Home of: Jamison Challeen

Forgetting the Liam Neesons and Bruce Willises of the world, it's not often that an actor can say he's the toughest guy in the room. A fact Polson native, turned Hollywood actor, Jamison Challeen knew all too well - until he moved to Portland.

"Here in Oregon it's pretty obvious that I'm a Montana man," Challeen said. "I'm actually considered a gruff kind of guy, while back home - not so much."

Challeen grew up moving around Montana and eventually ended up in Polson for his junior and senior years of high school. While at PHS he fostered his lifelong love, acting, by participating in school shows and other local productions.

While Challeen's career path has taken a number of twists and turns, he is now a full-time actor and martial artist who's starred in several films and held supporting roles on major shows such as TNT's "Leverage."

Here, the actor answers a few questions about his life, career and love for his home state.

So, do you miss Polson?

Polson's the greatest place to live, in the world! It's beautiful, it's picturesque, people are pleasant and easy to get along with. Plus, I don't care about all that shopping and buying stuff. In Portland I have access to all that, and I prefer to go to the woods.

You were working in computer technology. What took you back into acting?

I was living in Great Falls around 2002, and I realized that I hated being me. I was cranky, unpleasant, vapid, shallow - I used to be such a fun, upbeat kind of guy. And life is too short. So I just quit. I knew that I would act for free, so I figured that must mean it's work I love.

I moved to Ashland on a complete act of faith; took the train with three duffel bags of stuff. I started looking into the Ashland theater circuit and ended up getting my first gig within three days.

Had your acting method changed after taking such a long break?

When I was younger I had lots of messed up emotions I could use at the drop of the hat. It was a sort of therapy for me. But once I was more stable, I had to find a new way of acting. Now I'm a person who is who he is; I love being me and knowing, understanding and bettering myself.

I believe, like the ancient Greeks did, that acting allows us to see what other people's lives are like. As actors, the Greeks would try to get out of the way, to channel these characters to live in their bodies for a period of time.

When did you transition from theater to film?

What I had told myself when I moved to Ashland, was that I would devote two years to theater so I could get back into acting. I ended up doing 13 plays in two years, and around that time a casting agent in Ashland was looking for someone for the film "Dreams Awake," and I got the gig. From there I did a series of smaller films to help build my reel. About three years ago I moved to Portland because the market is much more open here, and it's brought a lot of business my way.

Tell me about "Stripperland." Do you consider it your "big break?"

Stripperland was definitely a big part for me. It's a sort-of zombie homage film set in Portland, the city with the highest number of strippers, per capita, of any in the U.S. I played Frisco (a parody of Woody Harrelson's character in "Zombieland") and I pretty much based him on all the Montana ranch hands I've ever met.

I think I remember Woody Harrelson's character in "Zombieland" being on a mad hunt for Twinkies...

Well, remember this is Portland. Frisco is looking for baked goods - organic baked goods with all natural ingredients.

That's pretty funny - and kind of spot-on. He sounds like a fun character to play. Would you say he's been your favorite?

I enjoyed playing him, but Frisco is one-sided. My favorites have probably been Angelo in "Measure for Measure" and the Kendo teacher I played in "Dreams Awake."

What do you love about acting?

It requires self-expression, self-discipline and it's so much fun. I sit around and talk for eight hours a day!

What are you into, besides acting?

Well, I've been called an "astronerd." I'm really into planets, the solar system, Hubble photos, that sort of thing. I'm also an avid motorcycle rider.

So what's next for you, professionally?

At the end of the month we're going to shoot a Western on Mt. Hood in Oregon. I'm also working on shooting a Western that I actually wrote; we want to do part of that filming on a ranch outside of Missoula.

Wow, you write as well as act. How about directing?

Ah, I abhor directing! I can only really see how I would do it. Plus - I show up on time, I show up ready. But most actors aren't that way and as another actor it's not my job to worry about. Now if I was the director, I'd have to handle all that.

And what's next personally? Ever coming back to Montana?

Well, it's been at least two years now, but I'm coming back July 6, and then I'll go up through Glacier. Most of my family is in Helena, but I have really close friends in Polson that are like family to me. Plus my surrogate grandmother is here. I want to say hi to my folks, but I also want to show my fiancé Montana before we get too busy - we're having a child, a baby girl, in October.

Congratulations! Everyone says Montana is a great place to raise a family...

The truth is, I'm going to move back to Montana. I might move to Missoula, but I'd prefer to move to Polson because those Mission Mountains are the most beautiful things in the world.

To learn more about Jamison check out his facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jamison-Challeen/64534679467