Topher Takes Over in 'In Good Company'

LOS ANGELES – Topher Grace's (search) character in "In Good Company" sort of mirrors the position he's in in real life.

In the movie, which opened Wednesday, Grace plays Carter Duryea, an up-and-coming sales exec and business-school hot shot who's hired to replace Dennis Quaid's decades-older character after a corporate takeover.

And in Hollywood, 26-year-old Grace is also an upstart — a hot new "it" boy among more seasoned actors.

"If you look at the poster ... Dennis has been a big star for a long time and I've been a star never," Grace modestly told FOX News.

At age 20, Grace rose out of obscurity as "That '70s Show" made the decade — and him — hip.

The show also led to big-screen opportunities. After debuting in "Traffic" and taking the lead in "Win a Date With Tad Hamilton," Grace starred this year in "p.s.," an indie with Laura Linney (search).

"This isn't my first film. The only thing about doing my first lead was really insane hours, the schedule's a lot different in television, but in many ways it's kinda different. It's fun to do something different," Grace told FOX News.

"In Good Company," directed by Paul Weitz ("American Pie"), is getting solid reviews and compliments on the performances of Grace, Quaid and another young hottie, Scarlett Johansson (search), who plays Quaid's daughter and Grace's love interest.

So naturally, Grace is getting ready to say goodbye to "That '70s Show," even if it returns for an eighth season.

"I think out of respect, both Ashton [Kutcher] and I want to kind of end it before it gets lame, ya know, before a monkey is running through the house or whatever," he told FOX News.

FOX News' Mike Waco and Anita Vogel contributed to this report.