The American - Poster Giveaway
Ends Sep 5, 2010
Enter today for your chance to win this full-sized, double-sided theatrical poster from the upcoming Focus Features Film.
Having a long, successful career in the entertainment industry is a goal that many actors have but few actually achieve. Harry Hamlin is one of those who has defied the odds. For three decades he has been delivering memorable performances in his television, film, and theatre roles. He currently stars as the troublemaking actor, Aaron Echolls, on the UPN hit series, “Veronica Mars”. “Aaron Echolls is one of the best characters that I’ve ever played,” Hamlin remarks. “I just love playing this guy. And the extra good news is that the show is such high quality. I get to play a great character while working with great actors and great directors on a great show. That doesn’t happen that often.”
Hamlin, however, is probably best known for his role on “LA Law”, which earned him three consecutive Golden Globe nominations in the late eighties. “I think people enjoyed LA Law so much, because it was the first show that delved into current events through the prism of the law,” Hamlin says. “What was unique about the show was, not only was it serious, it was also crazy and quirky. That was Steven Bochco’s genius, and then David E. Kelley came along and picked up on that. David wrote a show that was two things at once. You could laugh at it but then be crying two scenes later. That had never been done before. We treaded a delicate balance with that show, and it really hasn’t been re-created that well since.”
During his stint on “LA Law”, People Magazine named Hamlin the Sexiest Man Alive in 1987. He tells me that the selection was actually a detriment to his career. “In those days I was mortified, because I was a serious actor in my own mind, and then all of a sudden I’m this hunk. I fought against it, because I wanted to be thought of as someone who takes his work seriously. Being selected for something like that changes people’s perceptions of you, even the perception of you within the industry. People will have an altered idea of who you are unless they really take time to get to know you, which of course they don’t. They just get what they see, and they take that to the bank.”
Although his acting career remains important to him, Hamlin’s priorities have changed over the years. His wife (actress Lisa Rinna) and his children are now his primary concern. “I’m not as focused on my acting career as I have been in the past. I have these two little kids that I’m more focused on raising than I am on developing my acting career.” He adds, “I’d like to find great roles close to home and work on great projects while staying near my family. My family’s the most important thing to me right now.”
I ask Hamlin if he would like to see his children follow in his footsteps and pursue careers in acting. He responds, “I think I will be happy if they’re doing what they want to be doing. My son has just gone into acting, and he was never going to do it. He wasn’t going to touch it with a ten-foot pole. All of a sudden they’re dragging him into it, and now he’s beginning to enjoy it. I think that’s great.”
Besides being a devout family man, Hamlin is also an avid environmentalist and is currently engaged in an initiative to promote clean energy sources. “The project I’m working on is a very innovative way to make electricity using a hybrid of nuclear fusion, which is a very clean, non-radioactive way to derive energy,” Hamlin explains. “There are a group of nuclear physicists that I’ve been sheparding for the last ten years, and we’re making a lot of progress. If we can achieve our goals, it will mitigate global warming completely. And clean cheap electricity will solve a lot of problems in the world, not just the greenhouse gas problem.”
Given his impressive acting abilities, his devotion to his family, and his concern for preserving the world’s natural resources for future generations, it’s easy to understand why Harry Hamlin is one of the most respected men in Hollywood.
Having a long, successful career in the entertainment industry is a goal that many actors have but few actually achieve. Harry Hamlin is one of those who has defied the odds. For three decades he has been delivering memorable performances in his television, film, and theatre roles. He currently stars as the troublemaking actor, Aaron Echolls, on the UPN hit series, “Veronica Mars”. “Aaron Echolls is one of the best characters that I’ve ever played,” Hamlin remarks. “I just love playing this guy. And the extra good news is that the show is such high quality. I get to play a great character while working with great actors and great directors on a great show. That doesn’t happen that often.”
Although his acting career remains important to him, Hamlin’s priorities have changed over the years. His wife (actress Lisa Rinna) and his children are now his primary concern. “I’m not as focused on my acting career as I have been in the past. I have these two little kids that I’m more focused on raising than I am on developing my acting career.” He adds, “I’d like to find great roles close to home and work on great projects while staying near my family. My family’s the most important thing to me right now.”
