The 'S.W.A.T.' star spoke with 'Watch!' magazine and dished on his desire to become a father, find a woman to spend his life with and continue to evolve as a man and an actor.
Shemar Moore is looking to find his "partner in crime."
The S.W.A.T. star has spent the better part of his life in front of the camera -- both as a model in the fashion world and as the star of movies and hit TV dramas -- but the handsome leading man says he's looking to start a new, different chapter in his life.
Moore, 47, recently sat down with Watch! magazine, and opened up about wanting to settle down and embrace his paternal side after years of being one of Hollywood's most eligible bachelors.
"I want to be a family man," Moore shared. "I want to be a father, I want to have a partner in crime, a woman to share [my life] with. I want to continue to evolve, I want to continue to take the next step in my life. In my personal life."
However, that doesn't mean he has any interest in letting his career fall by the wayside. In fact, Moore says he's still determined to "see what I'm capable of as an actor."
Moore's latest role as Daniel "Hondo" Harrelson on the CBS action drama S.W.A.T. -- based on the 1975 TV series of the same name -- comes after spending 11 straight seasons playing Special Agent Derek Morgan on the hit crime thriller Criminal Minds.
Moore ended up leaving the show permanently earlier this year. On screen, his character chose to leave the Behavioral Analysis Unit to spend time with his wife and newborn child.
However, Moore's career spans numerous shows -- including his debut role on the long-running soap opera The Young and the Restless -- and the star says he has a great deal of gratitude for every opportunity and every gig he's ever gotten, for allowing him to get better at his craft.
"I'm so grateful for Criminal Minds, Derek Morgan, those years, and all that time," Moore explained. "I'm so grateful for Young and the Restless. I'm that kind of guy that [thinks], 'Remember who you are, remember where you came from, never forget where you came from, but never be afraid to explore.' And all I'm doing, both professionally and personally, is exploring and reaching and challenging myself."
For his new role on S.W.A.T., the already-ripped actor and former male model has had to put on more muscle than ever before, and that meant learning to eat like he's never eaten in his life.
"I’ve spent most of my career like, cutting weight and trying to look good," he recalled. "But now I’m actually trying to gain weight. And that doesn’t mean pizza, beer, and hot dogs and burritos. It means 220-300 grams of protein a day."
But for Moore, staying fit and healthy hasn't just been something he's done for his career, it's been "a way of life."
"If I'm gonna tell the truth, it’s about looking good," Moore admitted. "I mean, I'm trying to keep my black from cracking and, you know, Father Time -- he got a funny sense of humor, but we fighting."
"He’s gonna win in the end, but I’m gonna make sure this is not a 12-round fight. This is gonna be another 30-year fight," he added.
While looking good is important to Moore -- as it is to any leading actor in Hollywood who faces the pressures of the spotlight and expectations of producers and fans -- he said he also stays healthy because he wants to feel good.
"That's why I exercise… I'm happier, I'm more motivated, I'm more focused, I'm more productive when I stay in shape. And, you know, it doesn’t happen overnight," he explained. "It needs to be a way of life. It’s all about being consistent. It’s about diet, it’s about eating right."
As Moore gets older, the star admits that exercising and building muscle can hurt, and the self-moderation and healthy living that comes with it can be challenging as well.
"I’m getting older, it’s not near as easy as it used to be, but it’s necessary," he said. "It hurts, but it's supposed to hurt. No pain no gain. But you feel good about yourself when you push yourself like that."
Whether he's pushing himself to keep his six-pack abs, pushing himself to evolve as an actor or pushing himself to start a family and embrace fatherhood, there's one thing Moore is sure of: he's never going to give up on his life goals.
"Whatever the dream goal is, I may not get there, but it's not going to be because I quit," Moore said. "It's just going to be because I ran out of time. But while I have time, I'm gonna scratch, crawl, fight and go for it."
Moore's candid interview in the November/December issue of Watch! Magazine is available in stores now.
Earlier this month, Moore sat down with ET to discuss his new role on S.W.A.T., and opened up about what motivated his decision to return to the world of primetime TV dramas. Check out the video below to hear more.
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