Clifton Collins Jr.

Of German, Spanish and Mexican ancestry, Collins and his sister, Veronica Collins Rooney, are extremely proud of their grandfather, actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, often a victim of Latino stereotyping in 1950s/1960s John Wayne westerns and sitcoms. In tribute, Clifton changed his professional name to Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez in 1990, claiming that he was tired of people not knowing his grandfather or appreciating the significance of his ordeal. He reverted back to the name of Collins in 2000 after the death of his father.

I almost got to do Salvar al soldado Ryan (1998), playing a German. I learned a German monologue in two days. I worked with Marco Hofschneider from Europa, Europa (1990). We taped it and I went over it about a hundred times. It got down to me and Jeremy Davies. Even though it didn't work out, I know he's [Steven Spielberg] got his eye on me now so that's kind of cool.