“In this movie, there’s no Will Smith saving the day. There’s no Tom Cruise saving the day. And at the end it’s pretty bleak,” says Faison. But there is nothing bleak about the way he feels about stomping on the big dogs’ territory. “It’s an awesome feeling to be in this role. Everybody wants to be a hero.”

And though he took a break from garnering laughs in the Brett Ratner-produced film, he has a comedy coming up next, but his heart may be other places. “I’ve always wanted to do action. When I was a kid I had no idea that I was going to be considered funny” the father of four (three sons and one daughter, ages 9-14) says.

And his tribe of mini-me may not get the comedy routine at home, but they get enough. “Donald Faison the dad is a bit of a sucker,” he admits. “If I can get it for them, they all get what they want in some way.” But no worries about them being spoiled—Faison is guiding them in the right direction. “I have high hopes for them. I believe that they will grow into fine human specimens,” he says.

And the sport-loving paintball fan knows a thing or two about maturation, as he continues his own progression. “You don’t really become a man until your thirties. When you’re comfortable in your skin, that’s when you become a grown man. You start feeling like, ‘Yeah, this is me—and it’s ok.’ I’m just starting to feel that now.”