Environmental activist, hemp promoter, peacenik, surfer dude. Woody Harrelson has been called a lot of things, but until recently it is unlikely he has been called a friend of the U.S. military.
The actor says he is a changed man, however, after working on his movie "The Messenger," in which he portrays an officer in the army's casualty notification service -- officers who tell families their loved ones have died serving their country.
Harrelson, 48, has been nominated for an Oscar for his portrayal of Captain Tony Stone, though winning seems unlikely. Yet he believes he may already have won just by being nominated for his supporting role and by being able to tell the tale of soldiers and their families.
"It's a big thing to say, but I really think it changed me on some fundamental level in my heart," Harrelson told Reuters. "I felt a powerful connection to these servicemen and women, and those experiences of notifications."
