Q&A John C. Reilly

By Rebecca Winters

Normally an actor who shines by disappearing into a supporting role, John C. Reilly finally gets to lead as a small-time con artist in the new caper film, Criminal

IS IT REFRESHING TO PLAY THE CON MAN FOR ONCE, INSTEAD OF THE DUPE? Yeah, although everybody gets conned in this movie. It's good to play somebody that's a little darker. Even when you're playing the cuddly, lovable parts, you still have dark thoughts.

WHAT'S THE WORST CON EVER PULLED ON YOU? The worst for me were more personal, emotional cons, not involving money but involving matters of the heart. But that was long ago. I'm a happily married man now.

DOES YOUR WIFE MIND THAT PEOPLE FIND YOU A REALLY CONVINCING CUCKOLD? I hope she's not getting any ideas. My wife gets offended when people say something about my looks: "Oh, the homely mug of John Reilly." To her, I'm a romantic-leading-man kind of guy.

AREN'T YOU A REAL-LIFE MISTER CELLOPHANE, IN THAT YOU CAN WALK DOWN THE STREET AND NOBODY NOTICES? I can turn it on and off. Most of the time I look like a contractor, and people are like, "Is that--? No, that couldn't be. That guy's a slob." People can't see Happy Jack from Gangs of New York in a playground with his kids, so they don't make the connection.

WHAT'S WITH THE C? Christopher. There's another John Reilly who acts. The Screen Actors Guild has created a whole generation of pretentious-sounding actors' names with its rules. No one calls me John C. Reilly.