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Riska, a Winona native with no acting experience who now lives in Jacksonville, Fla., makes his movie debut Sunday in HBO’s “Recount.” The movie stars Kevin Spacey, Laura Dern, Tom Wilkinson and Denis Leary.
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Riska, 57, plays one of George W. Bush’s attorneys in the true story of the controversial 2000 presidential vote in Florida. The movie was filmed in Jacksonville, and the producers advertised for extras.
Riska’s youngest son suggested he try out for the movie. At the casting call, Riska wore a blazer with a polo shirt, buttoned to the top.
“There’s no two ways about it,” the president of casting told him. “You’re a conservative Republican.”
And just like that, Riska was cast.
“I used to be a conservative Democrat,” Riska said.
Filming for Riska took five days last October. He doesn’t have a speaking part but can be seen in several scenes along with actors playing Bush’s other attorneys. Riska was instructed not to approach the stars for photos or autographs. He did have a 15-minute conversation about Austin, Texas, with actor Bob Balaban, whose credits include “Midnight Cowboy,” “For Your Consideration” and a memorable role as NBC executive and Elaine love interest Russell Dalrymple in “Seinfeld.”
“That was very cool,” Riska said.
Riska saw the movie’s premiere a week ago and plans to have a low-key viewing with his wife, her sister and his brother-in-law Sunday.
“It was good, but it went too fast for me,” Riska said. “There are so many people I knew locally who were in it that I was watching for.”
Riska owns his own swimming pool business in Jacksonville. Prior to the movie, he had no acting experience. Since the movie, he’s enrolled in several acting classes, did a promo reel, a couple of modeling gigs and acted in “Censor,” a movie shown two weeks ago at Jacksonville’s 48-hour Film Project.
His talent agent told him he had the kind of look that was marketable. “You mean old, gray and tall?” he said.
Riska’s ultimate dream is to be able to sell his pool business and give his childhood sweetheart wife everything she ever wanted in life. But if that doesn’t happen, Riska says he’s happy pursuing a new passion.
“I’ve got the bug.”
Contact Käri Knutson at kknutson@winonadailynews.com or (507) 453-3523.
