Riveting Rosie

Watching Beaumont Rosewood, Jr., a wealthy pathologist, tool around Miami in a vintage bright-yellow Pontiac GTO, it's easy to think he's carefree.

"That's one thing I love about the character," says Morris Chestnut, who plays Rosewood. "People think he has everything going for him."

But as fans of the Fox series Rosewood know the sunny veneer is just that. While Rosie, as he's known appears at the top of his game, serious health issues - including a congenital heart defect and a bleeding brain threaten to derail him.

"Everything is not what it seems.” Chestnut says. "You see Rosie having fun at a nightclub but you also see him struggling with his health." Despite the odds, Rosie remains upbeat. And it the chance to showcase the character's lighter side that appealed to the actor.

While one of his favorite shows is the Idris Elba drama Luther, "I couldn't imagine the demands — mental, physical and emotional — of playing that character for 22 episodes," he says. "I'm having a blast because I get to do fun, witty things and serious, dramatic things."

Since his breakout performance as Ricky in the 1991 film Boyz n the Hood, Chestnut has worked steadily, playing supporting roles in dozens of films, including Perfect Guy and The Best Man Holiday, and in series like Legends and Nurse Jackie (where, as an ER doctor, he spouted medical jargon like a pro).

His last true comedic role was in the 2001 feature Two Can Play That Game. "I'm most comfortable doing drama because I've done it for so long," he admits. "Often with comedy, I force it. But I'm honing my skills and slowly becoming more subtle."

For Chestnut, starring in a series is like being a new parent (which, with wife Pam, he has experienced twice) — there's little time for shut-eye. After working 14-hour days, he often dozes off at home while memorizing lines for the following day. But he insists on a 4 a.m. wake-up to squeeze in that daily workout.

"My metabolism isn't what it used to be," the athletic thesp says modestly. "I'm no spring chicken."