Jason Gedrick's Acting School
By Harriet Winslow
Sunday, April 2, 2000; Page Y06 Jason Gedrick has played TV tough guys in "EZ Streets," "The Last Don" and its sequel, and now "Falcone," but he credits Fox's "Ally McBeal" with ensuring that he won't be typecast.
"I've been really fortunate that some of these shows have been broken up -- with 'Ally McBeal,' and I did an episode of 'Arliss.' I've been able to play some roles that are different from the [crime] genre," he said. Regardless, Gedrick said, "If you think something's well written and will work, you take it."
Playing that about-to-be-married guy whom Ally (Calista Flockhart) had a fling with in a car wash was a blast, he said. "All of a sudden, because of 'Ally,' I get more exposure from that show than I had from years in the business.
"Cable television has kept a lot of my old movies alive -- it's like 'Hey, "Iron Eagle"!' -- I'm surprised [fans] can still recognize me. So many people have approached me, and I have a debt of gratitude to David Kelly and to Calista because the show has such a following."
Gedrick credits actor Sean Penn for his start when Penn came to Chicago in 1983 to film "Bad Boys."
"I was an extra on his movie," said Gedrick. "And he was very, very encouraging. I never thought I could act. I never thought the possibility was within my realm. But he broke it down in very simplistic terms and from there, he left himself completely available to call him and ask him questions." Which Gedrick did, but grades himself harshly.
"I feel like I'm in the grammar school of acting. Eventually I'll go on to high school and then college and hope to some day earn my PhD."
Gedrick occasionally bumps into Penn in Los Angeles. "I see him and say 'I'm still kind of working on it here.' "
And Penn, he said, is still rooting him on.
© Copyright 2000 The Washington Post Company
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