He's sold more than 40 million albums over a two-decade recording career that will go down in the country music history books. Tim McGraw is now on track to make as much of a name for himself in Hollywood history. In the last couple of years, the superstar has appeared in such films as 'Friday Night Lights,' 'Four Christmases,' 'The Blind Side' and most recently 'Country Strong.'

For his latest movie, Tim has taken on the role of Danny Briggs in the quirky yet poignant film, 'Dirty Girl,' which opens Friday (Oct. 7). Directed by Abe Sylvia, 'Dirty Girl,' is about a rebellious teenage girl, Danielle (played by British actress Juno Temple), who goes on a road trip from Norman, Okla., to California in search of Danny, the dad she never met. She is accompanied by her gay classmate Clarke (newcomer Jeremy Dozier), who is also escaping from a troubled home life.

Tim says his involvement in the movie happened by way of his agent. "He came over to visit and brought this script with him," the Louisiana native tells The Boot. "He knew my background and how I grew up. When I read the script, it hit home to me. I thought it was a well-written script and just a fantastic story. I loved the story of discovery that the girl goes through."

It's a story to which Tim can certainly relate, given his own real-life discovery of his father, the late baseball great Tug McGraw. "I didn't know my dad," he says, "and I found out who my dad was at 11 years old. I didn't meet my dad until later. But trying to discover who you are through that process is what really related to me. There's something to be said about finding who you are through your parentage ... especially when you don't know at all. When you go on that search and you find out, you want to see a reflection of yourself. And when it's disappointing, it can be heartbreaking."

In 'Dirty Girl,' Tim portrays Danny with thoughtfulness and sensitivity. "In this scene that Danny is in and the discovery of his daughter finding him," he says, "you want to have some empathy for him. You sort of see what he's dealing with. But at the same time, he's not very sympathetic ... because he doesn't give as much as he should give, or want to give. He's caught in a situation that he doesn't know how to handle."

Tim is not the only country singer-turned-actor in 'Dirty Girl' -- Dwight Yoakam portrays Clarke's father, Joseph. This is the second time that Tim and Dwight have appeared in the same film together, the previous one being 'Four Christmases.'

"We haven't done a scene together," Tim notes. "How about that? We have to do a movie next where we can be in a scene together. I've known Dwight for a while. In fact, my first opening gigs on the road were with Dwight years ago. He's one of my favorite artists."

The singer and dad of three girls himself has developed a knack for playing a father on the big screen, as he's done in 'Friday Night Lights,' 'The Blind Side,' 'Four Christmases' and now 'Dirty Girl.' He says his own daughters don't get jealous of his movie kids. Still, the entertainer acknowledges that he'd like to take on a different role -- something a little darker. "[My next character] needs to be a really nasty guy. I don't want to be a dad again."

For a star who has accomplished so much in music, Tim -- who will be embarking on a concert tour with wife Faith Hill in Australia this coming spring -- admits that acting is the most challenging thing he has ever done.

"To become someone else and to be in a room with fantastic actors -- to come in as the country singer -- you don't want to screw the movie up," Tim confesses. "To find that place where you're confident, but you still have an edge of nervousness about you ... to find that place where you can find that character and you can live within that character's shoes, and to live in the same room with all these other great actors and still find your place is a tough thing. I relish it, I love it. It's exhilarating, it's challenging, it makes me find something within myself that sometimes you don't know you have. There's nothing about it that I don't like, except for the waiting. Sitting around and waiting -- I could do without that part."

'Dirty Girl' opens nationwide on Friday, Oct. 7. Click here for movie times in theaters near you, and check out a preview of the film below.

Watch the 'Dirty Girl' Trailer

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