But Clifton, 27, knows the perils involved with Hollywood typecasting. His role in the upcoming Disney production, The Incredible Ice Cream Suit, as a hopeless romantic, should put casting agents' preconceptions to rest. "I really like being the guy you see in three different movies, and you don't know it's the same guy," he states.

Despite his success, tragedy seems to follow the young actor around. His little brother is awaiting trial for assaulting a police officer, and his father killed himself in August of 1996.

One family member who's never let him down is his grandfather, Pedro. An illiterate Mexican, the elder starred alongside John Wayne in nearly a dozen films. Clifton visits his grandparents across town every few days, and he'll immortalize Grandpa with a documentary about the man he has written and will direct.

Free time for the personable actor is rare. "I study like a madman," Clifton says of his preparation for auditions. He unwinds by snowboarding, tooling around in his Ford Expedition, or sparking up a Fuente, which Joe Mantegna turned him on to while they were shooting Ice Cream Suit. "Lighting up after a good audition is gratifying," says Clifton. "It's like rewarding yourself for getting an 'A' in school."