Warren native has role in film

August 3, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

By GUY D’ASTOLFO

A Warren native has a small role in “Total Recall,” a sci-fi film opening Friday that stars Colin Farrell, Bryan Cranston, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel.

Brooks Darnell (his real name is Brooks Darnell Rogers), a 2000 graduate of Warren G. Harding High School in Warren, plays the part of Stevens, a sentry.

It’s the first major film appearance for the 30-year-old actor. Stevens is one of the returning characters from the original version of the film, which was released in 1990 and starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sharon Stone. Darnell describes him as a tough nerd, who helps start a chase that runs throughout the movie.

As a child growing up in Warren, Darnell played football but he always had a desire to be an actor.

“Sports is bred into us [in the Mahoning Valley] and it gave me a strong work ethic and drive,” said Darnell, whose father played for the Cleveland Indians. He was named for Brooks Robinson, the Baltimore Orioles star.

Darnell went to Youngs-town State University, where he was briefly on the football team. “When [then-coach Jim] Tressel went to Ohio State, I realized that football wasn’t what I wanted to do,” he said.

Darnell had gotten his introduction to the entertainment field at age 16 when he attended a national competition for budding actors, dancers and models that led to a partial scholarship to American Conservatory Theater school in San Francisco.

At age 20, he moved to Toronto. “I was working in the Warren water department and I realized that wasn’t the life I wanted,” said Darnell. “I made the decision to go into acting and moved to Toronto where I was a big fish in a small pond.” He moved to Southern California a year ago.

Darnell was drawn to the futuristic premise of “Total Recall.” “I love science fiction,” he said. “I have a mind that wanders and wanders. When my agent told me about the part, I was like, oh yeah! It’s the ‘what-if’ that gets your mind moving.”

Darnell has also appeared in the TV series “Breakout Kings” and “Nikita.”