C.J.: A herculean career that's included discrimination, Kevin Sorbo says

Kevin Sorbo has had a herculean career in Hollywood, considering the impediment of the Minnesota boy's deep Christianity.

The Mound native believes his faith has not been a plus out there.

That was one of the subjects I touched on with the guy who played Hercules in the "Legendary Journeys," Capt. Dylan Hunt in "Andromeda" and "Kull the Conqueror" when Sorbo was at the convention center this month for Wizard World Comic Con Minneapolis.

I also asked him an indirect question about the aneurysms, reportedly trigged by a chiropractic neck adjustment, that caused three strokes and a huge health care scare at the height of Sorbo's career. It was a nice, quick interview — because his Comic Con fans were waiting — that got a little longer when he realized where I worked.

"Am I still on?" he said after taking off the mike he was wearing. Then he reminisced about the major purchase he was able to make as a result of being a paperboy. My two video interviews with Sorbo are at startribune.com/videos.

Q: Is it true that you feel your career has been hampered by the fact that you are a Christian?

A: Yes. No question about that. You definitely can feel a difference in Hollywood for not being whatever. It's interesting to do these faith-based movies. There has been a kickback in a negative direction.

A: Honestly, I wouldn't have any idea. I used to read for 10 new television shows a year. The last four years they haven't called me for one. With the history that I've got and Hercules being a big hit and "Andromeda" being a hit, and I've shot about 45 movies in the last 10 years — but none of them in mainstream Hollywood.

Q: There are a lot of Minnesotans out there acting. What accounts for so many Minnesotans wanting to go to a godless place like Hollywood?

A: California has a lot of problems, but weather is not one of them.

Q: When was the last time you let a chiropractor crack your neck, or any other area?

A: Just before I got my stroke.

A: Nooooo. Not since then. Leave my neck alone. Get my book, "True Strength." Check out my book.

Q: These Comic Con events are like printing money. Can you hear your bank account growing as we speak?

A: [Laughter] Not like people from "X-Files" and "Lord of the Rings" I can't. If "The Walking Dead" people were here we'd have nobody in line.

Q: You can only wear one of these costumes for the rest of your Halloweens: Are you Kull the Conqueror or Hercules?

A: I'm Hercules.

A: [Big laugh] No, I can't say that I have. [Laugh] I would share it with you; I'm not too embarrassed about that.

Q: One of your parents was a nurse and the other a …

A: … science teacher.

Q: What did they think you were going to be?

A: I'm pretty sure they thought I was going to be a teacher and a coach. I wanted to coach high school football and basketball. But acting was always there, and my dad being an educator, I was actually surprised when I didn't get any pushback when I told them I wanted to be an actor. He looked at me and said, You have to go after what you want to do with your life. They were very supportive, great mentors to me, my mom and dad. My dad, Lynn, passed away two years ago. My mom, Ardis, lives in Henderson, Nev.; left Minnesota in 1997.