More of this Feature ADDITIONAL INTERVIEWS: • Michelle Pfeiffer ('Ingrid') • Alison Lohman ('Astrid') • Patrick Fugit ('Paul') • Director Peter Kosminsky • "White Oleander" Author, Janet Fitch • Producer John Wells ADDITIONAL "White Oleander" INFORMATION: • Photos from the Premiere of "White Oleander" • "White Oleander" News, Trailer, and Websites • "White Oleander" Production Photos

Related Resources • Calendar of Upcoming Releases • News on Upcoming Releases • New in Theatres or on Video • Movie Reviews • Casting News

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In "White Oleander," Cole Hauser ("Tigerland," "Hart's War") plays Ray, the live-in boyfriend of Starr (Robin Wright Penn) and first male father figure Astrid (Alison Lohman) encounters in her travels through the foster care system.

COLE HAUSER (Ray)

What attracted you to this part?
The book's amazing and it's a terrific film. It's one of those films where you read it and you are just rooting for Alison's character in it. When they said I'd have the opportunity to work with Robin [Wright Penn], that's been a dream of mine to work with her. She's such a beautiful and talented actress and better than that, she's a good person. It was really an honor to work with her.

How did you feel about playing not such a good guy?
I don't know if he's not such a good guy. Love is the most powerful force in the world. It happens all over the world. I'm not going to condone it and say it's right, but people fall in love with people that are underage all the time. If that makes you a horrible person, then that's just a matter of opinion. Not that I - again - condone the behavior, but I think that it happens all over the world. There are certain things and certain connections that we have with people that are more powerful than the law.

Why do you think he does what he does with Astrid?
For the simple fact of the matter that there are certain people that you meet and there's a comfortableness that she has with him, and a comfortableness that he has with her. Obviously his girlfriend in the movie - played by Robin Wright Penn - is not the most stable girl in the world, she's a bit of a lunatic, and I think he meets a girl who is pure and that attracts him.

Was it difficult to make his goodness come across?
It's not an easy thing but it was what I wanted and if that's what comes across then I've done my job. It's like humanity, even bad guys don't think they are bad guys. Even if you do something wrong, sometimes you think you are right. To have a guy who is realistic and human I think is the best thing that you can do for people to understand that.

And you have “The Fast and the Furious 2” where you really are a bad guy coming up soon.
How did you know that? (laughing) Tricky...

Aren't you one of the main villains in it?
Yes.

What are you going to be doing?
I can't tell you any of that, sorry (laughing). I'm not even a bad guy either. That's how they are saying it. You can judge that when it's done and you see the film. Some people wouldn't think I was a bad guy. Some people think that's a part of life.

What's it like coming into the sequel of a very successful film?
I don't really look at it like I'm doing a sequel although it is a sequel. The reality is that it is a sequel but it's more like it's just another film. Paul [Walker] is really the only person that's returning from the movie. Me and him get along really well; I've known him for a while and I'm excited to be working with him.

It's a whole different cast - a new cast - and it's going to be a different film. In my opinion, it's going to be much better. I think they've got some great actors.