Pinsent has been around the block.
From a rowdy man in Rowdyman to a newspaper reporter in the Shipping News, his career has seem him blaze trails for fellow Newfoundland performers as well as cover a variety of roles, humble to humorous (for more on humor, Youtube "Pinsent reads Bieber.")
But the legend's latest role has him, in his own words, playing a man whose rowdy days are behind him.
"There's not a whole lot on the surface, but he might still have a bit he can draw on," Pinsent told the Packet during media day on the set of The Grand Seduction, currently being filmed in the Trinity Bight area.
"He's a supporting player and he contributes in a very quiet way."
The film, a remake of a successful 2003 Quebec film, sees Pinsent playing the role of an old timer in a dying small town.
Together with the mayor, played by Brendan Gleeson, and the bank manager, played by Mark Critch, the trio, with the assistance of the town's people, hatch a plan to seduce a young doctor into living there permanently.
The kicker? If they fail to secure a resident doctor, an oil and gas corporation will choose another town to set up shop, all but eliminating any hope the town has of salvation and economic independence.
"Once he believes it's a good plan, then he gets fired up," Pinsent said of his character's penchant for rowdy.
How does that ring for contemporary Newfoundland and Labrador?
"I like the way they've done it," says Pinsent. "I think it's hugely important (with what's going on in the province). In the meantime, the people who are in charge of it all are doing a great job."I'm glad I came back here."
Others are too.
"It's because of him I'm able to do this," Mark Critch, sitting two chairs away, says of Pinsent.
Critch estimates this to be his fifth foray into film, saying he can't think of another film he's worked on with such a resounding message.
"It's a really important message for Newfoundland, and all of these small dying communities. It's an important film and it's a good time to make it."
In the role of the depressed town's bank manager, Critch's character's greatest fear is that he will become a glorified ATM, and then eventually replaced by one.
"This is a chance for him to have more meaning. It's actually a pretty funny part, even though it's a fantastic lie."
At times, the renowned funnyman says it's difficult to comprehend the gravity of the situation, sandwiched between one of the province's greatest exports and a Golden Globe-nominated and Emmy Award-winning Gleeson.
"You're sitting there with Brendan and Gordon and you're thinking, "If anyone is going to ruin this, it'd be me," Critch says with a chuckle.
Taylor Kitsch, in the lead role of doctor Paul Lewis, plays an urbanite tricked into visiting the town after cocaine was found on his person by a customs officer who happens to be from the small town.
He says the experience has been fun and has given him a chance to work with some of his role models, especially Gleeson.
When it comes to working with the crew, who are predominantly francophone, Kitsch remarked, "I should be fluent in French by the end of this."
Making that possibly the first time that line has ever been uttered in the Newfoundland and Labrador.
Canadian Don McKellar is handling the directorial duties for the film, telling the Packet the script alone was enough to bring him on board.
There's not a whole lot on the surface, but he might still have a bit he can draw on. - Gordon Pinsent on the degree of rowdy of his character.
"It's almost a masterpiece," he said, adding the film contrasts the reality of what's happening in places in Newfoundland.
This is his first time shooting in the province and he said that brings with it its own challenges.
"It's my difficulty at the moment," McKellar said in reference to the ever-changing weather."It's my Chinese puzzle, it's my Rubic's cube."
Where the weather can't be controlled, the cast's hair certainly can, and that's where Mary Gabriel-Cardigan steps in, whether it be fluffing Pinsent's mop or sweeping back Critch's short, back and sides.
"It's really interesting, especially working with Gordon Pinsent, but it's mostly about keeping it real; this is not a glamorous movie."
In keeping with that tradition, she said she just watches the locals and how they keep their hair.
"I drew my inspiration from everyday people, watching what people do and how they react."
Of the 40 hairstyles she's had to apply, Gabriel-Cardigan says Kitsch, who most recently worked with Oliver Stone and is something of a heartthrob, has the best hair on set.However, even Kitsch he has to take a backseat to Pinsent.
"But I love Gordon, I get to fluff his hair."
Barbara Doran, who's company Morag Loves Company is producing the film, says little will be changed from the original script, but she is interested to see how the actors portray the roles.
"The basic script is there, the premise is the same, but I think the love story is larger than it was in the original production.
"It's an all-star team of Newfoundland actors, I'm thrilled."
The film will continue shooting at different locations across the Bonavista Peninsula and in St. John's until September and should be released to studio sometime next year.
A total of 51 crew members were hired from the province, with 70 local extras also being called on to fill background roles.
Doran estimates the spinoffs are greatly affecting businesses in the region, with all rooms to rent taken and the cast and crew making the most of local diners and restaurants.
"This will have an enormous effect for a short period of time," she said of the 40-day shooting schedule, which was in its seventeenth day of shooting when the Packet arrived on set.
Jennifer Davis, general manager of Trinity Bed and Breakfast Experience, said she sometimes had to juggle cast members from one room to another in a struggle to find them accommodations, but the business has been good.
"We've been seeing some benefit to our business in terms of rooms being booked of the movie, of course with the restaurant as well, but its been a bit of hard season because it's a busy period anyway," she said.
Davis said more notice from the production people would have been helpful, but added, "we knew they had been having challenges."
However, she said there exists a conundrum when it comes to booking the cast and crew as opposed tourists.
"I haven't had too much opportunity to talk with a lot of operators, but it may have a detrimental effect on how many people can come here for tourist numbers if they can't find any accommodations.
This will leave people to question how they will they benefit in September; Is it really going to benefit us if tourists who were going to come here and do a host of other (tourist related) things can't get rooms?"It would have been significantly more if (the movie) wasn't (being filmed during) the peak season."
