KEVIN HOOKS / DIRECTOR

Kevin Hooks never intended to be typed as an action picture director. But “Black Dog,” a truck action film starring Patrick Swayze and Randy Travis, follows the airborne action of “Passenger 57” and the urban action of “Fled.” Now Hooks, 39, who you may remember as one of the actors in the ‘70s TV series “The White Shadow,” finds himself loving the genre--but still seeking ways to not be pigeon-holed.

VILLAINY: “In action films you have to set up a bad guy in Acts 1 and 2 who’s seemingly invincible. But in Act 3 that armor has to start to chip away, so you wind up with the potential for major implausibilities. People have learned to accept that, and if they have a good ride, they forgive those things.”

HEARTFELT: “It’s hard to find scripts that don’t have that problem, so I try to find leading men who have a heart. Something like in ‘Air Force One,’ Harrison Ford does an excellent job of conveying a regular guy with compassion. And Patrick Swayze has always been adept at showing compassion in all the roles he plays.”

NEW AUTEURS: “One of the most impressive films last year was ‘Eve’s Bayou’ by Kasi Lemmons, who I’ve known for years. I’ve had her read for a number of roles in my films. And I’ve kept my eye on Vondie Curtis Hall, who directed ‘Gridlock’d.’ ”

RISING STAR: “A very interesting talent to watch is a writer I knew as an actor, Kario Salem. He wrote the Don King movie for HBO and has just finished the Rat Pack movie for them.”

HELPING HANDS: “I really applaud someone like Samuel Jackson committing to something like ‘Eve’s Bayou.’ That’s happening more and more, people who are reaching back and grabbing the hand of others behind them and bringing them through the door that has been opened by others for us. We don’t intend to have that door close again.”

TYPECAST: “Literally 80% to 85% of the [directing] work I did in TV was nonspecific to African American culture. It wasn’t until I was doing features that those things were considered, African American themes or some involvement by African American actors.”

NEW TUNES: “We have a soundtrack with artists like Randy Travis, Rhett Akins, Patty Loveless--a country soundtrack. I knew little about country music other than the fact that I didn’t listen to it before I started this film. But I got a quick education. I’m proud of it.”