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Jim Belushi has it all: success in a career that has spanned decades, an army of friends through highs and lows, and a sweat lodge on his Oregon ranch.
The host of the A&E series “K9 PD with Jim Belushi” exclusively told Fox News Digital that his “sanctuary” in the north is not only his beautiful escape, but also serves as a wonderful “spiritual” place.
“I love Oregon, it’s a beautiful property,” Belushi explained of his farm, which is also featured in a series about his marijuana farm. “I have a sweat lodge. I built a lodge there. They do all the little rituals of Native American customs.”
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Life outside of Hollywood is all peace, love and Jim Belushi’s sweat. (Eric Charbonneau)
Belushi, 71, planted roots in the southern part of the state nearly two decades ago.
“There are 50 cows on my property right now that just had 50 calves, and it’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. These calves are running after each other,” Belushi said. “Actually, last night, I got a video of it.
“They broke the fence and came towards us. They went, ‘Where’s Jim?’ So I had 60, 70 cows in my yard. They quarreled and brought them back to the enclosure.”
“I love Oregon, it’s a beautiful place. I have a sweat lodge. I built a lodge there. They do all the little rituals of Native American ceremonies.”
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He added, “It’s beautiful. Very nice people there. It’s a beautiful, beautiful place.”
Although Belushi faces unique challenges on his farm, working with animals is not something he is afraid of. The comedy giant starred as detective Michael Dooley paired with police dog Jerry Lee in the ’89 classic, “K-9.”
Jim Belushi is one of the many famous students from The Second City Theater in Chicago. (Bob Riha, Jr.)
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Two years later, he played a homeless con artist who catches a break with a wealthy lawyer, thanks in part to his orphaned daughter’s antics in the John Hughes classic, “Curly Sue.”
“There’s an old saying don’t work with dogs and don’t work with children,” laughed Belushi. “And I did ‘K9’ and ‘Curly Sue.’ What’s different about working with dogs is what you hope every actor has – the ability to be extremely present.”
He added, “When you’re at the extreme, the spontaneous happens, and that’s when you capture the magic.”
He has remained friends with a number of his co-stars over the years, including Rob Lowe from “About Last Night.” (TriStar Photos)
“There was a moment in ‘K9’ when I was in bed, and I was leaning in for my first kiss with a girl and the dog was there, and he took his paw and threw my head down. That was not planned, he was not trained to do that.”
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“The cameras were rolling and all I could think as my head was going down was, ‘I hope there’s no hair in the film, I hope no one hits this ingredient,’ because it was a magical moment.”
Belushi noted that the children have a similar attitude when working in front of the camera.
Jim Belushi co-starred with actress Cybill Shepherd in ’92’s “Once Upon A Crime…” (MGM Studios)
“They don’t know the difference between rolling and cutting and making,” he said. “You have to be – I’m trained as an improvisational actor, so it helps. You just have to be in time with the dogs and react honestly in that moment.”
He added, “That’s why they don’t want you to work with children or dogs because the most present time is the most vulnerable time, and the danger dominates the scene.”
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Belushi’s latest endeavor, hosting “K9 PD with Jim Belushi” — which follows K9 officers and partners in the field with body camera, dash and drone footage — has fueled his love for animals and the unhired heroes of law enforcement.
Jim Belushi still performs with Dan Aykroyd as The Blues Brothers, the SNL group made famous by his late brother John Belushi. (Paul Morigi)
“When I was doing the ‘K9’ movies, I rode, a few, in LA, in San Diego,” Belushi said. “I went to the higher education center and worked with the handlers and the dogs and watched the training and participated in the training.
“The thing that excited me most about the ability to make this movie was the relationship that this man or woman had with that animal. It was more than having a small and beautiful dog and sleeping on my lap. They protect each other and they both feel and know.”
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He added, “The bond is hard to explain, but it’s really deep. And they take these guys home. And that dog becomes part of their family, and that dog protects that family, and that protects that officer. Not on the street, they protect everyone, including the bad guy. To me, that’s what was most interesting about the relationship between the manager and their deep animal. “It really runs.
“They protect each other and they both feel it and they know it.”
As an avid fan of action and adventure, Belushi enjoyed hosting the A&E reality series.
A&E’s new series “K9 PD with Jim Belushi” premiered on March 25. (A&E)
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“It’s visceral. It’s got drama, it’s got a little bit of humor in it, but it’s got that warmth in the middle of it,” Belushi said. “They’re in life and death situations all the time, and how they take care of each other, protect each other — It’s beautiful to watch.”
He added, “This is a piece of that relationship between the canine and the canine officer. I mean, that’s what attracted me … And the action. I’m an action guy. I love action.”
