Ermey

R. Lee Ermey is not only a good actor, but one of Rico's personal heroes; not only for his splendid portrayals of tough guys in Apocalypse Now (photo), Full Metal Jacket, and Se7en, but also his service to the country as a Marine:

A talented character actor known for his military roles, Ronald Lee Ermey was in the ] Marine Corps for eleven years. He rose to the rank of Staff Sergeant, and later was bestowed the honorary rank of Gunnery Sergeant by the Corps after serving fourteen months in Vietnam and two tours in Okinawa, Japan. After injuries forced him to retire from the Corps, he moved to the Phillipines, enrolling in the University of Manila, where he studied Criminology and Drama. He appeared in several Filipino films before being cast as a helicopter pilot in Francis Ford Coppola's Apocalypse Now in 1979). Due to his Vietnam experiences, Coppola also utilized him as a technical adviser. He got a featured role in Sidney J. Furie's The Boys in Company C in 1978, playing a drill instructor. Ermey worked with Furie again in Purple Hearts in 1984).
However, his most famous (or infamous) role came as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in Stanley Kubrick's Full Metal Jacket in 1987, for which he was nominated for a Golden Globe. He did win the best supporting actor award from The Boston Society of Film Critics. Since then, he has appeared in numerous character roles in such films as Leaving Las Vegas in 1995), Se7en in 1995) and Dead Man Walking in 1995). However, Ermey prefers comedy to drama, and has a comedic role in Saving Silverman in 2001). Ermey continues to be one of the best character actors in the business, and you can bet that, when his name appears in a movie's credits, he is going to be top notch in his role.

Rico says he worked for a former Marine, and Fitzgerald had a lot of Ermey's character traits...