Nick Searcy

Photo credit: Zimbio.com

Cullowhee, a small mountain city in North Carolina, isn’t generally thought of as a place where stars are born.

But one was born there.

Actor Nick Searcy, who plays lawman Art Mullen on the hit FX TV series “Justified,” was born and raised in Cullowhee, N.C.

Searcy, who now lives in Los Angeles, Calif. with his wife and two children, has worked as a professional actor for over 20 years, alongside industry professionals Tom Hanks, Jodie Foster, Tom Cruise, among others.

“I’ve had the great fortune to do this for a living,” Searcy said. “I’ve been blessed.”

TV critic Jack McKinney said in a review of "Justified" earlier this year that Searcy plays a huge part in the show's success. McKinney said Searcy is an indispensable member of the "Justified" cast.

"If they had an award for playing a character that is critical to a show but is so good and consistent that you forget how truly remarkable they are, Nick Searcy would win every year for his work as Art Mullen," McKinney said.

Searcy made his big screen debut in 1991 as villain Frank Bennett in Fried Green Tomatoes.  Since then, he has acted in several major motion pictures, including Moneyball, The Last Song, The Ugly Truth, Runaway Jury and Castaway. In addition to his role on “Justified,” Searcy has also held recurring roles on ABC’s “Rodney,” ABC’s “Thunder Alley” and HBO’s “From the Earth to the Moon.”

Searcy said his earliest recollection of wanting to be a professional actor dates back to his childhood days in Cullowhee.

“I fell in love with the movies when I was a kid,” Searcy said.  “I was about 11 and my first memory is of watching 'The Mary Tyler Moore show' and thinking, ‘Those people look like they enjoy their jobs.  I want to do that.’”

So that’s what he did.  After high school, Searcy went to the N.C. School of the Arts in Winston-Salem to study drama and then to UNC-Chapel Hill, where he studied drama and English.  After graduating from UNC in 1981, Searcy moved to New York City to pursue a career in acting. While there, he met the woman who would eventually become his wife, fellow actor Leslie Riley.

Searcy and Riley wed in 1986. Leslie Searcy, nee Riley, said that although their married life in New York City was exciting, it was often difficult to make ends meet.

“We were both starving actors in New York,” Searcy said.  “And parts of it were really fun.  We sacrificed to try to make it work.  We worked midnight to 7 a.m. shifts proofreading legal documents so we could audition during the day.  It was fun, but it got old.”

The couple moved back to North Carolina in 1989 after their daughter was born. Leslie Searcy said that, at that time, it looked like her husband was going to have to put his acting career on hold. Searcy said she never asked him to give up on his dreams, though.

“I was doubtful that he could make it, but I never said, ‘You have to give this up.’’’

And it’s a good thing she didn’t because in 1991 Searcy was cast in Fried Green Tomatoes – a film that would propel him into the television and film industry. Leslie Searcy said they were ecstatic when they heard the news Searcy had been cast in the film.

“We were just blown away,” Searcy said.  “I mean they had stars auditioning for that part.  We couldn’t believe they cast him.”

Fried Green Tomatoes helped Searcy land an agent in Los Angeles.  The year after the film was released, Searcy and his family moved to California.

And Searcy has been a consistent presence in the television and film industry ever since.  He’s most recognized as an actor, but has tried his hand at directing and producing, as well. 

In 1996 Searcy produced, directed and acted in the independent feature Paradise Falls.  The film was incredibly successful. It won the Hollywood Film Festival’s Best Feature Film award in 1998. 

While Searcy said he enjoyed the chance to direct, he said the experience ultimately taught him that acting is what he is most passionate about.

 “I enjoyed the directing, but I realized it’s just so much work!” Searcy said.  “The whole time I was directing, I was thinking, ‘I miss that little job I had of sitting in my trailer with my five lines.'  I realized that acting is what I really like.”

Searcy said he’s found acting especially rewarding when he’s been able to play roles that are perfect for him – like his character on “Justified.”

“I read the script and thought, ‘Oh this is mine,’” Searcy said.

Searcy was cast as Chief Deputy Art Mullen on “Justified,” which just finished its third season, in 2009. The show is set in Kentucky and follows the life of U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens, played by Timothy Olyphant.  Searcy plays Givens’ boss in the series.

“Justified” will begin filming again in October. Searcy said he hopes the show will be around for many years to come.

“I love ‘Justified,’” Searcy said.  “I hope it goes on for 10 years.  I’m hoping I can just ride this one out into the sunset.”

Dean Smith, of Chapel Hill, who met Searcy at the N.C. School of the Arts many years ago, said Searcy’s stellar performance on “Justified,” is characteristic of Searcy’s work as an actor. Smith said Searcy is the real deal of film and TV acting.

“He’s that reliable character actor,” Smith said, “who can come in and give any show or movie the flesh-and-blood depth and texture they need to be more than just a vehicle for the latest start of the moment. He’s a real pro.”

Searcy said he would describe the roles he generally gets as “character” roles – roles like the best friend, the boss, the neighbor, etc. Searcy said he isn’t bothered by not getting cast in leading man roles.

“I’m a leading man trapped in a character actor’s body,” Searcy joked.

Searcy said the secret to his success in the film industry has been his confidence, persistence and candor.

“My wife always says that I’ve been blessed with overconfidence,” Searcy joked. “But you have to be tough.  In this business you get rejected 150 times and you might get accepted three or four times – and that’s good.  You can make a living out of that.  You have to have the ability to hear ‘You’re not good enough,” and think, ‘You people are idiots.’”

Leslie Searcy confirmed that her husband has always been incredibly self-assured.

“I could see it from the first moment I met him,” Searcy said.  “I really think it’s the reason he made it. He takes rejection and just thinks that the other people are stupid.  I mean what a gift.”

Frank Garrett, of Winston–Salem, who was Searcy’s roommate at the N.C. School of the Arts nearly 30 years ago, said he always believed Searcy would make it big.

“I told him that he would be successful and that I would be behind him 100 percent,” Garrett said.  “He had some very difficult times, but I always knew he was going to make it.  He had that drive and that determination.  I never thought he would give up.”

Garrett wasn’t always Searcy’s biggest fan, though. When the two first met at the N.C. School of the Arts, Garrett said he was skeptical whether he and Searcy would get along.

“When Jane, my sister, and I were moving my stuff into my dorm room, I met Nick and his parents,” Garrett said. “And I instantly disliked Nick.”

Garrett said the animosity was short-lived, though.

“After a couple of months, Nick and I came to love each other as best friends,” Garrett said. “We’ve been best friends ever since.”

Garret said that, despite his fame, Searcy is just a regular guy. Searcy is the father of two children – Chloe, 22, and Omar, 12. Searcy said his daughter plans on launching an acting career of her own – against her dad’s best advice.

“I tease her that she has an unrealistic idea about acting because she sees her dad lying around the house most weeks out of the year,” Searcy said.  “But she’s going to do great.  She’s a really great actress.”

Omar, Searcy's son whom they adopted at 15-months-old, is Searcy's pride and joy. Leslie Searcy said that because her husband has such a flexible work schedule, he is able to be a very hands-on father.  Searcy said her husband enjoys spending a lot of time with his son.

“He’s always with that boy,” she said. “He just adores him.  He’s an amazing father.  He really loves being with the kids.”

Searcy said he’s told his agents that he’s planning on taking the summer off to have some fun and be with his kids.  He’ll begin filming “Justified” in October and has plans to act in a play next spring. 

Searcy said that he is thankful for and excited by his present career success – even if it did come later than expected.

“I’ve been expecting sizable roles all my life,” Searcy said.  “It’s the years of anonymity and failure that I didn’t expect.  At last, they finally figured out how great I am.”