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REX
... the FACTS
Born: Spearman, TX (population 3000) - moved to Oklahoma City when I was 12.
Resides: Sherman Oaks, CA
Birth date: 11-13-56
Sign: Scorpio
Height: 6'3"
Hair: Shiny
Eyes: Blue
Family: Dad is an attorney - older brother, older sister.
Ethnicity: Irish/Scottish. But I always say Texan.
Never married, no children
Want children: "Yes, absolutely. I would love to have children. Children love me and I love children.
It's so funny because when you're from my part of the country which is basically the Bible belt, if you're not married by the time you're 25, you're either
gay or you're a serial killer. If you don't have the white picket fence and the career, but people gave up on me, they quit asking. As recently as 3-4 years ago, people were calling, and saying when
are you going to settle down. And I'd say, `well, hell I am settled down.'"
Nonsmoker - I smoke cigars.
Education: Graduated with a degree in radio, television and film.
Occupation: Actor - Detective Frank Tripp on CSI Miami. We're the #1 watched show in the world on television. It's bizarre to me, I don't go anywhere out this front door without being recognized. "CSI" writing staff competes to see who can come up with the most sarcastic lines, known on the show as
"Trippisms," for my cynical character. It's been a great ride so far, this is my 5th season. I do commercials, documentaries. I like to work, I'm a work
freak"
History: I graduated from college and worked my way up in the bank to VP.
I sold my house, packed all my stuff in a U-haul and drove out to LA - I was 32. Everybody
here in LA thinks that because I'm from OK and TX, I can rebuild their car engine. I couldn't tell you where the carburetor is in a car engine, but put me on a horse, that's a different story.
My first job was a Steven Bochco experiment called Cop Rock. I had one line on it. Then in 1992 I was cast
for Cliffhanger with Sylvester Stallone. It was the #1 movie in America for 13 weeks. John
Lithgow and I played the two bad guys. So that was basically my first really big break.
... on HIMSELF
Strengths: "First of all, I grew up in Spearman, TX, in a town of 3,000. I have the best parents in the world. My mom's no longer with us, God rest her soul, but I was raised the right way in a small TX community, which basically was you treat people like you want to be treated. You be respectful of your elders, and you say `yes ma'am and no ma'am.' One of my qualities is, I love
people. As far as I'm concerned, people are the most interesting thing on the planet. I just love people and I get along with everybody. I could hang out with a wino on the curb or I could hang out with the
President. I have a real good feel for people. As far as I'm concerned that's a fantastic quality.
I have a great family. All my family members are really open people and really nice so I was just raised in that environment. I love to meet new people. And I can cook some damn good barbecue. I'm fun, happy go lucky, have a great spirit for life, a great spirit for living life to its fullest and taking it a day at a time."
Weaknesses: "Women. Kidding. I'm sure I have a lot of weaknesses. Well, I can
tell you this, this will sound really corny to you probably, but I have a weakness for college football. Seriously. I live for college football on Saturdays. I literally do. It's presented some problems in the past with a couple relationships that I've had. I love pro football too, I can do anything on Sunday - I love the Dallas Cowboys - but I could watch any pro football on Sunday and it'd be fine with me, Saturday's a different story."
Others may not see: "Some people will perceive me immediately as kind of a good ol' boy, and not really knowledgeable of the business world, but my dad's one of the greatest trial attorneys on the planet. I grew up in a family atmosphere where education
and making good grades was paramount. I grew up in the business world and I think a lot of people when they see me wearing beat up cowboy boots and jeans, they
think I'm from a small town in TX. but I love the business world, the stock market, I love reading. So I would say, people probably if they're over here to a college football party and left, they wouldn't say he's very knowledgeable about the business world. I don't talk about the business world much but that's the environment I grew up in so a lot of people don't know that."
Interests: "Dining out, I'm a dining freak. I really don't buy toys, but I love food. It's just one of my hobbies. I love to go to new restaurants, I love to cook. I can't cook great but I do consider myself a good cook in the style of food that I cook.
I cook almost every weekend. There's not anything that I won't eat. I love all food. I have been to the Philippines, I've eaten balu - which is a 14-day-old duck embryo, that's raw, with a hot garlic sauce on it. I've eaten monkey brains in Thailand which I love with spicy peppers on it. I can eat everything but there's one thing that I can't get close to, I cannot eat sweet potatoes. I can't smell them. I'm a college football freak, mainly University of Texas Longhorns. I played high school football, one year of college football. I'm not a big gym person even though I'm a member of a gym. I'll get on a treadmill, I'll do cardiovascular stuff. I have a mountain bike so that's basically my exercise. I also rope steers. I've been in on a lot of celebrity ropings. I love riding horses, I love roping. I sold my horse in OK a long time ago. I go to the Reba McIntyre celebrity roping every year.
I'm a movie freak. I think it's an actor's responsibility or anybody in this business to go see as many movies as you can. I don't see 5 movies a week, but I try to. I love horror films so I see all the bad horror films. My favorite actor is Jack Nicholson so I've never missed an opening day of the release of his movie. There's nothing like going in there and getting popcorn and milk duds and a diet coke and forgetting about the rest of the world for 2 1/2 hours. I love it. I love southwest art. I invest a little bit in art work."
Turn-ons: "Cold beer, college football, grounded, nice people, wildlife. I'm a wildlife freak. I love animals, always have. I love being in the outdoors. I'm a hunter too. I hunt birds. I could never shoot a deer. I have quail and turkey. I eat what I harvest."
Turn-offs: "Rude people is a major one. I can't stand when you're turning right in an intersection and the light turns green and people
casually, unless they're elderly or handicapped, walk across the street, so you have to wait on them. I've always had this fantasy of just slowly easing over and nipping their kneecap with my bumper, and
saying `get your ass across the street' if you're 22 years old. Instead they casually walk across the street in a city that's got 13 million people with all kinds of traffic. I hate that. It just drives me crazy. I don't run, but I haul ass. I'm not going to have anybody wait on me. I've even seen older men and older women who will haul ass across the street..."
Special Talents: "I definitely don't sing unless it's front of the mirror with a broom, sometimes I play the broom guitar. It's not a passion of mine, but I'm pretty good. I was a drummer for a long time, I drummed in high school and college. I had a rock band in college and traveled all over OK and the surrounding states. I don't play the drums anymore. I can play the piano a little bit. I speak Spanish."
Titles: "This is going to impress you, are you ready? I was the OK State duck calling person in 1987. How about that one? Yeah,
baby! I won the Dartmouth cup award which is basically the
Heisman trophy of sports. I was voted the best athlete in high school. That's a pretty big deal, isn't it? And hopefully, I'll be nominated for the SAG for a best supporting role in a drama series in one of the episodes."
Charities: "I do a lot for children's medical research in OK City. That's where my family is, my dad's on the board there so I do a lot of charity work for them. Normally, if I can, if my schedule permits, I'll do whatever charity that people ask me to do. That's what it's all about isn't? You have to give back. But children's medical research in OK City is my main charity. We've got a great hospital there that does so much research on children's diseases. You got to help the kids, don't you? I'll offer VIP tour of the set, lunch, meeting the cast, I do that a lot."
Travels: "I've traveled a lot. I've been fortunate enough in my acting career to be on location in a lot of different places. We filmed Cliffhanger in
Italy. I lived in Italy for 6 months. I've been around the world probably 3-4 times. I don't travel a lot unless it's work because I love to work.
The trip that I haven't made yet, which is my dream trip of all time is a really serious legitimate safari in South Africa, where you can get out amongst. Not one of those little touristy things. I have to go to Africa."
Spirituality: "I grew up a Methodist. I would consider myself certainly a Christian. I pray every day. When they call me to the set, I always say a 2 minute prayer before I go to work. I've been doing that since I started acting. I'm not church going necessarily, I grew up going to church, certainly. It's been several months since I've been to church, but I love the church though."
Fashion sense: "Two ways, actually. I love sharp looking suits, I love to wear suits. Not necessarily a tie, but I love to dress up. That's on one end, the polar opposite end of that is my old roping boots, fading jeans and a T-shirt. They're
both my favorites. I wear both of them at appropriate times."
Staying healthy: "I'm a sushi freak, I love raw fish. I try to watch my weight. It's hard to on the set, we have great caterers on the set. There's a Mercian food day, how can you turn that down, what are you going to
do, eat a salad? I try to stay around 212-215. I'm not the healthiest eater in the world."
What touches my soul: "Kids and puppies."
... on WOMEN
I first notice ... "legs. They got to have the legs. If you got legs, that's a great foundation. Eyes and legs for me, would probably be it. I look for somebody who's grounded. I love women, I think women are the best in the planet. But especially living in this town, most women can't handle their beauty. If they're really attractive, they can't handle it. They either think they're holier than thou or you owe them something. It's so refreshing to meet a woman
who's really attractive or not really attractive who's grounded.
The physical part of what I'm attracted to would be eyes and legs but the bottom line is if they can't be grounded, they can't be sincere about life, if they don't have some sort of agenda going on, which you can pretty much pick up fairly quickly, that's what I look for. I like a grounded woman whether she's gorgeous or not gorgeous, just somebody who's sincere. That may sound corny but that's the truth."
Attention-getters: "One, without a conversation, a smile.
No matter what, whether it's men or women, a smile is a wonderful thing. It doesn't cost anything and if it's sincere, it's one of the most valuable things in the world as far as I'm concerned. Secondly, a good conversation about anything. If a girl can talk to me like a buddy of mine would talk to me, and look at me in the eye when she talks without a hidden agenda,
it's pretty amazing to me."
Ideal woman: "They got to like their dad. Somebody who cares about people and
animals. And I love to be around somebody who's funny. I mean we all do, laughter's a great medicine in this world. And that's not a perquisite for me but what icing in the cake
if you find someone who can make you laugh. That's a pretty cool thing."
I can't resist a woman who ... "loves college football."
Most important quality in a woman: "Honesty, by far."
Ideal date: "A really great dinner or a great concert. I love concerts, I'm a concert freak.
I like going to a movie because you can talk after the movie's over with ...
especially if you go to a movie that's thought provoking."
I'd call a woman back after a first date ... "if she kisses good. I pride myself in kissing, I think kissing is an art. Kissing is important. It would bring me back for a second go around, for sure."
I'd never date a woman who ... "doesn't like animals."
How I show I care: "I'm absolutely romantic, 110%. The old adage, actions speak louder, that's how I show. I'm a monster flower dude, especially yellow roses from Texas. I've got a big rose garden. Sometimes you send roses from a floral place and they don't smell at all, which is
bullshit. But I've got great roses in my yard, and as far as I'm concerned, a woman may disagree with this, but there's nothing better than handing a rose on a date to start
the date off with just a one stem rose that has the most amazing fragrance on the planet. That's better than 36 roses that don't smell ... one of them is fantastic."
What makes a woman unforgettable: "A couple things. It could be her physical beauty or it could be her sense of humor."
What I wish women understood more about men: "I think men even though they don't want to say it all the time, they appreciate brutal honesty more than anything, I mean no gray area, it's black or white. You got to have it upfront. You got to
sat it, you got to mean it and things will be a lot better in a relationship. I think honesty, as tough as that is to accomplish, in the long run, it's got a great payoff. You just should be honest about everything and that's really tough to swallow sometimes."
One thing a woman has never done for me yet, but I would love it: "Offer to take me an African safari."
... on RELATIONSHIPS
Views on relationships: "A relationship is absolutely important to me. I think being in a relationship is healthy. I think everybody, I don't care what you do, who you are or where you're from, you have to have a relationship. I think that's important for everybody."
What I love most about being in a relationship: "Letting myself feel free and vulnerable and letting that person know who I am, nothing I have to hide. No gray area, I can be brutally honest and if it works, it's fantastic. I think that's what I like most about it.
Everybody has to work at relationships, but you don't have to work at it that hard. It does take work but it shouldn't have to be that much work, that's my opinion."
Top relationship keys: "#1, again, it has to be honesty. I'm not listing these in priority, but I would say you got to be able to give and take. You got to be able to back off when you need to back off. As we say in Texas, pull the reins back on a horse, or loosen up the reins. In my opinion, you have to let whoever you're in a relationship with, you have to let them live their own life, you have to let them be in their own world and do what they do that makes them happy. And hopefully in addition to that, it's being with you
that makes them happy, but you have to give them their space, and let them do what they need to do and understand it."
A woman in a relationship with me can expect ... "college football. There'd be college football on Saturdays. Lots of movie going, lots of great dinners. Lots of travel. And mixing it up, doing different things and having fun. You got to develop trust, if that's done over a period of time, and during that time, you should be able to have fun and do interesting things and hopefully the relationship will move forward. I just try to really, honestly,
live life to the fullest and just have fun. And not get complacent
where you're just doing the same things all the time. Because I love life anyway and I love people, so it's really cool when you find somebody that you've developed a relationship with that you can share that with them. So that's what they should expect from
me."
What I expect: "# 1 would be loyalty. It's not that I'm obsessed with trust, but quite frankly, as everyone knows who's ever been in a relationship, trust is everything. So I absolutely demand loyalty. And that's not coming from a jealous viewpoint, it's just that, if I get in a relationship, and she's really loyal to me, if she stands behind me, and is for me, then I'll give her whatever part of the world I can give her.
If you earn my trust, I will be the best boyfriend on the planet. But trust does not come easily, you have to prove to me ... if you prove to me that you're in the trenches with me when the bullets start flying, you're not going to bail out of the trench, I'll be the most loyal guy on the planet.
I expect loyalty and fun, you don't have to necessarily be funny. But I like to have fun and I like somebody who is got a great outlook on life, no matter what the scenario is.
I expect her to give me my space too and to be patient with my business that I'm in, working long hours. I'm dedicated to my career. Not that I wouldn't be dedicated in a relationship. I love college football, this is who I am, I love roping, hunt sometimes. Those are the things I need to do because they're hobbies of mine and you need to let me do those. And that sounds simplistic but it really can get complicated eventually. Just let me be who I am so I don't have to be somebody else. I don't want to be forced to be somebody else.
And I expect great sex."
When I'm in love, I ... "am a pathetic romantic. I don't know of a better feeling than falling in love. I really don't. Every song on the radio is cool, the first honeymoon stages of a relationship and falling in love is ... you can't match that feeling. But also for me being in love with somebody, you get a sense of foundation, a sense that the world's right, everything's good."
What makes me feel close to a woman: "Well, I hate to harp on loyalty again, but if I find a woman who appears to be loyal to me and is behind me, I know that sounds too simplistic but
it's true. If I find a woman who's really behind me and
really likes being with me, I feel really close to her also. The other thing that makes me feel close to a woman is if I can actually tell her about things that I would tell a few people, including my family. If I feel comfortable about telling her things about myself or some of my fears, or some of my insecurities, or whatever, if I feel comfortable doing that, then I feel close to her. If I can get to a point in a relationship where I can really start taking the layers off, then I feel closer to
them. Also affection. Like walking over during a party or dinner and have your girl walk by and just touch you, maybe squeeze your hand or give you a look, or touch you on the back or walk by and say, `I like you.' I like that."
Greatest relationship lesson: "Don't bullshit your partner. Be 110% brutally honest. It's hard to do, but a great lesson would be don't waste my time and I won't waste your time. I was misled in a couple relationships that I absolutely invested heart and soul in, and it was not reciprocated. It
was just a waste of time for everybody involved. Just be really honest from the get go."
What makes a woman marriage material: "I would say somebody that you can look at not only just physically but look inside their soul, if you will, if you're with a person and you can look at them and think, `this is going to be really cool growing old with you' or `this is going to be really cool sharing the rest of my journey, however long it is with you.' If you can actually look at them and feel like you want to do that, then I think you're looking at a woman who would be marriage material. And for whatever reason,
if you can look at somebody and think `I'm really comfortable with her and I really want to take her on the rest of the journey,' then she's definitely marriage material. She has to have a really good heart. She's got to be really
kind. Similar interests to a certain degree. That whole thing about opposites attract, I'm not sure I've ever bought into any of that.
Somebody who loves people and loves their family and is a person who enjoys life and loves people. I can't tolerate male or female, a person who's calloused and doesn't really appreciate the good people in this world."
... on SEX
What makes sex good: "Always try to be creative with it and don't get into a scenario where you take it for granted. You got to keep the fire going. So many times in relationships, as far as sex life, I think people get complacent. I have a great appetite for that and that's important to me. I'm sure it's important to every male and female on the planet but it's got to be there. So, again, I'm a romantic, so you have to keep it
interesting. I don't want it to become mundane. You got to work at that, man, it's good work though, it's fun work."
I feel my sexiest when ... "I feel completely at peace with myself and the person I'm with and they're totally at peace. There's no hidden agenda. When I feel comfortable with the person I'm with, I can be at my sexiest."
Most sensual part of a woman's body: "Maybe her lips or
the small of her back."
Sexiest thing a woman can wear in private: "Overalls. No, people will think I'm a hick.
The immediate answer would be nothing. For me, the sexiest thing in private she can wear would be something that lends itself to the imagination and not `just look here I am.'"
Something really sexy, that would tease me, something slightly promiscuous but leaves something to the imagination."
Surefire way to seduce me: "Invite me to a college football game. For her to tell me that she likes me and mean it. And that's the truth. It's got to come from a sincere place."
... on LIFE
Making my mark: "I think in a way, I've made a little bit of a mark, I've put some smiles on people's faces and been a part of letting them enjoy escaping reality by some of the films I've been in and television. I didn't invent movies and television, but I'm part of it. And I want to be a bigger part if it. And also I want to help people as much as possible and I want to be a role model as much as possible.
I'd like to go out in this world with people remembering me as a person who cares about people
... I think everybody should try to make this world better in any way possible, whether it's financially, volunteer work, just make it so we have as much peace in this world as we possibly can. And that's a responsibility that everybody should take on.
And more than anything, one of the marks I want to put on this earth would be that when I leave here that people will look back and say `he made me smile.' Putting a smile on someone's face is one of the greatest things you can do. And be kind to people, it just makes the world a better place."
Responsibility to society: "Well., this is going to sound really simplistic too, but it's true. My first response to that would be to do the right thing. I try to, I'm not perfect and nobody is. And doing the right thing, is half the battle in this world. It's never easy. There's certain things you can look at and say well obviously I got to do this, that's an easy decision. But to do the right thing, is one of the toughest things, we as humans in my opinion, have to deal with. It's not an easy road but I think it's our responsibility."
Valuable life lesson: "Kindness goes a long way. Being sincere, helpful
and nice to people pay back in silver dollars."
I must ... "go to Africa. I dreamt about that since I was a kid. And everybody I know has gone to Africa but me. That's one thing that I have to do. Go to Japan and eat
sushi. And would love to have a child because everything I've heard, it's just the greatest thing ever and I hope I'm lucky enough to experience that because there can't be anything much bigger than that, really. That's got to be amazing. And possibly I might
add, marriage maybe."
Best advice received: "A couple things and both of them from my father. Any time in my life what appeared to me be a negative crisis really wasn't. My dad always told me, `Rex, don't drown in shallow water.' And he also told me that if I pursue acting, if I go to Los Angeles, and get caught up in the crazy
world or I find myself not being the person that I am. He said, `always remind yourself of where you came from and the kind of people you came from.' Meaning I come from small town Texas, and we generally say, we were raised from people from the earth, a lot of farmers, ranchers and hard working people. He always said, `just always remember where you came from and you'll have a good foundation.'
Best advice I've given a woman: "Get out of this house, no I'm just kidding,
that's another great question. I've already touched on it but I'll say it again, and I mean it. To be 110% brutally honest."
... on HIS FAVORITE THINGS
Movie: "One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest."
TV Show: "CSI Miami, college football."
Book: "Thomas Harris is an author whom I love - he wrote the Red Dragon, Silence of The Lambs, Hannibal."
Music: "Rock and Roll specifically the Eagles. I'm a giant Eagles fan."
Food: "Sushi, Mexican, barbecue."
... final THOUGHTS
Wheels: "I drive a silver Escalade. I like bigger cars. I'm not a toy buyer really. I love
sports cars, don't get me wrong. But I'm more of a `lets load some shit up in my car kind of guy.'"
Pets: "I have three pets. I'm a big dog freak. I love dogs but I'm gone so much that there's no way I can really have one now. So what I've got is, and I can't stand cats, so what I've got is I've got 2 dogs in cat suits. One's name is Jack, after my favorite actor, Jack Nicholson, and the other Choctaw, named after an Indian town in OK, where she was found on the side of road. A friend of mine picked her up and brought her to Los Angeles. And I have a snake in a dog suit, so basically I have three dogs. I have a Western Hog Nose snake. I love snakes. I worked in the herpatarioum at the OK City Zoo which is the snake house. I've raised snakes."
Tattoos: "No. I think tattoos on women if they're on the right place are amazingly sexy, but when there's too much of it, it's gaudy and it's ugly. I'm a huge Texas longhorn fan, so if I were going to get a tattoo, it would be a burnt orange Texas
longhorn. I don't know where I'd put it but it would be
where you couldn't really openly see it. I'd have to have a keg of beer before I made that decision."
Always in my refrigerator: "There's more stuff in my freezer than in my refrigerator. I'm an outdoorsman, I hunt birds. I'm a hunter and I love to cook. So
in my freezer right now, I've got pheasant, quail and ducks. And, in my refrigerator,
there will never be a moment when there's not a 6 pack of beer in my refrigerator or a bottle of wine.
I love sandwiches, always sandwich stuff. I grew up eating sandwiches and I just love to make a sandwich out of anything. There's always a ton of hot sauce. I'm a hot sauce freak. I grow jalapeno and soreno pepper in my front yard. The town that I grew up in, Speatman, TX is heavily populated with Mexican Americans. I literally was eating
jalapeno peppers when I was 2 years old. And you'll always find a bunch of barbecue sauce in my refrigerator
too. Evian water, Coors original beer, diet coke, Stubb's barbecue sauce, Sticky Fingers barbecue sauce."
Hottest possessions: "1) A black/white picture of my mother in college
(she was 22) that she gave me. She was a beautiful, beautiful women. Every time somebody comes into my house, they ask about that picture. Who is that gorgeous
woman? Must be a movie star. 2) A football that was given to me by the University of Texas athletic dept in 2005 with my name on it and the score of the Texas/USC game.
It's a national championships football in a glass case. 3) My grandmother's bible. She got in 1907 and when she passed away, I was fortunate enough somehow to get it."
I'd change places for 24 hours with ... "God, maybe. That's such a thought provoking question. I could have a field day on that. But I would say, my two immediate responses were my father and Jack Nicholson."
I'd most like to hang out with ..."Jack Nicholson."
Celeb I'd love to take on a date: "Ashley Judd. She seems fairly grounded, she's got that whole southern thing going on, she's got style."
Why I'm such a great catch: "Never a boring moment."
Me in a word: "Fun."
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