Tim McGraw talks Gwyneth Paltrow, his upcoming tour and being ‘Country Strong'

It’s a typical itinerary for one of country music’s most affable luminaries.

Since 2004, when he dove into acting as a hot-headed father in “Friday Night Lights,” McGraw has shuffled his formidable music career -- 40 million albums sold so far -- with his acting ambitions.

Whether playing Sandra Bullock’s resigned husband in “The Blind Side” or the emotionally drained James Canter in “Country Strong,” McGraw, 43, has developed into an engaging screen presence, making most viewers forget that they’re watching the megastar husband of Faith Hill on screen.

Earlier this week, McGraw, getting ready to pack his suitcase for a week of press in New York, talked with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution about Paltrow’s singing as Kelly Canter, his upcoming tour and the person who inspired the look of James Canter.

Q: A lot has been made of the irony that you’re the one character in "Country Strong" who doesn’t sing, yet are the most officially qualified. Did you worry at all about being part of a country film and not playing a singer?

A: I said no a couple of times, not because I didn’t like the script -- I loved the characters and the story. But it’s a big hill to climb for anyone to see me on screen because of the world I come from; you bring some baggage with you.

Q: So what changed your mind?

A: Seeing "The Greatest," ["Country Strong" director] Shana’s [Feste] movie with Pierce Brosnan. It was just fantastic. It made me look at the script differently. I could see through her eyes a little more, how she would shoot it, how deep the movie would be and how we could develop the characters.

Q: You’ve probably seen a lot of James-type managers in your career. Did you base that portrayal on anyone?

A: I started his look from someone I know -- Narvel Blackstock [formidable country manager and husband to Reba McEntire]. James is nothing like Narvel, but I had to have a place to start it. Narvel got the ball rolling for me.

Q: Do you think James is driven by love or his wife’s success?

A: My motivation as the character was that he was driven to save her life. It was a love story, a significant one, between James and Kelly. Love can overcome a lot of things -- infidelity, the loss of a child, financial stress -- but the one thing that can kill love is when someone refuses to forgive themselves. At some point in the movie, James realizes Kelly is never going to get there.

Q: How did it feel getting whacked by Gwyneth in that one fight scene?

A: That was pretty cool. I’m used to getting beaten by the tall blondes [laughs]. That was a very telling part of the movie about where their relationship was headed.

Q: As a professional singer, how would you assess Gwyneth’s singing?

A: I thought she was fantastic. For me, I’m partial to country, and I’m protective of it. It’s hard to be believable in country without some honesty -- it’s a tough hill to climb for an actor. What makes this movie so great is that lots of movies have a great storyline, but when it comes to the music, you don’t think it can elevate these characters. Or the other way around, you can have fantastic music but not great characters. In this movie, each character, and the honesty in which they perform, you can believe that those songs made Kelly Canter who she was.

Q: It’s funny that you’re working with Garrett Hedlund again [Hedlund played McGraw’s son in "Friday Night Lights."].

A: That was fantastic! He’s a great kid, and I think he’s going to be one of the next big group of leading men. It’s too bad he’s so friggin’ ugly [laughs]. I was jealous of him the whole time. This kid didn’t sing at all [before the movie], but worked his butt off to learn to play guitar and sing. He’s got a great voice. There’s a hurt and beauty to it.

Q: Is acting difficult for you?

A: It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done, to lay yourself out there like that. It makes it doubly hard as a musician, and it’s why it doesn’t work sometimes with musicians. A musician bases his whole career about the idea of being cool, and when you become an actor, when you’re doing a scene, you’re not supposed to be cool sometimes. But I don’t think of myself as very cool to start with.

Q: How much time do you see acting taking in your career -- do you think you’ll seesaw between an album and a film?

A: Well ... we have three daughters, and my wife has a pretty busy schedule herself. At the first of the year, our fiscal year gets planned. First is the kids’ school schedule. Then their social calendar has to be filled up. Then my wife’s and my schedule come in third, and then, if there’s time left over, I read scripts, and if I find something I like, which is the hard thing, and that can be shot in the two months that you have availability, I’ll pursue. But then they have to want you for the part, too.

Q: For your next movie, you’ll play a CIA agent, correct?

A: I finally get to off people!

Q: Will you have to go through any special training?

A: Oh, I already have some people in mind to use as inspiration [laughs].

Q: What can you say about the upcoming “Emotional Traffic” tour?

A: Right now we’re just approving stage plans, things like that. It’s gonna be fun, as usual.