Vince Vaughn has ditched comedy for career criminal in his latest role

VINCE Vaughn has ditched the funnyman act for a fearsome criminal in True Detective, and he just may have found his niche.

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LAST year it was Matthew McConaughey who was ubiquitous as the face of True Detective. This year it’s Vince Vaughn who was splashed across billboards throughout Los Angeles promoting the feverishly-anticipated second season of the acclaimed crime series.

As with the first series, casting for this sophomore year was shrouded in secrecy.

Rumours abounded of names “in talks”, ranging from Christian Bale to Joaquin Phoenix. But it seems as if Vaughn had this cat in the bag from the get-go.

“There was no fighting for this role,” he assures.

Dark detective ... Colin Farrell co-stars with Caughn as Detective Ray Velcoro in the second season. Picture: Lacey Terrell/HBO via AP

“Thankfully, I had met creator and writer Nic Pizzolatto [reportedly while discussing a Rockford Files project] and we had a good connection. I was really excited when it was thought of for me to participate. The casting wasn’t the kind of process you may think, although I would have fought for it.”

Vaughn is quietly menacing in his role as Frank Semyon, a thug-turned-businessman trying to go legit, whose aspirations of turning over a new leaf are somewhat stymied by the murder of a business associate.

The remainder of the cast includes Colin Farrell as a morally-bereaved detective, Rachel McAdams playing against type as a hardened-yet-ethical cop, and Taylor Kitsch as a war veteran and motorcycle officer trying to shake a difficult past.

Against type ... Rachel McAdams portrays Ani Bezzerides, a tough, embittered Ventura County Sheriff's Detective. Picture: Lacey Terrell/HBO via AP

Vaughn says, “It was great to work in an atmosphere where people were really engaged and excited to be a part of it.”

A fan of the first season, he says, “I went back and watched all the episodes in Season One more than once. I binge-watched it, actually. It really fired on all cylinders.”

What can fans expect of the second season?

“Like the first one, there’s no rush. It gives pause and lays things out slowly as it goes on,” he explains. “It’s nice to soak it in, and it only gets more sophisticated as it goes on. It’s adult and it’s artistic.”

Though his name has for the most part been associated with lighter fare — Swingers (1996), The Wedding Crashers (2005), and The Breakup (2006) for example — Vaughn has long demonstrated dramatic talent and might, at 45, have found his ideal niche.

Art imitating life ... Vaughn with Jennifer Aniston in scene from film 'The Break Up'. Picture: Supplied.

“I love the richness of the characters. I’m a fan of realism and the idea of investigating the human condition. My passion really lies in this kind of genre. I love the questions it raises, like, ‘Who do you trust? Are the good guys really good?’ ”

Who or what does Vaughn trust?

He laughs. “Well, I don’t trust authority, I just don’t like it. I was always that way as a kid and maybe that’s why I’m an actor,” he says. “I like to see individuals left alone to do whatever it is that they feel okay about as long as they’re not hurting anyone.”

The outspoken actor recently weighed in on the much-heated debate about the importance of the second amendment in the US, to British GQ. Despite the fact that school shootings are on the rise, Vaughn champions the right to bear arms, extending the privilege of gun use in schools.

Unapologetic about his opinions, he offers, “As an American I was raised with the second amendment, and equally freedom of speech is so important to me, but it isn’t so I can talk sh*t about my neighbour or sh*t about the government. You don’t have to speak out on an issue, but it is your right if you choose to do so not to be persecuted for it.”

Happy family ... Kyla Weber and Vaughn step out. Picture: Rob Latour/Invision/AP

Following Vaughn’s breakup with his real life Break Up partner Jennifer Aniston, it seemed he might be destined for bachelorhood.

But this Chicago-raised actor quite quickly met realtor Kyla Weber, married, and had two children, four-year-old Locklyn, and son, Vernon, who will turn two in August.

He smiles. “There’s definitely been a lot of change. You start to investigate life differently when you have kids,” he says. “It’s just a different experience to anything else.”

Asked whether he can reveal any plot points, however minor, about season two, which launched last week on Australian screens, he says, “I don’t want to ruin anyone’s fun of experiencing the ride. Where’s the fun in that?” Then he leans forward, teasing, “Oh, OK …. Let me tell you how it ends.”

TRUE DETECTIVE

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Originally published as Vince Vaughn has ditched comedy for career criminal in his latest role