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Ryan Lochte Birthday Party: Swimmer All Dressed Up and Ready to...Act?!

Newly 28-year-old Olympian talks with E! News about what he hopes to do out of the pool in the near future

By Natalie Finn, Melanie Bromley Aug 08, 2012 1:37 AMTags
Ryan LochteDave M. Benett/Getty Images

Ryan Lochte may set hearts racing when he's wearing nothing but his Speedo, but the man likes to put on a suit! (The kind with sleeves and long pants, we mean.)

"It's great to be outside of the swimming pool and to get dressed up," the two-time London gold medalist told E! News at a 28th-birthday bash in his honor tonight at Planet Hollywood London.

And though he spent Sunday night partying in the company of a few women in addition to his teammates, Lochte also said that he's enjoying "getting to know the guys more."

In fact, the perceived party animal, who turned 28 last Friday, revealed that he just laid low at his hotel on the actual day.

Fellow swimmer Brendan Hanson told E! that he hadn't bought Lochte a present yet "because he doesn't need anything"—and that may be true, considering the man of the hour also told us, "All I really wanted for my birthday was to spend quality time with everyone and my family."

As for when he gets back to Florida, where he just bought a new home, Lochte says that, first, he wants to eat a "big American burger." And then...

"I think acting would be fun," mused the photogenic athlete. "I think I would be good at it."

Attention, Hollywood: Are there any upcoming leading-man roles to fill opposite Blake Lively?

As for tonight's celebration, Lochte enjoyed chicken fingers, nachos, champagne and birthday cake in a private room at Planet Hollywood with around 40 people, including fellow members of Team USA. Then it was off to Mahiki, a tiki-themed nightclub, where he and his group danced and drank Treasure Chests—the preferred cocktail of Princes William and Harry, BTW.