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"It’s generally a very futile and frustrating exercise," explained the New Rochelle resident. “But my agent called and said they needed me on tape for this Clint Eastwood film — they don’t fly me to LA for reads — so I taped myself in my basement, dubbed all the character lines, edited it on iMovie, emailed it off and forgot about it."
That is, until a few months later, when he got the call that the role of Marine Lt. Colonel Jones, playing alongside Bradley Cooper, in "American Sniper" was his.
Kelly, known for his roles playing tough guys -- Lt. Col. "Godfather" Ferrando in the HBO miniseries "Generation Kill,” a troubled turncoat in the Fox series "Fringe,” an interrogator on "Homeland," the original bodyguard on "House of Cards," to name a few -- is now getting attention for his role in the Oscar-nominated film.
"Not to sound cheesy but it was a life-changing experience," Kelly said of working with famed actor and director Eastwood. "He is the most sincere, most gentle, nicest guy," he said. "He hangs and eats with the crew. I was on the food line, and as I was reaching for the carrots, I bumped elbows with Clint. He smiled at me like a mellowed 'Dirty Harry' and said, 'It all looks so good, doesn’t it?'”
Kelly also recounted Eastwood's ultra-efficiency in his direction, completing scenes in one or two takes and working eight-hour days. "That's unheard of in the movie business," he said. "It's usually 12 to 18 hour days."
Up next for Kelly: The role of a detective in "Aquarius,” an NBC series staring David Duchovny about a Hollywood police precinct in the 1960s investigating the Charles Manson murders.
He's also in the upcoming film "Stealing Cars" with Felicity Huffman and William H. Macy in which he plays a not-so-sweet football coach in a boys prison.
Kelly is also in the process of securing financing for his own film, "Inside Fighter," about a troubled ex-boxer. The film is set entirely in southern Westchester, where he plans to shoot on location next winter.
And though he said he'd love to expand his range -- "I can play a funny psychopath,” he said tongue in cheek, "or a dad" (he's father to three) -- he said he's grateful for the privilege of being a working actor.
"I've had lean years, I've had good years," he said. "Luckily 2014 was a good year. And 2015 is looking even better."
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