Priestley ready to keep Geminis rolling

As Canadian-born actor Jason Priestley prepares to host Friday night's Gemini Awards, he plans to keep the show light and funny.

"You've got to keep it funny, you've got to keep it moving, you've got to keep it light," he said Wednesday in an interview with CBC cultural affairs show Q.

"I think we've all been forced to sit through enough of these awards ceremonies that are incredibly tedious and incredibly boring and incredibly self-important and, let's face it, downright boring and ass-numbing."

The Vancouver native will be hosting the one-hour televised version of the awards show for the best in Canadian TV.

He says he's relying on some talented comedy writers to help him make the awards gala entertaining.

"One thing we're not short of here in Canada are great comedy writers, great comedians, so I lean on them quite heavily," he said.

Up for grabs are awards for best TV drama, movie, comedy and miniseries, as well as best actor and actress honours.

Priestley is shoehorning his hosting duties between directing assignments in Los Angeles, where he now tries to spend most of his time.

He began directing while still playing the heartthrob Brandon Walsh on Beverly Hills, 90210, a role he refers to as "the social conscience of America.

"I think I just wanted to be in control of what was going on; I just saw how things could spiral out of control. All of a sudden someone would be in a coma and their twin brother would show up. [I'd be saying] Hey guys, wait a minute. What are we doing here?" he said.

"I was trying to fight the good fight for the show and our characters and I didn't want the show to spiral out of control and become a daytime soap opera."

Priestley is still spending a lot of time in front of the camera, in Canadian productions such as Hockeyville, Luna: Spirit of the Whale and American series such as My Name is Earl and Medium.

But he's also directed episodes of The Secret Life of the American Teenager and 7th Heaven, and is slated to direct an upcoming episode of the new 90210.

"These days I sort of split my time 50/50. That's by choice. I turn down a lot of acting roles because I want to stay home with my daughter," he says. His daughter, with wife Naomi Lowde, is 17 months.

Former 90210 star likes working with young actors

Priestley has no plans to appear in front of the camera in 90210 — saying the 249 episodes of the original series was enough.

"I understand it from a marketing perspective. You say 90210, people instantly know what you're talking about," he said of the show's revival. "I wasn't sure how it was going to work or if it was going to work, but it's working for them."

Priestley says he likes working with young actors and looks forward to shaping characters in the first season of the new series.

"It's strange because I continue to work so much in front of the camera— I've done four series since 90210 ended.... It's sort of strange to be a current part of pop culture and be part of nostalgia at the same time. That's the odd thing."

Also presenting at the Gemini Awards is Shenae Grimes, another Canadian who stars on the current 90210 series.

The awards air at 8 p.m. ET on Friday.