As he prepares to play a dedicated FBI
agent on "Profiler," Robert Davi is
reminded of a favorite quote from
President John F. Kennedy -- "When
power corrupts, poetry cleanses" -- which
is the cornerstone of his approach to
portraying a sensitive, humane hero after a
career of depicting black hats.
Known for his macho roles (especially as a drug czar in the feature "License to
Kill"), Davi's latest turn as an FBI agent assigned to the Investigative Support
Unit allows him to show a more sensitive side. "Bailey is compassionate,
dedicated and committed to truth and honesty, which I strongly relate to," says
Davi. "He's a man of action, though; he likes and needs that. Crisis is a drug for
him."
"As far as I'm concerned, there is no such thing as 'bad guys' or 'good guys';
it's all a matter of perception. They are all just human beings and I try to play
them that way. As we've learned from the past, bad guys make the best good
guys. Humphrey Bogart made the same transition in his 40s, and other actors
such as Lee Marvin, Charles Bronson, Richard Boone and Robert Mitchum --
we're talking strong leading men, not boys -- started out as bad guys and made
the switch to playing good guys."
Born in Astoria, N.Y., and raised in a blue-collar family on Long Island, Davi
grew up with an appreciation for music and voice. While singing in a school
locker room in eighth grade, Davi was overheard by a nun passing outside, who
urged his mother to enter her son in competitions. He won statewide
opera-singing contests, went to Italy to study with opera great Tito Gobbi in
Florence, and, at 19, made his debut with the Long Island Lyric Opera.
Davi attended Hofstra University on a drama scholarship, leaving shortly before
obtaining his degree to work as a waiter (in a series of temporary posts, since
he was fired several times) in New York City. He aggressively sought acting
work while studying with Stella Adler and at the Actors Studio under Lee
Strasberg. In 1978, his career got a boost when he was cast in a leading role
opposite Frank Sinatra in the NBC movie "Contract on Cherry Street." After the
movie was completed, Davi remained in Los Angeles and appeared in the
miniseries "From Here to Eternity," while racking up credits in such feature films
as "Goonies," "Raw Deal," "Wild Thing" and "Die Hard" (a rare white-hat role as
an FBI agent).
In the 1990s, Davi's feature films included "Predator II," "Cops and Robbersons,"
"Wild Orchid II," "Son of the Pink Panther," "Christopher Columbus: The
Discovery" and "Showgirls." He has four upcoming films: "Dogfighters," "For
Which He Stands," "An Occasional Hell" and "Bad Pack." He appeared in the
TV series "L.A. Law," "Hill Street Blues," "Wiseguy" (in an arc of episodes), and
"The Gangster Chronicles," as well as the miniseries "Terrorist on Trial: United
States vs. Salim Ajami."
In his leisure time, Davi enjoys a good cigar, riding his two Harley-Davidson
motorcycles, watching old movies, collecting modern and classical art,
sketching, writing, and working out. Davi and his family live in Southern
California. His birthday is June 26.
