'Squid' gives Daniels career boost

NEW YORK, April 23 (UPI) -- Hollywood actor Jeff Daniels says the acclaim he earned for his performance in last year's "The Squid and the Whale" has given his career a boost.

"I probably bought five or 10 years because of 'Squid,'" Daniels told reporters in New York recently. "I'm getting calls now and jobs now and interest now from people that wouldn't have called beforehand."

The "Terms of Endearment" and "The Hours" star said he loved making the 1994 movie, "Dumb & Dumber," but admitted, "Once you do comedy, you lose your membership in the 'serious, important actors' club.' ... I think 'Squid' got me back into the 'serious, important actors' club.'"

Asked if membership in that group was important to him, Daniels said it was because it makes him more desirable to filmmakers.

"You want (producers) Lucy Fisher and Doug Wick to call on something," Daniels explained, noting how they and director Barry Sonnenfeld offered him a great part in the new comedy, "RV," after Sonnenfeld saw "Squid."

"I still like being able to bounce back and forth (between comedy and drama,)" he said, adding that comedy is not as easy as people think. "You can get away with more in drama. Comedy is more precise."