Academy Award-winning actor Timothy Hutton followed his father Jim Hutton into show business, but it wasn't a planned succession. The 48-year-old Hutton was only 20 when he won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for "Ordinary People." Married to French beauty Aurore Giscard d'Estaing, they have a son, Milo. He also has a son, Noah, from his first marriage to Debra Winger. Hutton plays Nate Ford, a former insurance investigator turned modern-day Robin Hood, on TNT's "Leverage," which returns for its second season 9 p.m. on July 15.

Your character is described as a sort of modern-day Robin Hood in "Leverage." Who would you say are today's real Robin Hoods?

There are people out there that are going, you know, above and beyond the call of duty. There are certain prosecutors out there, for example, that have uncovered things because they are really tenacious. Other people have investigated certain things and there's a lot of suspicion, but they decide not to do anything about it. You know, I'm talking specifically about the Bernie Madoff [case]. The guy was flagged years ago and there were people who thought there were discrepancies as to what was going on. There is a little bit of difference between those who are exposing something and those going all the way to try and get some kind of resolve for the victim.

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Hear more of this interview with Timothy Hutton.

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Do you find you are more interested in that sort of thing since doing "Leverage?"

No, I mean I've always been interested. I'm kind of a news junkie, always have been. I'm always pouring through various newspapers and periodicals. Certainly after having done the show there are things I'll read and think, "That could be an interesting story line for the show."

You were so young when you got a taste of show business. Do you remember your first impressions?

You know I wasn't necessarily sure it's what I wanted to be doing. I was enjoying it. I was earning a living doing it, and I was able to get my own place. I was traveling. I kind of grew to like it as I did it, rather than knowing it was what I wanted to do and then doing it. It was something that kind of happened. I enjoyed the beginnings, you know, as anyone does. The beginnings of a career are always a special time you can never go back to.

How did so much acclaim at a young age shape you?

When that sort of thing happens to someone, I think it can shape a person from the outside, but if you are the person you have to do everything to not let it shape you. If you allow it to be part of your identity, or somehow think that you've arrived, or are all set then you are in trouble.

Are you comfortable doing interviews and being recognized, or did that get old fast?

I understood very early that this is all part of what this business is. A movie or television show coming out -- there's a legitimate need for familiarizing the people with the story or character and creating an awareness for the projects you do. I never really understood the whole reluctance to do what we are doing right now, having a conversation about work and life. There is a way to do it where you're hopefully speaking about things that are interesting and shedding light on the character, or yourself if people are interested in that.

Did your father help you develop these attitudes toward work, and did he have the same good attitude toward all of it?

Well, I can't say he did and not because he was unwilling, only because up until the moment he passed away I wasn't really sure, nor was he, that this was the path I was going to go on. He wasn't really an advice-type-of parent, which I really appreciate now looking back. He was the type of parent who had a very close, watchful eye, but wanted the kids to experience things and work things out on their own. If any of us came to him and asked for advice he was there, but as far as initiating it he wasn't that type of parent and we all appreciated that.

What does acting do for you?

I was into music, and I found when you are acting and having a good time doing it, it can be very rhythmic, which is cool. The whole out of the different parts and the arrangement of the scene, the orchestration of the scene, the actual playing of the scene, that was an interesting approach to it, that I found others shared. And doing dramatic recreations of things one has imagined in books, it's very playful. That's really the most appealing thing about "Leverage" for me is the playful aspect of it.

You were flying under the radar for a while and then came out with "Leverage."

Yeah, just getting out from under these serious parts and doing a part that's fun and doesn't have any boundaries to it and a slightly insane person with a dark past.

Just wondering, is your son Milo bilingual?

Oh yeah, he speaks perfect French and English.

How's your French?

Terrible. I mean it's decent, but the real test is if you can have a 7-year-old converse with you in French without switching to English, then you are speaking pretty good French. But if it lasts about 5 seconds and they are talking back to you in English, you give it up. [laughing]