PASADENA, Calif. — When actor Michael Cudlitz wasn’t emoting on the set of “Beverly Hills, 90210” he was hammering the set together or fabricating props.

He was one guy who kept shuttling between emoting and construction. “I’m in the construction union,” he said.

“I paid my way through school doing construction for film and television. … I was one of the original construction coordinators on ‘90210,’ and I was also working on the show at the time as an actor. … I went back and forth between construction and my acting until ‘Band of Brothers,’ which was 10 years ago now. And even after that sometimes I go in and do it when I have time off because I really enjoy doing it, and I enjoy the company of the guys I came up with. They’re really good guys, hard workers. At the end of the day, you walk away and there’s something standing there.”

While Cudlitz’s “other” career may not be as material, it’s distinguished for its diversity. He has guested on nearly every top prime-time show, including “Lost,” “Criminal Minds,” “Bones,” the three “CSIs” and “Prison Break.”

Now he’s co-starring on Season 3 of “Southland,” a praiseworthy cop drama by John Wells that was saved from network demise by TNT and airs Tuesday nights.

Cudlitz plays a tough veteran and mentor to his younger LAPD partner (Ben McKenzie) on the avenues of Los Angeles. The show is actually filmed on the mean streets under the watchful eye of former LAPD officer Chic Daniel, who serves as tech adviser.

While Cudlitz commands the role of Patrol Officer John Cooper, it wasn’t always so.

For a long time, he said, “I took what I called ‘the haircut roles’ where I’d go in with a flat-top and be the bully, and I just knew I would hopefully evolve into something else. But there are times in the middle of that where you question yourself, which I think is actually healthy. ‘What are you doing? Are you doing what you want to do?’ ”

Born in New York, he moved to New Jersey when he was 5. “My mom worked in data processing, those old clay punch cards,” he said with a laugh. “My father used to run plants for fabrication.” He has two brothers, neither of whom has ever showed an interest in show biz.

But the 46-year-old insists he’s always longed to act. “Since the third grade. I don’t think it occurred to me, but I did it. I was involved with the school plays. At that age it wasn’t a choice, just something I happened to be involved with. My mother used to tell me I would get up in front of the TV and act out all the commercials in between the TV shows. So she said she knew from a very early age that that’s what I was going to do — something performing.”

His parents split, and when he was 15, he moved to Los Angeles, where his father lived, to finish high school. “I knew I wanted to go to college. I knew my best chance was if I went out there and established residency I’d be able to go to college cheaper. That was the driving force behind that. It opened up so many different opportunities.”

He says he wasn’t fearful of the new lifestyle. “I was 15, I was too dumb to be scared. It was ‘Cool, I’m going to California.’ I was never the A-student. I was more street smart and good at things I was interested in. From an economic standpoint we weren’t in any position to send me anywhere. So anything I was going to do, I’d have to do on my own. Coming out to my dad’s helped soften that a little bit. I had a few more opportunities and I could see theater being a part of my life.”

After two years at Riverside City College he entered the theater department at California Institute of the Arts. That was life-changing, he said. “I met my wife there.”

He’s been married for 20 years to Rachael, a former actress who’s now a stay-at-home mom who home-schools the children. They have 13-year-old twin boys.

Some people may remember Cudlitz for his memorable turn as Sgt. Denver “Bull” Randleman in “Band of Brothers.” Playing that role was a moving experience for him, he said.

“Meeting the families and meeting the men themselves, that profoundly affected me. The man I represented passed away four years ago — we’re still trying to find his son — I’d gotten close to him and his family.” .

‘Southland’

When: 10 tonight

Where: TNT