Greg Kinnear finds inspiration in the total unknown

Greg Kinnear knows life comes with plot twists. At age 12, the son of a U.S. diplomat saw his world turned upside down.

“My parents told me we were moving to Lebanon,” he says. “I remember thinking, ‘Leba-who?’ I had no concept of this place.”

A native of Logansport, Indiana, Kinnear had lived an all-American childhood. “Baseball games on Friday nights. Walking to the ice cream place with my friends. There was a mall down the road,” the 62-year-old actor says. “It was George Bailey-like.”

But something about the total unknown, Kinnear says, is life-affirming at any age and sticks with you forever.

“When I got to Lebanon, it was sunset,” he recalls. “The first thing I saw was hundreds of people in prayer. It was that feeling of, ‘Kid, you’re not in Kansas anymore.’ But it was so beautiful and strange to me as a boy. My eyes were opened to the fact that it’s a big world out there.”

Kinnear is looking back and forward these days as he stars in the gritty new Apple TV+ crime drama “Smoke,” created by celebrated author, writer and producer Dennis Lehane (“Mystic River”).

The series revolves around a troubled detective (Taron Egerton) and an enigmatic arson investigator (Jurnee Smollett) who are trying to stop two serial fire-starters. Kinnear plays fire chief Harvey Englehart.

“We had a good time with this one,” he says. “This series is like a great novel and one hell of a story.

“I also have a hell of a mustache in this one. Some are saying, ‘a fake mustache.’ It’s a very burly Kinnear mustache. All my own work.”

The star of movies including “As Good as It Gets,” “Little Miss Sunshine” and “You Got Mail” is married to Helen Labdon, and they have three daughters. His good life advice:

Something new

After a long career, Kinnear says his role in “Smoke” was a new challenge. It’s a true crime story partly based on a podcast called “Firebug.” Kinnear loved the twists and turns from Lehane, whom he also worked with on a 2022 thriller series called “Blackbird.” “Fires are starting to happen in this town, which gets the train moving. … There are unexpected characters. We don’t spell it all out. The show stays ahead of the audience in the best possible way,” he shares.

Health is wealth

How does one prepare to play a firefighter? Kinnear says regular workouts are key to reduce stress and feel good in his 60s. “Look, this doesn’t just happen naturally,” he says, laughing. He enjoys skiing and exploring the outdoors. “You need stamina, because working as an actor means long hours,” he adds. “It’s like running a bit of a marathon. You have to be ready to go at every age. Keep moving.”

Wild childhood

Kinnear’s youth was not for the faint of heart. Not long after they got to Lebanon, civil war broke out. “We arrived when it was peaceful in Beirut, but months later, there were killings and bombings,” Kinnear recounts. “I thought I was in a movie. I thought I was James Bond. What helped is my parents had this confidence and made us believe that everything would be fine.”

The family was soon evacuated to Athens, where they spent the next six years. “Living overseas was a great lift because I also learned not to take anything for granted,” he adds. “Always appreciate what you have in life.”

Words of advice

“If I could tell my younger self anything it would be that you’re going to get a little pain in your life sooner or later. There is no way of avoiding it. It will take bits away, so strap yourself in.” What does he tell himself now when things get tough? “I still say, ‘Failure is not an option,’ ” Kinnear says.

Pick your moments

Kinnear is probably better known for comedic roles but doesn’t mind mixing it up with more serious fare. “I don’t know if I prefer comedy,” he says. “I’ll accept box No. 1, 2 or 3. I’m into whatever I’m doing. I’ve learned that it’s good if you can be in love with what life offers you in that moment. My goal is to surprise audiences with that choice.”

Stay humble

He has a filmography a mile long, but Kinnear doesn’t think of himself as a movie star. “A movie star to me sounds like some guy who takes Champagne Jacuzzis, wears a boa and has a pet monkey that he carries around the house,” he says. “So, in that respect, I’m not a movie star. I just work in movies and TV. I don’t consider a lot of actors that I really admire to be movie stars.”

Savor the wins

Kinnear recently filmed the upcoming series “Margo’s Got Money Troubles” in Las Vegas with Nicole Kidman, Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman. He has fond memories of his time in the desert. “We shot at the Plaza hotel, which was a lot of fun,” he says. After work, Kinnear and his wife tried their luck gambling. “We won a total of $150. Totally exciting! It was a great feeling to win.”