a conversation with Emmy-winning actor A MARTINEZ

Early in his career, he seemed bound for the life of the typical dime-a-dozen character actor, but fate clearly had other plans for the dashing, magnificent A MARTINEZ.  And when his destiny finally revealed itself --- in the form of a true-blue good guy cop called Cruz Castillo on NBC's singularly offbeat soap opera Santa Barbara --- Martinez suddenly became one of the most beloved and most popular performers in all of television.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Martinez is keeping busy these days on both sides of the camera:  as an actor, with a recurring role on A&E's hit series Longmire and a supporting role in the latest Chucky film, and as a writer/director, with his latest project, a heartfelt family affair entitled Before Your Eyes.  And he's stopping by the Buzz to discuss his decision to leap into the director's chair for the first time, as well as his adventures in daytime television, and why HE mourned the loss of his character Cruz every bit as much as we, his ardent fans, did!