photo by steed media service

Lamman Rucker stands on the brink of a Hollywood breakthrough starring as Troy Jackson in Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married? "Technically, I've been in this industry for 15 years ... I'm finally getting my feature film debut and relatively speaking, that's fast," says Rucker. "I'm glad I didn't come here right out of high school. By the time I made the transition to New York and L.A., I already had an identity - it wasn't going to be shaped by the industry."

That sense of self saved Rucker from some of the pitfalls faced by young Hollywood actors. Rucker's careful and deliberate pacing gave him a chance to explore different facets of his personality. "People put deadlines on [themselves]. Just take one small victory at a time," Rucker says. "My reward in all of this [was] the growth that I got and the ability to share [that growth] with other people."

The Pittsburgh native first made waves as '60s Motown star Jimmy Ruffin in the acclaimed mini-series "The Temptations," before landing the role of Troy in Perry's film.

"[Troy] is your consummate good guy, I think he's the hero of the film," Rucker says about the character. "He's a real gentleman and a sincerely nice guy." Rucker understands why women are drawn to the character, but doesn't think the character is anything out of the ordinary. "This is that guy that I think most women look for," he says. "I don't think he's an anomaly - there are a lot of good men out there." -todd williams

Visit him online at www.myspace.com/lammanrucker.

Share this article with a friend