Broker wins the Lotto thanks to dual careers.

When it comes to juggling a fast-paced real estate career, family life and movie roles, broker Leif Riddell is a pretty hard act to follow.

In the last several months, Riddell, a broker with GMAC Real Estate IPG, has notched up a string of sales with celebrity clients and movie industry bigs, secured a major commercial office lease, filmed a scene with superstars Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard for the upcoming blockbuster The Brave One, and adopted a baby boy from Russia.

"My customers have told me that I'm unlike any other agent they have ever dealt with," confesses Riddell. "I'm responsible, caring, and I don't waste time--I keep pretty busy with them and all of their referrals."

Indeed, since first entering the real estate profession five years ago, Riddell has become the 'go to guy' among the celebrity set. He explained, "When I first started in the business, I discovered I was a natural. I am very much a people person and, working in the film community, I was right there when companies needed to organize relocations for actors and was able to work with them to find rentals or new homes."

While on a set for a commercial shoot recently, Riddell meta new client looking for a home in his neighborhood, Gerritsen Beach. "I sold him the best house for the money in the area: a three bedroom, three bathroom home with a large recreation room just off of Canal Street," said Riddell, who negotiated the price down from $499,000 to $449,000. "I sold his brown stone apartment before-hand so he had the money."

Riddell's acting career has its roots in the music industry. He was among the founders of the ARIA Records company in the early 80s which produced the number one dance single, Angel Man, by Rhetta Hughes, who was then starring in the original Broadway version of Dreamgirls.

He later landed a job as a talent scout for Nemperor Records, an affiliate label of CBS Columbia, when it helped The Romantics reach number one on the Billboard Charts with Talking in Your Sleep. It was a dream job that saw him work with everyone from David Bowie and Bob Geldof to The Who. But it was a chance bit part on The Romatics video for their follow-up record, What I Like About You, that led him to pursue an acting career.

His first movie gig was in The Hard Way, an action comedy that starred James Woods and featured early performances by such actors as Michael J. Fox, LL Cool J and Penny Marshall. Since then, Riddell has landed parts in dozens of mainstream movies, including Woody Allen's Sweet And Lowdown, Analyze That, starring Robert DeNiro, and the crime chiller Enough, in which he played the cop who comes to Jennifer Lopez' rescue at the film's dramatic close.

He's appeared on TV's Law & Order, Third Watch and Rescue Me and played an Aryan inmate in the HOB hit, Oz. Right now, his One Life to Live character, Cole Avery, is serving a jail sentence and Riddell is on hiatus from that show!

But while his acting career was fulfilling his desire for excitement in his life, Riddell looked to real estate as he began to plan a future with his new wife and family. He started taking real estate classes at night and very quickly found himself under the tutelage of George Donohue, president of GMAC Real Estate.

"Customers keep returning to Leif because of his attention to detail," said Donohue. "He understands working under time constraints to best serve his clients in the entertainment industry that may be travelling coast to coast and he works very well under pressure."

Riddell said he's never looked back since earning his real estate licence. "The acting business is very up and down and, although I've had plenty of success, I wanted to do more in my life. I now have an 18 month old son we just adopted, we've bought house in Gerritsen Beach and I still keep my apartment on the Upper East Side. My expenses are high, so the acting certainly helps me supplement my income and provides me with a constant stream of clients that I meet when I'm on set. But I am always putting new goals in front of myself and GMAC has recently submitted a proposal to be the leasing agent for the new Freedom Tower and I'd love to be involved in that."

And while he admits he'd be delighted if Hollywood called, Riddell added, "While it's nice to be in the spotlight, life is about enjoying every moment.

"I just had a closing and got $20,000 over asking. It took me four months, but everyone was happy with the deal. Then I got a phone call booking a commercial--now there's i no better feeling than that. That's the pay off."

And the commercial? The New York Lotto, of course!