In the new film Public Enemies, Mann examines the man whose criminal exploits captivated a nation besieged by financial hardship and ready to celebrate a mythic figure who robbed the banks that had impoverished them and outsmarted the authorities who had failed to remedy their hard times, who inspired the first nationwide war on crime, who led a band of accomplished armed robbers on a cascade of dazzling heists and improbable breakouts, and whose dashing manner and charisma entranced not only a special woman but an entire country: legendary Depression-era outlaw John Dillinger.

The film’s web site is pretty cool, lots of pictures, info on the long list of filmmakers, the book which the film is based on, etc. I got to talk to one of the actors in what looks like one of this summer’s big flix.

Randy Ryan tells me the movie is about the formation of the FBI. He played the role of Julius Rice, one of the FBI Gang Members. “After a lot of auditions, I am just really, really lucky that I was chosen for a part on this film,” he says. The best part of the set was most of the ensemble’s actors were usually people who took leading roles, but “we were all there playing smaller parts to serve the story.”

Randy Ryan was born and raised in rural Tennessee then joined the Army halfway through his senior year of high school. After an honorable discharge, he attended North Carolina State University and left halfway through his senior year of college to attend the Circle in the Square Professional Workshop in New York City.

Randy’s first critical attention came from his unique comedic turn in the Off Broadway hit, Joe Fearless at the Atlantic Theatre Company which is owned by David Mamet and William Macy. It had several successful runs.

His first lead role was in the dramatic feature, The Forgotten, which captured Best Feature Film at the Sedona Film Festival. He tells me the film won awards at other festivals as well.

After winning the role of Wayne, the sympathetic southern father-to-be in the final episode of Sex & the City, Randy was described by producer Michael Patrick King as “one of those guys selling Christmas trees who fell off the truck.” Randy told me he got to go to all the final wrap parties for the series, too. How cool.

He will married actress Erin Raftery in January 2009 in rural Connecticut. They live in Santa Monica with their dog, Wrigley.

What’s next? Randy is the lead in Amanda, an indie film due out later this year. Also, rumor has it that Randy will be starring in a new pilot. We’ll have to wait and see. Public Enemies opens tonight in Westwood at the LA Film Festival and will be in theaters July 1.