I was not familiar with the book [before filming in The Outsiders] , though. Interestingly, The Outsiders had not reached the point where it is now, where it's required reading in sixth and seventh grades. In my sixth and seventh grade, we did not, but today everyone does.

Last night, we were all watching Harry Potter in bed, and I thought, 'This isn't something you have when you're single, that's for sure.'

I had to learn American sign language. And I did stuff in it, stuff that was just for me and was fun, that I don't think anyone would ever notice.

The really good thing about my career is that I never went through a phase where I played characters who had names like "Partygoer," "Waiter," or "Guy #1."

I am the guy dressing up in, you know, the caveman outfit for the kids birthday parties.

So I came to the realization: Nothing in life is unfair. It's just life.

I was... 15? And Garry Marshall, who had many, many seasons in the sun and a very long career, was in the middle of the brightest of all his seasons - I think he owned network television - and it was his next thing, and he was directing [Mean Jeans ]. And I thought, "If there's anyone who can bring comedy out of a designer jeans shop, it's gotta be Garry."