Nicholas D’Agosto was a senior in high school when his opportunity to work as an actor in a Hollywood production came right into his backyard.

In 1997, an independent dark comedy starring Reese Witherspoon and Matthew Broderick called “Election” began shooting in his hometown of Omaha, Neb. Director Alexander Payne – an Omaha native – decided to cast local actors for many of the supporting roles. Payne found D’Agosto at his alma mater, Creighton Preparatory School, and cast him in the small but vital role of Larry Fouch, a high school student at the end of the film who becomes suspicious of a student council election when there is a discrepancy over the final results.

Since that first taste of Hollywood, D’Agosto has never looked back. After graduating from Marquette University with degrees in history and theater, D’Agosto went on to earn roles on episodes of “The Office” and “Heroes.” He also starred in films such as “Rocket Science,” “Extreme Movie” and “Fired Up!”

D’Agosto’s most recent film is “From Prada to Nada,” an adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic tale “Sense and Sensibility” with a Latino twist. In “Prada,” he plays Edward Ferris, the love interest to actress Camilla Belle’s character Nora Domínguez.

EXTRA: Where does your love for acting stem from?

Nicholas D’Agosto: When I was younger I knew I wanted to be an actor. I was raised Catholic, so when I was younger I had to choose a confirmation name. I chose Saint Genesius, who is the patron saint of actors. But it started when a teacher asked me to go out for competitive speech. We would go in front of judges to read poetry and dramatic pieces. I started winning trophies when I was 11. Then, I started getting into improv when I ...