MICHAEL PEÑA

AGE AND OCCUPATION: 30, actor. PROVENANCE: Chicago. LUCKY CHARM: Oliver Stone's decision to cast him in World Trade Center (opposite Nicolas Cage) could be a great career move for Stone: two of Pena's most recent roles were in Million Dollar Baby and Crash, both best-picture winners. BANKABLE STAR: As a youngster, Pena always had his eye on the prize: "I just knew that I wanted to work in a bank, that I wanted to be in business." But a friend's mom threw water on his dreams when she urged him to go to an open audition for a film. "I was cast as a featured extra and I thought I had it model" STONY RESOLVE: Pena recalls working on set with Stone. "It was an interesting thing looking at him when he was emotional after a scene. I'm like, 'Are you all right, buddy?' And he's like, 'We gotta get it right, man. It's our duty.'" POINT-AND-SHOOT: Next up, Pena will star in Shooter, with Mark Wahlberg, as an F.B.I. agent who uncovers a conspiracy to kill the president. "The F.B.I. guys, I talk to them and they do a lot of research in order to get a guy, so I'm dipping into that world, and it's really exciting."

KRISTA SMITH

VANITIES

FOR DETAILS, SEE CREDIT PAGE