Giovanni Ribisi as the 'malicious' Tim Briggs in 'Contraband'

MANILA, Philippines – Giovanni Ribisi’s name may not have instant recall among Filipino audiences but it doesn’t really matter. Perhaps more popularly known around these parts as Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) Buffay’s younger brother Frank on the long-running hit sitcom “Friends,” Ribisi nevertheless has a wider body of work outside that TV series.

As one of Hollywood’s hardest working actors, he has made his silent but strong mark as a boyish character actor known for his portrayal of dark characters. His somber demeanor is only the tip of the proverbial iceberg—Ribisi has exhibited versatility in some of his bizarre and off-the-wall performances. Post-“Friends,” his role in “Saving Private Ryan” (1998), in fact, put him on the Hollywood radar after he received critical praise.

Drawn to more eccentric characters, Ribisi says lightly, “The more I get told that, the more I start to think that it must just be me. I guess I just try to do what I do effectively and in the simplest way.”

In the upcoming movie “Contraband,” Ribisi plays Tim Briggs, a “malicious character” as the actor describes.  “Briggs is a monster. He’s there to terrorize,” he begins.

Perhaps reading the character description on paper set Ribisi off, whose gleeful attacks of these kids of roles has become somewhat of a trademark. In fact, he relates, “When I read the script, I thought he was this horrible individual who simply wants to hurt people.”

But more than the hand-of-the-Devil aspect of roles, he is also attracted to a character’s core.  In "Contraband," he finds the more human side of the awful Briggs, “Ultimately, in the process of rehearsals and chats with the director, [the character] became less black and white. He also has a daughter and is a business man.”

Aside from liking the script, though, the project was attractive to Ribisi for one other thing. “The main attraction for me was definitely the opportunity to work with (main star and the film’s producer) Mark Wahlberg. I have been a fan of his for a long time.”

But far be it from his real personality, playing sinister roles also poses a challenge for this gifted actor. Some of the more powerful scenes in the movie involve Ribisi and co-star Kate Beckinsale, who plays the wife of Chris Farraday [Wahlberg’s character].

“Those are some of the most uncomfortable scenes I have ever done,” he admits. “It was horrible sometimes to go into that and do take after take. We definitely walked out of it with our battle scars. [But] Kate is a trooper and she was really incredible to work with.”

But while Ribisi may contend himself with playing the strong support cast, there are those who would say that most baddies get to have more fun with their roles than those of the structured main characters. To this, Ribisi thoughfully says, “I guess there is that structure where the antagonist is usually more of a character than the leading man but I didn’t approach it that way.”

Nevertheless, the discipline he puts into any role is the same, because to him, being an actor means “being committed to what you do and having an imagination about it.”

He continues, “I always wanted to become an actor. There is a part of me that wonders how I could have avoided it. It had to do a lot with my parents and the big blockbusters I saw growing up, like ‘Star Wars.’ A big moment for me was the day I saw ‘A Streetcar Named Desire,’ which completely shifted my universe. All of that led me to being committed to make-believe.”

But ultimately, in describing himself as an actor, Ribisi is self-effacing. “I guess I fall into the category of actors that are always wondering if they will ever work again.”

They often do.

“Contraband” opens locally on Jan. 25.