Everybody thinks that equality comes from identifying people, and that's not where equality comes from.

I very comprehensively studied Irving Thalberg and his biographies. He's who [Scott] Fitzgerald roughly modeled the character after. He worked for him, as a writer, when he was at MGM. And, of course, I revisited the novel and the politics of MGM and the studio system at the time and familiarized myself with the world. There was a great deal of physical and literary work that went into it.

Look, none of the artists who I admire or respect have ever shied away from a role because it might make them unpopular with somebody.

The best experience for me at CMU was being on stage so much, getting that comfort ability and learning that technique you can use with any type of work because you’re comfortable with it and know your skill as an actor.

It's so rare, especially as a younger actor, to find a role where it's not just one-dimensional and it's not just a stock leading man.

I like not to know, unless it's something that I need to know, specifically, for how I color a performance.

My personal life is a source of incredible happiness for me, but it's personal and it's not for me to hock, or shop around to the highest bidder. Plus, it could never live up to the amazing mythology that everyone online has created for me, so I'll keep mum about it.