When your acting training is a life of crime since the age of 12 ending in almost five years in jail -- then going on your first audition at age 35 -- it’s either a lot of luck, talent, or charisma that got you there. Such is the life of actor and director Brian Goodman. Sitting down with Goodman at Soho Natural, it’s clear that all these traits -- combined with his “fear of going back to the old life” -- led to his success.

That old life of petty crimes in South Boston that grew into serious offenses, drug and alcohol addiction, jail and then sobriety, are portrayed in Goodman’s directorial debut, What Doesn't Kill You, starring Mark Ruffalo, Ethan Hawke, and Amanda Peet.

The calling to be an actor kept Goodman going during his prison time. Once released in 1994 and on parole, he landed small speaking roles in Snitch, directed by Ted Demme, and In Dreams, directed by Neil Jordan, which, as luck would have it, were filming in Boston. He has gone on to act for films and television in Catch Me If You Can, Blow, Munich, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift, "The Closer", "Lost", "CSI", and "Thieves". Nine years ago, Goodman picked up a yellow pad and began to write his story, eventually enlisting old friend and South Boston native Donnie Wahlberg to co-write and co-star. We found out more about his past and future:

Do you want to continue directing, or would you rather act?
To continue to work is my only hope. I’m told it will happen, but I’ll believe it when I see it. I have a passion for this stuff. About acting and directing: I’m going to give a thousand percent no matter what I’m doing. And hopefully that shows. I’m very grateful that I’m working. I don’t have a plan B so it has to work out.

You had offers over the years to get this film made with other actors, filming in Canada rather than South Boston, where the story actually took place. How did you know you could get it made in South Boston with great talent?
We got a good response about the script from the beginning. It’s all about instinct. I wanted the smell of the place to come through and not be distracted by style and camera angles, so you can pay attention to the dialogue. It’s an actor’s piece. Fortunately for me, they (Ruffalo and Hawke) made a dream come true.

What was it like directing your own story?
It was surreal, happy, sad, painful, therapeutic, healing, eye-opening. You think you’ve dealt with things. With one scene I couldn’t yell ‘Cut.’ I got to see things from other people’s point of view. But if you ever make your own story, you get very sick of yourself.

Soon after serving time you landed your first speaking role.
That was a sign that maybe there was something else I could do. Playing cops and criminals – it’s only a fine line acting. People say ‘You always play bad guys’ – I don’t see them as bad guys. I sometimes play the hero. I robbed drug dealers. I was surviving. I was never a scumbag.

Is there anything you miss about that world?
Yeah, you know, it’s kind of exciting. It’s a real adrenaline rush. One foot over the edge. It’s addictive and I was pretty good at it. The only time I got in trouble was when I lost my temper. So it was violence amongst other violent people. I was stabbed three times, shot four. It sounds dramatic, but it’s the nonsense that goes on in that world, and there was a lot of money to be made. I wasn’t a gangster. It filled the hole.

How does it compare to your life now in Hollywood?
Well they over-pay you in Hollywood. I don’t sit at home and think, ‘What am I missing?’ And I don’t fill that hole with money no more. It’s not like I want for anything. And my street sense helps me. That’s why I’ve been able to get through in Hollywood in a short period. Being able to read people. It saves me a lot of time. I only went out there with one hope, that I’m employable as a character actor. To be famous doesn’t interest me at all. I don’t get caught up in the Hollywood thing. I kinda live like I’m 70. I play golf in the morning. I keep busy. And I’m gonna take a little credit for being brighter and more observant than the next guy.

~Sara Costello