Courtesy Paramount Pictures

Ryan Phillippe is at a stop-loss.

The actor, whose previous works include “Cruel Intentions,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” and the 2005 Academy Award-winning film “Crash,” just can’t seem to say no to soldier roles.

Or at least it certainly seems that way.

The Delaware native is set to star in the new MTV Film’s release, “Stop-Loss.” The film, which hits theaters March 28, is directed by Kimberly Peirce (“Boys Don’t Cry”.)

“Stop-Loss” centers on the tale of three returning soldiers, whose lives are divided by the controversial policy of the same name, which forces currently enlisted soldiers to return for multiple tours of duty long after their retired term of service is complete.

During a conference call Thursday, Phillippe took time out from press-touring to answer questions about the release.

Q: In 2006, you starred as a soldier in “Flags of Our Fathers.” What was it that interested you in taking on another similar role?

A: I was interested in working with Kim Peirce. I truly believe her to be an artist. If you look at her first film, she’s clearly talented. More than anything, I wanted to get involved to pay tribute to my grandfather. He served during World War II, so that continues to be an incentive for me to want to get involved in films with this content matter.

Q: Was the experience working with Kim Peirce as good as you hoped?

A: I’ve had the opportunity to work with a lot of really talented directors over the years. I’ve worked with [Robert] Altman, [Clint] Eastwood and Ridley Scott. I’d put her right up there with them. I think she may be a little tougher than some of them. She’s got this drive and determination to get what she wants, and that’s what a director has to do – be decisive, authoritative and unrelenting.

Q: Did you do any research before taking on the role of Sgt. Brandon King?

A: I watched hours and hours of video camera footage that the soldiers shot of each other to get a sense of their camaraderie. I also viewed many of the excellent documentaries that have been made about the Iraq conflict. With a role like this, you really want to make sure you know how to behave and appear like a soldier. I think you’re doing these men a disservice if you don’t.

Q: In the production notes, you mentioned working with Jim Dever as a technical advisor, and you also mentioned working with him on “Flags of Our Fathers.” What are the some of the ways he helped prepare you physically for the role?

A: Oh man, he’s just the only guy you want for something like this. He’s been a non-office sergeant major for 25 years now, and he’s as hardcore as it gets. He had us doing full military training in Texas in the middle of August. One of the great things about it was that he also had us training with six professional soldiers. I was all for anything that made us look less like a bunch of actors.

Q: What was it like to be on location in Texas?

A: Well, it’s funny actually. I’m pretty hip-hop. I don’t even own a pair of blue jeans. When I got down there, I just started getting into everything. I started listening to country music, you know? Toby Keith, Kenny Chesney, really outside of my usual comfort zone. But that’s what I love about acting. You get to adopt different personas. Plus, Texas is a great, unique state. I really enjoyed it.

Q: As a film, “Stop-Loss” seems more interested in telling things from a soldier’s perspective. Were you pleased that the focus is more on individual stories than the war?

A: I am, and very much so. The last thing I wanted the film to be was preachy. Personally, I don’t enjoy films that I feel have a hidden agenda, or are out there just to make a statement. I feel like it’s kind of an insult to the audience. People already know how they feel, they don’t need a movie to teach them how to think.

Q: Would you say that you prefer to get involved with films that have a polarizing effect on an audience?

A: When I pick a role, I’m usually more interested in a topic – a topic that will make people think or is original or has an interesting point of view. Films are bound to garner reactions from different people. Art is totally subjective. The best films are always open to individual interpretation.

Q: Over the years, there have been a lot of films which dealt with war, from WWII to Vietnam. How do you feel “Stop-Loss” compares to those films?

A: Well, I definitely think “Deer Hunter” is one of the best films ever made. The difference with a movie like “Stop-Loss” is that it’s not being made in hindsight. With the war in Iraq right now, there’s something vital about what we’re depicting. Sure it’s about the war, but it’s also about the real-life people who deal with it every day. We’re telling this story from a youth perspective, and it works. The average soldier is 21-24 year old, has a wife, a girlfriend, a family. We’re really just trying to make this a film for them.

Q: So the $20 million question, then. How do you feel about the war?

A: In this position, you obviously want the war to end. It’s vastly different from something like WWII; it’s not a necessary war. You know, I’m an Obama supporter. I’m mostly looking forward to the idea of having a president who wants to do something for a change, and who doesn’t believe in wasting lives.

Shayna Murphy can be reached at [email protected].