‘Just Shoot Me’ Actor Enrico Colantoni on His ‘Years of Struggle’: ‘Adversity Made Me Stronger’

Longtime character actor Enrico Colantoni felt a rush of clarity when he turned 60 last year. “Something clicked in my head that said, ‘I don’t have much time left, so I’m going to enjoy every minute of it,’” he exclusively tells Closer, adding that life suddenly felt “expansive, alive, exciting and new” again.

The Canada native, best known for his roles in the cult sci-fi comedy Galaxy Quest and the television series Just Shoot Me! and Veronica Mars, is delighted to be extremely busy these days. He recently filmed the second season of FUBAR, the Netflix action comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. He’s also currently starring as drama-avoiding, Alka Seltzer-guzzling Principal Grant Moretti on the new feel-good FX comedy English Teacher.

“I’m just emotionally proud of this show, and how it’s current and alive and relevant and funny,” Enrico says. “It always had heart.”

When you were growing up in Toronto, did you know you wanted to be an actor?

No. My parents were Italian immigrants who wanted me to either go into the priesthood or be educated. I disappointed them on both fronts when I said I wanted to move to New York! That only happened after I went to college and thought I was going to be a teacher. I took one theater elective in my first year at the University of Toronto and that changed everything.

Do you have any regrets about taking that path?

No. I’m glad I moved to New York. I’m glad I had years of struggle. The adversity made me stronger. In hindsight, it all happened pretty easily and pretty smoothly. And I’m not done yet, right? I just feel more excited about what I get to do every day. I just love what I do, and I love to come to work.

What do you consider your big break?

I think it was the NYPD Blue episode where I played Peter Boyle’s son way back in 1994. That brought me to L.A., and then shows like Hope & Gloria and Just Shoot Me! happened. I think the thing that sort of keeps me in everyone’s mind is Galaxy Quest. The role of Mathesar seems to appeal to everybody, and I’m very happy about that.

Did you enjoy your time on Veronica Mars?

You’ve got to understand, Kristen [Bell] wasn’t a star yet. We were all just having fun, and then suddenly her life exploded and she became huge and iconic. The fact that people still watch it, and it still resonates with young people and their parents, makes me proud.

Did you know that Kristen was going to be a star?

Yes, of course. She had a light about her. She was always an extraordinary actor and absolutely radiant.

Which of your former costars are you still close to?

There’s nobody closer to me than the Just Shoot Me! crowd. I mean, those guys were unique and special. When you’re doing a sitcom, it’s very contained, like a play. You spend all your time with [the other actors,] and you really develop lifelong bonds. You really become like a family.

You’ve also had the opportunity to go against type and play some bad guys. What was that like?

I don’t usually get to play those guys, but I played a real smart bad guy, Carl Elias, on Person of Interest. It was a lot of fun working with Michael Emerson and Jimmy Caviezel. And it got me back to New York.

You have six kids from two marriages. What has being a father taught you?

[As an actor] I spend a lot of time in my imagination, but when you have younger kids, you can’t live in your head anymore. You have to be there for them. That’s hard for any creative because we tend to be self-absorbed. Suddenly there’s another human being who needs your attention. The transition was pretty hard for me, but once you embrace the fact that it’s an investment in who they are, you realize that the rewards are pretty great.

You’ve said that you enjoy traveling. What do like most about it?

To me, any kind of traveling is like time travel. Suddenly, you’re transported to another time and place. The language is different. The people are different. Your brain is computing the novelty of something new. That does something for your endorphins. It’s just amazing to witness how extraordinarily big the planet is and realize that not everybody is like the people who live in L.A., New York or Toronto. It’s absolutely mind- and soul-expanding.

What’s still left on your bucket list?

I’d like to find out what it’s like to direct something that I’ve written. I’m in the process of that. I was in a Broadway show two years ago (Birthday Candles) with Debra Messing. That was just extraordinary, and I really want to go back to the theater. I really just feel alive on a stage, and it’s something I want to do again and again.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve ever learned?

You always get what you put into something, so always put your best foot forward. It’s about being really positive. If everybody’s beautiful and everybody’s good, then everything is good. That is how I want to see the world.

What are you proudest of?

I’m proudest of leaving my life and what was familiar in Toronto and discovering a whole new paradigm of how people lived and thought. It allowed me to see other possibilities. If I hadn’t left my home at 20, I would have never known what was out there. You don’t know where you’re at or what’s waiting for you until you jump.

Can you share some thoughts on how to achieve happiness?

It’s a choice. Happiness is a choice. We can see our lives as miserable and we’ll feel miserable. It’s about starting in gratitude and appreciating the things you have and building from there. There’s no past. There’s no future. There’s only now. Just appreciate and say thank you.