COMMON - COMMON PREPARES FOR ACTING CAREER

Rapper COMMON has been studying the performances of film legends ROBERT DE NIRO and MARLON BRANDO in an attempt to boost his acting career. The star - real name Lonnie Lynn Jr. - has had small roles in movies like Smoking Aces and American Gangster but is hoping to eventually become a Hollywood leading man. He says, "I love acting. It's a passion of mine. It's a good way for me to express myself and to grow as an artist. I started checking it out, thought how much I loved it and so took classes. "I've been observing the art - checking out good movies like On The Waterfront and Taxi Driver, all the classics."