A swig of tea that Alec Baldwin has gulped during a press conference to promote "The Hunt for Red October" almost becomes a projectile when a journalist asks an off-limits question.
"Is it true, Alec," she inquires, "that your chest hair looks like a swirl in a Van Gogh painting?"He swallows. "If your intent was to bring the level of this conversation to a new low," says the smart Alec finally, "then you've done it."
Baldwin, who many think is poised on the brink of stardom, seems exasperated with the line of questioning, but not surprised. Appearances, admits the classically handsome actor, sometimes overshadow talent.
"Take Jane Fonda," he says. "She's summarized as this guru of health and fitness and beauty, but people forget how many times Jane Fonda has won the Academy Award, how she's a great actress."
Baldwin, say those who know him, is similarly cursed, "Alec is too . . . good looking to play Jack Ryan," says author Tom Clancy of the plum role that could well do for Baldwin what James Bond did for "Red October" co-star Sean Connery. "But he's good in the part. He's very talented."
Since the beginning of his career, the 32-year-old Baldwin has masked his appearance behind character accents and makeup.
A graduate of the Lee Strasberg Institute, he cut his teeth in soaps like "The Doctors" and "Knots Landing," then grabbed showy character roles in "Beetlejuice," "Married to the Mob" and "Working Girl." His goal all along, he says, was to grow as an actor.
That he has done. Now with the role of Ryan, stardom beckons.
Ryan is a difficult role for him, Baldwin says, because it is the first part he has played that he can't completely melt into.
"This is not a character piece. This is a straightforward role. What I learned playing him is basically how to be myself and appear interesting."
To prepare for the role of the bookish CIA whiz turned superpower savior, Baldwin hung out with a few select members of the Navy's submarine corps and picked their brains for inspiration.
"These guys are referred to as `slide rulers' because they all have pretty sophisticated educations," the actor recalls.
"They're not hairy-chested brawny guys, like you would think. They're all from MIT. And they're all bright and extremely competitive. They live lives I would never choose, but I was very grateful for their cooperation.
"I would say to them, `Why did you choose this as a career? Is it something you fell back on?' They answer was always no. These guys wanted to be right where they are."
Not many actors would mind being where Baldwin's is right now.
He is sought after. Leading roles in two major 1990 film releases - the seedy adventure romp "Miami Blues," in which he plays a dastardly con-man with Miami roots, and Woody Allen's upcoming untitled movie - are evidence of his impending arrival.
His suave performance as Ryan - whom he might play again if a projected series of spy thrillers based on Clancy books flies - might be but a hint of things to come.
"This movie will do for Alec what `The Untouchables' did for Kevin Costner," predicts John McTiernan, director of "The Hunt for Red October."
"He's going to be a very big star."