BETTY CHATS WITH NEW HUNK ON THE BLOCK, VIN DIESEL!

Best known for his role as Carparzo in Saving Private Ryan, the virile and versatile Vin Diesel is quickly becoming Hollywood's "It" Boy. With a rough-n-rugged voice that could charm the toughest Ice Queen, this New York native comes fully equipped with talent - and unlike his fellow hunks-of-the-moment Vin's demonstrated that he's one resourceful dude. Case in point; he wrote, directed, produced, financed and starred in Strays which was accepted into the 1997 Sundance Film Festival.

Now he's starring in a slew of major movies like The Boiler Room, Pitch Black and the upcoming Knockaround Guys. Oh, and remember that adorable animated film called The Iron Giant? That was Vin as the voice of the gentle robot. Talented and tender? Pinch me. Read on!

BBB: In "The Boiler Room" you play a fast-talking broker whose mouth is as fast as his money. You anything like your character?
Vin: Every single character that I've ever played has some similarities. I did telemarketing, so I did it for a living. It's the same thing as selling stocks, but instead of stocks you're selling inadequate tools. The whole reason why I did this film was to redeem myself for a shameless job. So hopefully by the end of this film you'll know that if anyone ever calls you to sell you anything, you'll.[smiles] hang up the phone.

BBB: You seem very resourceful. Did that help you land roles?
Vin: If you're the type of person who has to fulfill your dreams, you've gotta be resourceful to make sure you can do it. I came out to California when I was 21, thinking my New York credentials would take me all the way. I came back home a year later all dejected and a failure. But my mother gave me this book called "Feature Films at Used Car Prices" by a guy named Rick Schmidt.

I gotta credit the guy, cuz he gave me the most practical advice. It empowers you... It tells you that you can make a movie if you can pull together $11,000. The whole year I was in L.A. I got into telemarketing and learned how to make money. So five years later that skill helped me make my first film.

BBB: You're a pretty beefy guy Vin - do you ever worry about being typecast as the bad guy?
Vin: I was a bouncer for nine years and one of the problems was - I'd go into an audition - and when you're a bouncer everything you say has to be reinforced with an unspoken threat that the "situation can be handled in a physical manner" - if I can quote the great Stone Cold Steve Austin!

BBB: Go for it!
Vin: There was always a certain edge that I couldn't erase because Iworked every single night, ten hours a night, dealing with 3,000 people. You don't have a gun. You don't have a badge. You don't have the support of a police force and you're suppose to be this superhero. Everyone's supposed to fear you and respect you, so I think looking back, that kinda hindered me a little bit.

BBB: Yeah but now you're on the top. How does that feel?
Vin: It feels amazing. You know when something feels so good but you're afraid to feel good about it? So you kinda hold back? Everyone says, "Congratulations, you must be so happy." And you say something stupid like, "I'm just doing what little I can with what little I have."

BBB: Oh, feel free to feel good about anything darlin' - you rock Betty's world.