Marc Blucas

JOCK. BOOKWORM. HEARTTHROB?

A former boyfriend and combatant of TV's Buffy, Marc Blucas makes it clear that he isn't a dumb jock in Tinseltown. Though the 63' actor played basketball alongside current NBA MVP Tim Duncan at Wake Forest University in the early '90s, it's his academic achievements he's most proud of. "I used basketball to pay for my education at one of the top schools in the country," says Blucas. "Still," he adds, "It helped me develop a mentality in which failure is not an option."

That drive has clearly carried over into acting, as Blucas looks set to break out over the coming months with roles in three films of varying sizes and budgets. Next month he stars in They, a low-budget horror movie, and come winter he'll appear in the Gwyneth Paltrow romantic comedy A View From the Top. Presently, he has a pivotal part in Sunshine State, directed by John Sayles.

For Blucas, working with Sayles (the god of independent film") was a dream: "It was the most relaxed, creative, efficient and peaceful set I've ever been on." He was also wowed by his experience with Paltrow. "Gwyneth made it so easy," he explains. "And I got the chance to kiss her... I mean, somebody pinch me."

Henry Cabot Beck is a frequent interview contributor.

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COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning