Dream Job: Adam Baldwin feels right at home with 'Firefly' - by Amy Amatangelo, Boston Herald, October 2002.

Adam Baldwin had one very good reason for wanting to be a series regular on the new Fox drama ``Firefly.''

"It's 15 minutes from my home,'' Baldwin said, then laughed. The actor plays the muscle on the space opera that airs Fridays at 8 on WFXT (Ch. 25).

Baldwin, the father of three, has often been required to work at faraway locations. Now he appreciates being able to stay close to his wife and children. The character actor's long career has included big-screen features, made-for-TV movies and multiple guest-star appearances.

"I probably can say I've made a living as an actor for 23 years. I made some great movies and made some not-so-great movies,'' he said. "There's always an element of luck. I started young and got lucky.''

Luck is one way to describe landing the title role in the 1980 film "My Bodyguard.'' Baldwin, who had taken drama class "just for fun'' since he was in the fifth grade, was 17 years old when casting directors came to Chicago looking for high school students. He auditioned and got the part. He also landed a small role as "a jerk'' in the Academy Award-winning film "Ordinary People.''

``That summer, there were four movies filmed in Chicago,'' he said. " `My Bodyguard,' 'Ordinary People,' `Blues Brothers' and `The Hunter' with Steve McQueen. It was like, `Wow, Chicago is the new Hollywood.' ''

Baldwin attributes his career longevity to "patience and understanding. It's accepting the fact that you are going to get more noes than yeses. It's believing you are a unique person and you have yourself to offer. And vigorous exercise. I'm not kidding. If you go and ride your bike every day, you feel good and can blow off steam.''

Ask what his favorite roles have been and you get a taste of Baldwin's eclectic career. "Certainly `My Bodyguard' and `Full Metal Jacket,' '' he said, also listing the 1996 made-for-TV movie "In the Line of Duty: Smoke Jumpers.'' "Unfortunately, it went against (`The Thorn Birds: The Missing Years')'' he said.

Television viewers also might recognize Baldwin from his role as Knowle Rohrer on "The X-Files'' last season. "I got involved in `The X-Files' sort of serendipitously. I had tried out for Robert Patrick's role. I think they liked the audition, but I wasn't right for the part. That's why it's always important to do a quality audition. I got to play a super soldier. It was a blast.''

That role also made him feel more comfortable when he auditioned for "Firefly.'' "It helped to keep the people at Fox aware of me. There was a comfort level of knowing I had done a good job on `The X-Files.' It's a nerve-racking experience to go in front of the 30 to 40 people doing the hiring. It's nice to have something fresh in their minds.''

He describes "Firefly,'' a science-fiction western set 500 years in the future, as ``the human condition contained on a space craft with adventure.''

`"A mistake a lot of people make with science fiction is that the people become more robotic. Human nature won't change in 500 years. They'll still have to deal with wants, needs and emotions. That's far more realistic than laser fights with aliens. Besides, lasers beams are expensive, these guys don't have the money.''

His character is "this mercenary public relations tough guy whose name is Jayne. Go back to the playground and think what this kid had to do to survive in school with that name. He's a giant 8-year-old - petulant, tough and on edge all the time. But he's somebody you want covering your back.''

Baldwin is glad that series creator Joss Whedon is covering the cast's back. "He's the kind of guy you want to work hard for,'' Baldwin said of the man who also created "Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and "Angel.'' "It's great writing that's an actor's dream. He's obviously working hard to give you good scripts. He deserves the best from his actors.''

And there's no doubt that's exactly what Baldwin is giving.