What part do you play?

I play the role of Hal, who is one of two security guards inside the cab of an armored car carrying money and bonds. Good buddies, they're talking about Marty's upcoming wedding when suddenly the car is hijacked and literally pushed into a much bigger tractor trailer.

Where were your scenes shot?

One scene was shot on a side street in Hollywood near Cahuenga Blvd. and the other was shot in some warehouse downtown.

How long did it take?

The first day I shot we worked for about 13 hours. They had already been shooting another scene before I arrived so their day was much longer than mine. I wasn't needed the 2nd day and on the 3rd I worked just a couple of hours for a quick flashback scene.

Sounds like you're in the opening scene. Did you get a chance to work with the regular cast?

No I didn't. I worked only with the other guest stars on the show. There was a scene that required us to be dead at the crime scene while Monk investigates, however they ended up using body bags with dummies instead.

What's the atmosphere like on the set? Relaxed? Tense?
It was a very laid back set. Everyone was extremely professional and highly skilled. I didn't sense any tension, even after 12 hours, which is a great environment to work in.

Who was the director of the episode and what was he like to work with?

The directer was Jefery Levy and he was so cool. Very talented, easy going, and a pleasure to work with.

You mentioned the episode was well written. What impressed you about it?

I thought the script was amazing and the jokes written for Monk were so funny. I was really impressed at the overall creativity of the story and how it tied all the characters in the episode together. Plus each character on the show is so well developed. When you combine that kind of writing with such talented actors, the results are amazing.

Did you watch the show before you got the role?

Oh yea! I love the show. So as you can imagine I was very excited to get the opportunity to work on it.

Any phobias of you own?

No not really. I hate really crowded places but I guess that's nothing compared to Monk.

What do you enjoy most about acting?

I love everything about it. I'm just a fan in general of great stories, whether it be movies, television, theatre or etc... And getting the opportunity to create a character and be someone else is so much fun. Not to mention it's very challenging and creative. It really is an amazing means of expression.

Professionally speaking, what’s the one thing you’d most like to do that you haven’t done yet?

Well, there's definitely more than one, but getting a job as a series regular on a successful show sounds pretty good. Just making a living as a working actor would make me really happy. After that, I'd be happy to let the chips fall where they may.

As someone who was once a professional basketball player, why the switch to an acting career?

Well, when injuries cut my basketball career short, I needed something that I was passionate about that would challenge me and drive me the same way that basketball did. I miss playing ball and competing, but a lot of the same feelings I experienced being an athlete I am now re-experiencing in my journey to become a successful actor. Interestingly enough, the two careers aren't that far off.

I can see that a little acting goes into basketball, but is there anything you learned from the sport that helps with acting?

Absolutely. I learned so much through playing sports. Most importantly how to compete, how much hard work goes into something if you want to be great at it, and how important perseverance is. Plus playing in front of 18,000 people was probably pretty good practice for performing in front of cameras.

What’s next on your agenda?

I just worked on an episode of a new show for ABC called "What About Brian" which was a lot of fun. Other than that I'm just making the rounds and auditioning. I'll be heading home for Christmas and when I get back Pilot season will be starting. So hopefully 2006 will be a good year. My fingers are crossed!

If Rick looks familiar you may remember him best from this Amstel light commercial:

Rick's the guy NOT sticking his tounge out

Or from his days as a Ohio State Basketball player: