Date April 01, 2005
Caption: Enrique Murciano says if he weren't an actor, he'd "love
to be renting Jet Skis somewhere in the Caribbean and have really
dark skin, bleached blonde hair, maybe a Hawaiian shirt."
Enrique Murciano is running late. The Cuban American actor, who adds
romantic leading man to his resume with the new sequel, MC2 is in
his hometown of Miami, taking a break from portraying FBI agent
Danny Taylor on CBS's top-rated drama Without a Trace. And while his
face has become synonymous with the good-guy part he plays on
television (and has played in movies like Traffic and Black Hawk
Down), this afternoon Enrique, 31, is immersed in another role: as
uncle to his two toddler sobrinos (nephews). It isn't until after
their play date is over that the single estrella (he recently broke
up with actress Molly Sims of NBC's Las Vegas) stops to chat with
Latina about his favorite nickname, romancing Sandra Bullock and the
benefits of being soltero.
How often do you return home to Miami and see your family? I have a
house in Miami, but I'm in LA pretty much all the time because of
the show. My family and little nephews, Beno and Martini, are here,
so I come back a lot. I'm Tio Tito to them they kind of nicknamed
me. We just had sushi for lunch, and there was rice on the floor,
tofu on the baby chair the little one ended up with the miso soup on
his head and was wearing the bowl like a combat helmet. But we made
it through.
So Miami is where your heart and your roots are? My Cuban roots are
in Miami, but my culture is never out of play. It's who I am 24
hours a day, from the rhythm that I carry in my body to the cadence
in my speech. It wasn't until I was 9 that I realized some people
didn't speak Spanish.
Tell us about your new role another FBI agent! in MC2. Its funny; I
guess I have the look of a government employee. But this is the
nicest character I've ever played. He's the sweetheart of the movie
who's so struck by Sandra Bullock's character. And Sandy was great;
I mean, she's the Michael Jordan of leading ladies. I don't know if
my audition was any good, but when I tested with her for the film,
there was definitely chemistry. I think that's what ultimately got
me the job.
Are you sharing any off-screen chemistry with anyone? I'm single
right now, and for the first time in my life, I'm alone. I don't
have a girlfriend, I don't have a roommate or anyone who's in my
day-to-day life, and it feels nice. I've been doing a lot of
reading, playing a lot of music, making a lot of dinners. And
listen, if I happen to open the door and Ms. Right walks in, then I
will behold on, that's my nephew knocking on the door again.