That’s how character actor Jack McGee kick started our phone interview on behalf of David O. Russell’s “The Fighter,” the Oscar-nominated drama that casts McGee as Mark Wahlberg’s father figure, George Ward.
McGee has enjoyed a lengthy career in Hollywood. He made his quiet debut as a bar patron in 1985’s “Turk 182!,” then went on to contribute to the “Lethal Weapon” franchise, Bill Murray’s “Scrooged,” “Basic Instinct,” “Backdraft” and the legendary “Showgirls.”
Television addicts might recognize McGee from his recurring roles on Denis Leary’s firefighter drama “Rescue Me,” though he also appeared on such popular programs as “Chicago Hope,” “NYPD Blue,” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” over the years.
“You know, if I thought for a minute that I could audition for the same role Natalie Portman played in ‘Black Swan,’ I’d try,” McGee said with a laugh. “But I was a firefighter in New York City for 10 years. I come from a background of blue-collar workers, and I identify with the working class quite a bit.”
