Charlie Barnett Ready For What Comes Next

It is a rare thing for an actor take the bull by the horns on his career and never look back.

Secrets and Lies star Charlie Barnett is one that is rising to the top due to an amazingly positive attitude and an almost unmatched dedication to his craft. His precision and hard work have catapulted him into a career that has let him flex his acting muscles at the early age of 28 -- while also being featured on some of the largest shows on television.

PopCultureNow.com spoke with Barnett about what initially sparked his interest in this industry and what it means to be a young actor in the heavily saturated entertainment world.

"I give a lot of credit to my hometown," he said. "I grew up in Sarasota, Florida and it's changed a lot in the 28 years I've been alive. It was this little hub when my parents first got there. It was such a great outlet that showed that theater could be a great possibility. It's where my heart and soul lie. My dad's a boat builder and my sister is an incredible sailor, and I was freaking terrible. I had to find something that was my own and theater was the first door. I fell in love with it. It's definitely changed of course through college and being out and working in this world."

Acting is not the only thing Barnett wants to conquer. He has a diverse mix of wanting to take on the whole creative process when it comes to storytelling.

"It's a different love and hate relationship that I appreciate so much," he said. "I am still completely attached to the art. That's why I want to go further than just being an actor. I want to go into creating and developing ideas. I don't want to limit myself. I'm still figuring out so much about it. I can't say I just want to be a director or producer. I would like to even grip for something random - I want to figure out how to light a building. I want to do it so when I do become a director I can attack it from every angle. I don't think you can do it by just jumping in."

Along with wanting to attack the industry from every angle, Barnett has gone through the ultimate television test: Law & Order. He has appeared multiple times on the famous series and knows that it is a true rite of passage for any actor worth his or her salt.

"Everybody has passed through it and they've all had their own experiences," he said. "I really want to do a table book of experiences of Law & Order shows. I worked on a great one. I had just graduated and it was my first job. It was terrifying for me. I learned a lot. I learned how to prepare from that experience. It was special and individual for me because it was my own. I learned how to respect that opportunity, that role, no matter what it is. It was also just fun. But I did play a rapist so my grandmother was not happy."

His career exploded when he got the role of Peter Mills on Chicago Fire and Chicago P.D. His experience on the two shows carved out a new lane of opportunities for him, while also allowing him to understand what it meant to be a Chicago city hero.

"It's definitely under one big umbrella, but there are so many sides to the story," he said. "I have one experience with Chicago itself and the people of the city. I truly love them because they are unbelievable. The people I got to work with are like family to me. I'm so thankful I got to work with them."

But this role did take a bit of an unexpected turn when the show came to an end.

"It was difficult for a long time," he said. "I had developed relationships and these people were like my brothers and sisters. We all felt the same way. I do wish I could be there with them, but on the flip side, I like that I was able to get out there and do some new things. And for the firefighters and doing the training and working on the show itself... that's something I can never replicate. We really got to work with true firefighters and hear their stories...some insane stories. It's incredible work that they do. And it needs to be remembered."

Barnett is a young, multitalented actor with a bright future ahead of him. And now that he has an open lane to attack any role he wants, the options seem endless for what's to come.

"I got cast in a show that I can't talk about," he said. "But it's been something I've really wanted to be a part of. It's definitely a change of a character. It's exactly the route I want to go with my career. I'm an actor and I can play whoever I want and I want to push myself in my career. I'm really excited right now and for the first time I feel very confident and passionate about where I'm headed. That's the best feeling I can ask for."