Hollywood isn't what it used to be; finding work isn't as simple as meeting a casting producer in a coffee shop and falling in love with your "look."

This means that many in the business have to take on jobs that they despise. Some are stereotypical and could hurt the actor in the long run, but bills must be paid. Dennis Haysbert felt a sigh of relief on the set of The Unit. Not only was his character fierce, but Jonas Blane was one of the good guys.

"I like Jonas a lot," he said during an interview with The New York Times. "It makes me feel good knowing that are Jonases out there, fighting the good fight. He's a superpatriot, and race is not an issue. It's like what some people used to say about Vietnam: The closer you get to the front line, the grayer everyone becomes."

Not having to accept "scraps" is a big part of why the role meant so much to Haysbert, and he offered advice for actors who felt they didn't have a choice. The actor was known for turning down roles he felt were demeaning.

"You have to make certain demands on yourself, what you want," he continued. One way he does this is by thinking of his family. If his then-teenaged children couldn't watch his performance or his mother and siblings wouldn't be proud, he'd decline the role.

Haysbert stressed that viewers want good stories, which The Unit brought, from plots about rescuing a journalist to a character surviving a helicopter crash in a remote area of Russia.