J.T. Walsh, veteran character actor featured in the thriller “Breakdown”

Down time: Friday nights, I like to relax and take a hot tub in the backyard. I’ve been working too much lately. Saturday mornings, I enjoy walks in Balboa Park, near where I live in Encino. They have cricket players I like to watch. I catch the Lakers when I can, and I like to watch soccer. I have a pool with a machine I can swim against.

The great escape: I like to read fiction because it transports me away from Hollywood, and I like travel novels. I also drive up the coast to Santa Barbara to escape and get out of town. I stay the most at the San Ysidro Ranch. It’s a quiet and simple, protected village and no one bothers you. It’s also very pretty. If I can’t get to Santa Barbara, I’ll go to the beach in Santa Monica early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Eating out: I like Victor’s Cafe in Beverly Hills for Hollywood-type food. It’s ordinary food done fancy. I also love Pinot on Ventura Boulevard. There’s a great Italian deli in Encino called Domingo’s. It’s old-fashioned, like a deli you would find in New York.

Cinemania: I like to see movies at Laemmle’s in Encino. I like old-time European movies. Even though I just made one, I don’t usually like action-adventure films. I don’t want to be shocked out of my seat.

Fresh Food: Sundays are farmers market time. I try to get to the one on Victory around 8 a.m., since that’s when you find the selection. I’m usually looking for good organic vegetables. I like to cook real simple stuff like vegetarian dishes.