It’s very easy to pigeonhole actors and actresses, or assume things about their personalities from the roles they choose. Who would be able to take Tom Green or Jim Carrey seriously? And who wouldn’t be a bit uneasy around Christopher Walken? But Kevin Spacey and Laura Linney, two stars of “The Life of David Gale,” don’t bring to mind any strong archetypes; they’re just good actors.

The movie tells the story of law professor Gale (Spacey), a staunch advocate against capital punishment who ends up on death row for the rape and murder of a fellow anti-death penalty crusader. Reporter Bitsey Bloom (Kate Winslet) is sent to interview him during his final days and through her own investigative skills tries to verify his claim to innocence.

Politics dominate the film, but both Spacey and Linney said they were drawn to the thrilling aspects and character-driven nature of the script. “I didn’t go into it thinking that we were going to make a big pro/con movie,” Spacey said. “I hope that even though it is an issue that is divisive, it won’t take away from what we wanted, which was to give people an entertaining film. If the politics of it start to percolate down and it ignites conversation, that’s great.”

While filming on location in Austin, Texas, a hotbed for the issue of capital punishment, both actors researched their roles extensively. They met with families of death row inmates, families of the victims of those inmates and those who run death row itself.

But outside the political world, the two stars philosophize about their craft. Both trained at Julliard, and beforehand Linney even spent a year at the Northwestern.

Splitting their time between screen and stage, both pay special attention to creating strong characters, putting them first and taking risks. “You really have to not judge a character, you have to really just play the character,” Spacey said. “It forces you to ask questions about yourself — could I say what this character says, could I live this way?”

Linney says she approaches every role in the same manner, from 1995’s “Congo” to her Oscar-nominated role in “You Can Count on Me.” “It’s all about story first, to serve the story, to fulfill the character to such a degree that you are adding to the story,” she said.

A two time Oscar-winner himself, Spacey recognizes what it got him to where he is today and hopes to help Hollywood hopefuls through his production company and online film community, Triggerstreet. “I am very quick to realize that without first time directors, screenwriters and playwrights, I wouldn’t have a career.”

Linney doesn’t believe she’s had one big break, rather she’s learned and is still learning from every role she takes. “With the Oscar nomination people were more aware of the fact that I was around, but it didn’t change my personal life at all,” she said. “I still take the subway, only the clothes in my closet are much nicer.”

But with each of their successes comes celebrity and pressure from the media. When you Google Kevin Spacey the first Web site that pops up is a shrinelike site called “Spaceyland.” “Well, I made all those myself,” Spacey jokes. “I’m aware of them, but I don’t really go on them, it’s generally very sweet and generous, but it has very little to do with my real life.” nyou