"One of the agents asked me to read right there. It was a small speaking part," Baum said. "She then asked when I would be ready to work."

Baum said he mentioned to the casting agent that he had been in "The Crucible" before, but he wasn't able to get the same role he had in high school.

"Daniel Day-Lewis beat me out for that," Baum joked.

Although feeling fortunate to get the part, Baum said he encountered a rough filming schedule, which took place over shopping period.

Because the crew had to be on location all day starting at 5 a.m., he couldn't pick his own classes.

"All the shopping and selecting classes was up to my roommates," Baum said.

Baum, who is 6'4" tall with self-described "flaming" red hair, was cast in the movie as one of the villagers.

While the red hair was covered up for the movie, it was an asset in helping him get other roles, he said.

"I guess I have been pegged as the typical Anglo-Saxon guy, but it will all be over when they find out I'm Jewish," Baum joked.

Baum had a small speaking part in several scenes, and in one he grabs Ryder as she enters the town court-house to turn in suspected witches.

As for future roles, Baum, an English concentrator, is hoping to do more work in feature films while staying involved with his first love, theatre. Eventually, Baum said, he would like to end up as a film director.

"It is definitely a lot more fun than many other professions," Baum said of an acting career. "If I can make a living and I am having this much fun, I will definitely do it."