By Thomas Chau in New York City

While he's not a $20 million dollar man like Brad Pitt, John Corbett wins women over just as easily with his "nice guy" roles: From his jocky days as Chris Stevens on TV's "Northern Exposure," to his off-and-on again role in "Sex in the City," and to this surprise hit of 2002 "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." A native West Virginian, Corbett brings out his southern charm in his often humble characters, thus earning him a spot in many hearts.

Corbett co-stars with Kate Hudson in the Garry Marshall film, "Raising Helen," which will be released on May 28th. Corbett plays Pastor Dan, a member of the clergy in charge of a Lutheran school for kids. He falls in love with Helen (Hudson), who enrolls her two nieces and nephew into the school after receiving custody of the children following a tragedy with their mother. Helen struggles to adapt to her new lifestyle of being a mother but Pastor Dan offers a helping hand to her and her new family.

John was in New York to promote the film at a press day and below is what he had to say about the movie and his career as well.

Q: So John, how many times do you actually go to church?

JOHN: I go to Christmas mass and that’s it. (Laughs) By my house, I have a Catholic seminary and I go to Christmas Eve Mass. I went through 12 years of catholic high school actually. But I go to Christmas Eve mass for fun.

Q: How was your catholic high school experience?

JOHN: I had a great time. I didn’t have any of the funky stuff happening now in the press with the church and weird old priests playing grab-ass. I didn’t have any of that happening.

Q: So by playing a member of the clergy in the movie, how weird was it to say the line “I’m a sexy bastard”?

JOHN: Yeah, that’s a tough line to say. When you read that line, you realize you have to say that line with a camera rolling. Actors normally have a couple of things in a movie they’re not looking forward to. That was the thing I was dreading, saying that exact line and not getting laughed on stage or whatever.

Q: Director Garry Marshall said that you wanted to get away from the “nice guy” role from “Sex and the City” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” yet you’re still the ultra-nice guy in this movie as well…

JOHN: I had a series that came out last year called “Lucky” and they do a little retrospective every time you have something coming out, talking about your roles and what you’ve done. I played these nice guy roles in “Sex and the City” and another movie called “Serendipity.” I was the ultimate boyfriend. When Garry called me, he said, “Not only do we want you to be the ultimate boyfriend once again, we want you to wear a priest collar!” I said, “I can’t do that. I can’t play that anymore.” I don’t know why I felt like that. It was just from reading reviews saying he’s just playing another nice guy role. Somehow that got into my head. But then I went back to the old natural “I don’t give a fuck.”

Q: Is there a reason why these nice guy roles keep coming to you?

JOHN: I’m a nice guy but I don’t write these things that I play and everything I play is already written way before I come on board. I just find a way to interpret them and play them and say these lines. Somehow these parts come to me. None of them have been written with me in mind. They’re words on a page that I interpret.

Q: Was this movie the first time you interacted with Kate Hudson?

JOHN: I was in one of the greatest westerns ever made: a movie called “Tombstone” with Kate’s pop, Kurt Russell. When we were out there, this was in 92, Kate was 12 years old. And now I’m playing the guy who gets to kiss her.

Q: How did you work on building the chemistry with Kate?

JOHN: I don’t really think about that. I don’t try to work on it. I just sort of hope that the person I’m going to spend time with on camera and I get along. I’m really lucky to work with Sarah Jessica Parker, Nia Valderos, and Kate. I just did a movie with Kim Basinger and we had great chemistry. But I just did a movie with Hilary Duff who’s 16 and I prayed that we’d have some sort of chemistry and we did. I get lucky with these girls.

Q: What’s your relationship with Hilary in the movie?

JOHN: I play her mentor. I still have to have chemistry with her because we play these intimate scenes where I’m a music mentor to her and it’s just us. It’s called “Heart of Summer.”

Q: This movie brings up questions about raising children. Do you want to have children of your own someday?

JOHN: I love kids. I was just in West Virginia with my little 10-year-old godson. I wish we could all get a time machine and go back. But I don’t think I’m going to have any. I think I’m past that. I’m just going to have to enjoy everybody else’s kids. You can never say never but I just don’t see it happening. As the years go on, I don’t want to be one of those guys who has his first kid in his 50s.

Q: One of the girls in this movie is a rebellious teenager. Were you ever like that?

JOHN: Yes. I just saw, when I was in West Virginia, right across from me at dinner was a cop who chased me down the street when I was 17 years old. I wanted to go up to him and introduce myself because he was like, “Hey John, we’re real proud of you.” I wanted to go up to him and say, “You chased me down the street when I was 17 years old, trying to get into a Styx concert.” I was outside the concert and I said, “What’s your badge number?” and he reached out for me and I started running. We ran for three blocks and I was running as fast as I could and all I heard within an inch from me was all his gear clanging as he was running: Keys, cuffs, sticks, and they were all against the material of his clothes. I was running full blast and he finally gave up. I was talking to my buddy and he said, “Do you realize what would have happened if that guy had caught you? He would’ve beat you to a bloody pulp.” I can shut my eyes and hear all that stuff clanging, even today. It was one of the most terrifying experiences in my life.

Q: Word has it you don’t like flying. So how do you get around the country?

JOHN: I have Avis rent-a-car and I get this car for $60 a day and I can drop it off at any major airport in the United States. It’s great.

"Raising Helen" opens in theaters May 28th.