GRAMMER'S HAIRY DILEMMA.

Byline: - Glenn Whipp

When Kelsey Grammer was asked to play the Beast in ``X3'' (May 26), the third ``X-Men'' movie, his first question was, ``Is he a good guy or bad guy?'' Grammer was hoping to play a villain. But when he was told that the character was not only honest and loyal and true, but probably the most beloved mutant in the original comic series, Grammer had a change of heart.

``I liked the additional pressure that playing such a well-loved character brought,'' Grammer says. ``Every actor loves a challenge.''

Grammer's casting as the loquacious Dr. Hank McCoy/blue-fur Beast character raised some eyebrows among contentious fanboys, as did bringing in Brett Ratner to replace Bryan Singer, who left the project to make the ``Superman'' movie.

``I heard there had been some consternation,'' Grammer says, wryly. ``The people I've met have all been very warm and receptive, though. Again, it goes back to the challenge.''

Speaking of challenges, Grammer says he was OK with the long makeup sessions needed to painstakingly transform him into the hairy Beast. The tough part was waiting around after the makeup was applied.

``Once you get that makeup on, you're ready to go - and that's not how a movie set works,'' Grammer says. ``The worst thing was when you'd spend 12 hours in makeup and they'd tell you to go home. That's really bad news, and it only happened to me once. I wasn't afraid to be the squeaky wheel on the subject. You might even say I was a perfect beast.''

Anything to get in character.

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(color) `X3'

May 26