Los Angeles—Tracy Morgan has not had an easy life. However, he used his own difficult history to relate to the role he plays in First Sunday, which is currently in theatres. His character, LeeJohn, takes on a life of crime because he never knew his father and his mother died when he was a child. Morgan’s own father excused himself from Morgan’s life because he didn’t think his presence would benefit the family.

“Vietnam messed my father up,” Morgan says in an L.A. hotel room. “He had to leave because of the effect he had on the family when he returned. My mom had four of us and she couldn’t have him around us, so he had to go. He realized she was right, because he had picked up some pretty bad habits over there. My dad died in 1987 of AIDS, so I lost him twice, once when I was six and then later when I was 17. But I drew from that to play LeeJohn. I could relate to him, because he never knew his dad and I barely knew mine.”

The movie is a comedy, but it has some dramatic moments. LeeJohn and his pal Durell (Ice Cube) rob a local church and take the parishioners hostage when they are forced to find money quickly.

Morgan, a standup comic and costar of the comedy 30 Rock, was concerned that the audience wouldn’t go with him when he was in dramatic scenes. He says that although it wasn’t easy crossing over, he got a lot of support from director David E. Talbert, who told him to dig deep into his own childhood to find empathy with his character.

“David said, ”˜Don’t worry about it,’ ” Morgan says. “He allowed me to be funny for most of the film, and then, right at the end of filming, we shot a scene in which LeeJohn has a very dramatic moment. I just sat in my trailer and then David came and took me for a walk, and he took me to a very dark place in my childhood. That was it. He said, ”˜Turn the camera on.’ It took me an hour-and-a-half after the scene to get myself together.”

Although his professional life is looking good, Morgan admits his personal life has taken a turn lately. He was married at 17 and had stayed married until recently. The change has been difficult.

“I have been with my wife for 21 years,” Morgan says, “and for Valentine’s Day the thing she says every year is, ”˜I love you.’ But this will not be a good Valentine’s Day for me because we are separated. But anything is possible. I want her to be happy. I would give my life for her. I feel better about it today, because she told me on the phone last night that she thought we could work it out.”