After portraying agent Michael Vaughn on ABC's wildly successful (and avidly followed) Alias for five years, appearing in profitable big-screen projects and giving lauded performances in critically received indie flicks, you might think that it would be hard for actor Michael Vartan to keep his ego in check. But you would be wrong. Born in France, Vartan is that rare Hollywood aberration -- a legit talent and a solid guy. And, let's face it, he's a looker. This fate made him perfect for starring roles in romantic comedies like Monster-in-Law and Never Been Kissed, and the perfect foil for their perennial leading ladies, Jennifer Lopez and Drew Barrymore. But after a 20-year career (and residency in Los Angeles to boot), Vartan is unexpectedly down to earth and admits to being incredibly grateful to be what he calls a "working actor." Humility, especially from a guy who, for all intents and purposes (at least by Hollywood standards), has made it, is just one of the many surprising things about Vartan¨¢playing ice hockey to keep his mind right is another, as is the fact that he just doesn't seem to get how cool he really is. If he does, he is really adept at avoiding it. Either way, it's noble.

If show business is one big hustle, and there is a fair amount of evidence to suggest that it is, not only does Vartan know how to play the game, but he also is aggressively dealing. Having recently finished two movies, the upcoming Jolene and the Australian film Rogue, the latter a Weinstein Company film, Vartan insists he's still "just happy to have work." (Again, modesty.) Currently, he appears as James Walker on Big Shots, ABC's adult response to Entourage and its male counterpart to Desperate Housewives, of which it is a hybrid¨¢albeit, one still finding its identity. One thing it has found, however, is a stellar cast; a who's who of Hollywood heavyweights including Dylan McDermott, Christopher Titus and Joshua Malina.

Vartan isn't tabloid fodder and can't think of anything he'd want less. What he does want, however, is less romantic comedy face time, a few edgy roles, quality time with his chocolate lab, Millie, and a patch of playable ice. In this candid Q&A, Vartan dishes about his career ambitions, the genius of J.J. Abrams, his admiration for both Usher and Tony Romo, and why he doesn't believe his own hype. And, while there is something magnanimously optimistic about his disbelief, we've got several compelling reasons why you absolutely should believe.

JEZEBEL: Growing up, you were shuttled back and forth from France to the United States. Where do you live now?

Michael Vartan: I live in L.A.

JEZEBEL: How do you really feel about Los Angeles?

Michael Vartan: L.A. gets a lot of grief from a lot of people. It is what it is. Its main industry is show biz. It doesn't necessarily attract the most down-to-earth people, but if you don't like it, [you can] get on a plane and get out¨¢that's been my philosophy. Obviously, if I wasn't an actor, I wouldn't live here, but it's got a lot of great qualities.

JEZEBEL: Do you feel that the cultural diversity of your background is helpful to your career?

Michael Vartan: Absolutely. I'm very fortunate to be working, and I always feel incredibly lucky when I get a job, almost to the point where I can't believe it.

JEZEBEL: Even at this point in your career?

Michael Vartan: An actor's career is ever changing, and you're always at the mercy of, 'What have you done lately?' I have no idea what I'll be doing in 10 years; it's just one of those things where you point the way and try and get parts that you hope are stimulating to you, and [that] hopefully people go and see. Sometimes you fall flat on your face, but that's the nature of the business.

JEZEBEL: Do your characters stay with you?

Michael Vartan: No, not at all. Acting to me is a job, a fantastic job. Again, I feel incredibly fortunate to work. I have a nice house, I have a great dog, I have great friends... I'm very, very fortunate in many ways, but acting is something that if it were taken away, I would just find something else to do.

JEZEBEL: I'm assuming, then, that acting wasn't a goal of yours. How did you fall into it?

Michael Vartan: To be honest with you, until the second or third year of Alias, I wasn't sure I still wanted to be an actor. You're dealing with a business that's 99 percent rejection. It definitely has its low points; it's not all it's cracked up to be. You often think of all the successful actors and how great it'd be, but don't forget about the other 98 percent who are struggling and trying to do what they love. That's a tough gig; it's a tough way to live. You know, I never really even thought of acting; it certainly was not something I wanted to do as a kid. When I was 18, my mom had a friend who was a director who said, 'Hey do you want to be in this documentary I'm doing?' I said, 'Absolutely not; I don't want to be an actor.' Then he said, 'I'll pay you $600 dollars a day,' and I said, 'Absolutely, absolutely.' I'm not embarrassed to say it was for the money, because when you are 18 years old and you're broke, you can use [it]. That's how it started, basically. I'm really one of those people who got very lucky because there are so many talented actors out there who aren't working and there's no reason for it; they're just at the wrong place at the wrong time, they haven't got their break yet, whatever it may be. I'm certainly no Sean Penn, but I've been lucky enough to find my way throughout the years. I'm a working actor, and I feel really lucky for that.

JEZEBEL: Is it fair to say that you were kind of surprised by it all?

Michael Vartan: A little bit. I've been acting for 20 years now, so I wouldn't say I'm surprised anymore, but I definitely have those moments of, 'Really? They hired me? That's cool.' It's a constant struggle. If you're at the top, then it's a struggle to stay at the top. It never ends.

JEZEBEL: Do you foresee yourself staying with acting?

Michael Vartan: One of the things I really love about acting is the unpredictability. I'm not a nine-to-fiver, so I guess this job is perfect for me. I could definitely see myself doing something else down the road, but I think that would be more of a function of my career kind of dwindling away and me not getting the kind of roles that were satisfying or artistically stimulating. All the red carpets, press and all that stuff is necessary, but I'm not one to toot my own horn too much, so sometimes it gets a little uncomfortable.

JEZEBEL: Are you comfortable to be back on a TV show?

Michael Vartan: People ask me why I decided to come back to television and I say, 'Are you kidding me?' The reason I went back to television is because they pay me, and I can be a working actor, which is what I do. Obviously, if I had my choice, I'd want to work with the Martin Scorseses and Paul Thomas Andersons of the world, but they are not knocking on my door, so, in the meantime, you just go about your business as proudly and diligently as you can and see what happens.


10 Quickies with Michael Vartan

What advice would you give to your younger self?
"'Trust me, it's not going to be that bad. Lighten up.' I was one of those tortured youths with the weight of the world on my shoulders, and everything was so dramatic."

What's up with your sports obsession?
"I'm a huge sports fan. I love all sports. If I was channel surfing and Holland was playing Pakistan in women's field hockey, I'd probably stop and start watching. There's nothing scripted about sports, which is what's so fantastic about it."

Can't live without?
"My chocolate lab, Millie, and sports."

Can live without?
"Everything but Millie."

Do you believe your own hype?
"My mom promised me that I'd have a lot more hype by now, so I'm still waiting. I don't believe my own hype because then I'd have to believe bad reviews, and, gosh, there's been a lot more of those than good ones."

Who's hype do you believe?
"There are some entertainers who are so incredibly talented that they absolutely deserve all the hype they get. You look at a guy Iike Johnny Depp, tor example. What an incredible career that guy has had, and what incredible choices he's made. He seems to be the most interesting person. I went to this charity event in L.A. called 'Movies Rock,' where musicians were singing show tunes and Usher and John Legend...(big-time pause)...man, you see people like that onstage, and they literally take your breath away."

High or low maintenance?
"Super low maintenance."

Current obsession?
"I'm obsessed with my Dallas Cowboys. I love the Cowboys; I'm never going to say a bad thing about them. I think they are the only team that can give the (New England) Patriots a game in the Super Bowl."

Celebrity crush?
"Would it be wrong to say Tony Romo (QB for the Dallas Cowboys)? It's not a rule, but I've never really seen myself ending up with an actress because...(laughs) they're all kind of crazy!"

Last performance that knocked you on your ass?
"Usher at the 'Movies Rock' event. He did this step-by-step rendition of Gene Kelly's 'Singin' in the Rain.' It was unbelievable. I love that guy. Such positive energy and so talented."


© 2008 Dickey Publishing, Inc.

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