The following year the actor made his television series regular debut, landing the role of lovable lunkhead Louis Utz on the charming but short-lived sitcom "Hope & Gloria" (NBC, 1995-1996). 1995 was also the year Colantoni first appeared on the big screen, making his feature acting debut in the actioner "Money Train". He followed up with supporting roles in the TV-movies "The Member of the Wedding" (USA Network) and "Cloned" (NBC) and parts in the Kevin Spacey-directed thriller "Albino Alligator" and the Canadian comedy "The Wrong Guy". Colantoni was next cast as Elliott on "Just Shoot Me", helping to form the series' winning ensemble with his skilled portrayal of the at once cocky and vulnerable photographer popular with the ladies and prone to affectionate jabs at former model and co-worker Nina Van Horne (Wendie Malick).
Now a more familiar face to audiences, the man whose parents wanted him to be a priest rather than an actor got to play a man of the cloth onscreen with a decidedly dastardly turn as the ethically-challenged Father Dario in the controversial thriller "Stigmata" (1998). The following year he was uniquely appealing as the leader of a group of aliens under attack who seek the wisdom of the cast of a sci-fi TV series in order to solve their all-too-real problems in the delightful comedy "Galaxy Quest". The actor was next featured in Steven Spielberg's highly-anticipated feature "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" and played Elia Kazan in the TNT biopic "James Dean" (both 2001).
When his movie slate began to interfere with his series schedule, Colantoni took temporary leave from "Just Shoot Me" and emerged as something of a big screen star with featured roles in Steven Soderbergh's "Full Frontal", and Mick Jackson's "The First $20 Million is Always the Hardest" (both 2002) and the comedies "The Big Idea" and "Frank McKlusky, C.I." (both lensed 2001).