It’s a question he gets asked a lot too. Probably the most asked question he’s gotten during his short career. Why Franky G?

His answer is simple: when he went to register at the Screen Actor’s Guild, there was already a Frank Gonzales listed (there was also a Francisco Gonzales). So he went with a nickname, Franky G. As he states, "My friends called me Franky G or Gonzo Gonzales." Thus Franky G was born.

Having had the opportunity to speak with Gonzales on four different occasions over the course of the last eight months, including a visit on one very cold, blustery day in Gonzales’ hometown of Flushing, Queens, it is amazing to see the sheer consistency of Gonzales’ attitude and resolve.

Unlike most other rising actors, Gonzales has no filter during our conversations, denouncing former agents and people who didn’t believe in him with the flip of a hand. More importantly, however, Gonzales talks repeatedly about the vast amounts of hard work and perseverance it took him to get where he is today.

Gonzales’ name (or letter) first rose to fame in the film world for his portrayal of Junior Moreno in writer/director Eric Eason’s 2002 Sundance Jury Prize winning film, Manito.

Paramount Pictures chairman, Sherry Lansing saw Gonzales in Manito and quickly called his agent, insisting that he look at a part in the upcoming remake, The Italian Job.

"I read the script and loved it," Gonzales says, "but I met with a couple people and asked, ‘What part is there for me in this?’" He waits a second and then says, "Then they told me, ‘We’re going to write you in a part.’"

Gonzales’ roles in Confidence and Wonderland also came about thanks to his performance in Manito. The story of Franky G is anything but an overnight success story. Gonzales laughs heartily at the suggestion. "If you only knew," he chuckles. And then he tells me.

"I wanted to be a professional football player," Gonzales says. "That was my ambition growing up." So he played Division I football and then later in a semi-pro league. "I played for the Long Island Tomahawks," he smiles. "They’re not around anymore, but it was Division II semi-pro."

Working as a security guard at the time, Gonzales used to talk to his friends and co-workers about getting into acting. "They used to kid around with me," he says jovially. "They told me I should try the acting thing."

Gonzales continues talking for several minutes before what he has said finally hits me. So I ask him about it. "You mean to tell me you got into acting because your friends were teasing you?"

"Yeah," Gonzales says off-handedly. "Some of them supported me, don’t get me wrong, but these others, this handful was putting me down. If I’d have quit, I think they would have won. If I gave up they would have said, ‘I told you so.’"

So Gonzales worked harder.

"I got some headshots done and all that," he states. "I did some bit work and some extra work. I got a call back from some off-off-off-off Broadway play and did some other plays too." But the life still wasn’t appealing to him.

"They were constantly sending me to these things for their 10%," Gonzales says disgustedly of his agents at the time. "At a certain point I decided that I would rather do off-Broadway plays and get my experience that way than to get sent to these auditions that aren’t going to do anything for me."

This part of his career genuinely frustrates Gonzales. "These small little agents just wanted their 10%," Gonzales says again. "But the parts weren’t for me. I’m going to be here for the long haul and I don’t want to be considered this big hulk, this musclehead."

After taking a two-year break from acting, cleansing his system of what he describes as "all the racism... and negative feedback," Gonzales decided to pick up a local acting magazine and saw a call for a project called Manito.

"The role sounded good to me," Gonzales nods. "I had like four headshots left, so I sent one out. This time it was a blessing."

The following week, he landed the role of Junior Moreno and hasn’t looked back.

Working with a driven director like Manito’s Eason was a stroke of good fortune for Gonzales. He reiterates to me, "I like people who are serious about their work, because I’m serious about my work." Then, in a statement that belies his football background, Gonzales says, "When people give me an opportunity, they won’t regret it. I give them 110%. I go to Hollywood to work, I don’t go there to go to clubs and to drink." He thrusts a finger at me. "I don’t drink and I don’t smoke, you know what I mean? When I’m in Hollywood it’s time to go to work."

Franky G has arrived.