milan doing runway shows 25 to 30 years ago Our kiss in that movie was the first male kiss that James Hyde ever had in his life. I felt honored, that was a lot of fun to play.”
“The lead actor, John Ryan McLaughlin in ‘The Date Whisperer,’ also came out and did ‘The Tall Tales of Jim Bridger.’ Even though John played two different characters, he was fantastic on both shows,” he said.
“We played Jim Bridger real. Our director inspired us to think about those people are real people. We didn’t caricaturize them or make them feel cartoonish,” he added.
The digital age
On being an actor in the digital age, Hillis said, “I came up in the business back in the day. I starred as a model in 1992, at a time when they faxed my picture to Milan. Now, we have cell phones and other forms of social media.”
“I feel like a bit of a dinosaur,” he admitted. “I’ve been doing this for over 30 years, and I have a very extensive resume, but these days, you have ‘kids’ out of nowhere who have millions of followers on social media.”
“I’m a bit of an old timer. I show up, I do my work and I want to go home afterward. That’s where I come from. At the same time, you need to play the game,” he added.
Stage of his life
On the title of the current chapter of his life, Hillis responded with a sweet laugh, “Finally.” “I’ve been doing this for a while,” he said. “I’ve had some success and I’ve been able to make a living. Doing ‘Jim Bridger’ was a culmination of 20-plus years of my life and work.”
“I am in an amazing marriage with Jessica, the love of my life,” he exclaimed. “Along with my kids, we have an incredible family.”
Success
On his definition of success, Hillis said, “To be able to do what I love to do and make a living out of it, and to be able to support my family and take care of my responsibilities. I pursue my acting career because I love it.”
To learn more about Rib Hillis, follow him on Instagram, and check out his IMDb page.
