I have always prided myself on if, hypothetically, the entertainment industry just dissolved, just went away today, I feel that I have enough marketable skills that I could still contribute to society and make a difference. I'm a very good typist.
When you live in a place, you're not just taking from it, you're contributing to it. In America I would never be able to make myself a person who could contribute. I wasn't interested in that society; I was interested in this society.
I've always just simply seen myself as an actor. And I believe that it serves me well to just think in terms of my craft. If hypothetically, I saw myself only as a sex symbol, or as some other limited stereotype, I think I would feel like a complete failure.
I've always just kind of prided myself on just taking the ball and just trying to give your team a chance to win, and I really don't try to make it any more complicated than that.
I just don't feel like - I've never felt like - part of the entertainment industry. I still just feel like I'm trying to work my way in. And that's weird.
I always wanted to be a teacher or wanted to do something with food. But modeling, I just never thought I could do it myself, really, ever. I still have trouble calling myself a model. I just never thought I was tall enough or skinny enough.
In fine arts, when you make a painting, it's just a painting. But if you make a painting in the entertainment industry, it can be an album cover or a t-shirt or a logo. I like that entertainment has this usefulness - that it's ultimately trying to make a bunch of people feel something, and to think about life and be able to use things that were so simple and direct but potentially have a really powerful effect.
Skills that are employable or marketable, education, having a stake or meaningful role in society, not being marginalized - all of those things are very important.
I feel we all have the obligation, myself. I want to live in a more humane, civilized society, and I feel like the only way we're going to achieve that is if we all take it upon ourselves. I just wish we could be a more caring society. I feel like we're social Darwinists who believe that everyone has to make it on their own. But the reality is that we all don't start out on the same footing.
Tonight, late, when I'm still not done with the day but must comply with sleep, I can whisper, "There was done a little good today. Today I changed myself and the world, just a little. And yes, I loved." Most days, that is enough.
I believe that I exist for the people. I'm just here to try to make a difference, and hopefully, the people listen and trust me enough to contribute.
I think it's a total fallacy for people to say, "You couldn't make those old movies today." I think there's more ways to get a movie made today than ever in the history of the entertainment industry. It's a very exciting time to work in movies, if you're a creative person looking to make a very personal, weird vision.
I've always prided myself on being mentally tough, but just because you're mentally tough doesn't mean that what's going on between your ears is always good things.
The entertainment industry can feel so serious. But at the end of the day, it's music and it's supposed to be positive and make people feel good.
I've always been a guy that's just prided myself on making plays.
I just want to be the biggest artist that I can be, and I want to make a difference. I feel like Michael (Jackson) made a difference with everything that he did. He was so charitable and just always on-point. I just want to be where he is, as an artist.
Happiness is good, but well-overrated: what we hate most are the very motivators that put us in gear. A man drifts along with little to contribute until something agitates him enough to make a difference, whether for himself or for his communities.