Serial killer. Gay hitman. Interstellar evildoer. Clifton Collins Jr.’s movie roles don’t exactly scream out “family movie.” But this week in The Perfect Game, the chameleon-like Mexican-American character actor (Star Trek, Boondock Saints, Capote) takes on just that, playing the real-life Mexican-American Little League coach who turned a rag-tag group of boys from Monterrey into the first non-U.S. team to win the Little League World Series in 1957. On the way to glory, the team had to endure blatant racism, lack of money and equipment and other challenges. Collins talked to Latina.com about overcoming his own odds, branching out in his career (he is currently on TNT’s critically acclaimed Southland and directs a Web channel TheTVFantastic.com) and about bringing the story of his hero, trailblazing acting grandfather Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, to life. It turns out that the actor, who next plays an ex-Aryan Brotherhood con in The Experiment, is far from done taking the kind of risks that have made him a sought-after, intensely watchable actor.

The Perfect Game is very different for you.

I know! I ain’t been PG in 20 years!

What drew you to a kids’ film? … READ MORE