Don't think for a moment that I'm really like any of the characters I've played. I'm not. That's why it's called 'acting'.

My mother is a walking miracle.

When a role for a young guy is being offered to me, I think of River Phoenix. It feels like a loss.

I didn't know what types of movies I wanted to do. I want to do things that are different. I want to take my time with each role.

My career should adapt to me. Fame is like a VIP pass wherever you want to go.

I really don't know what I'm doing... I don't. It's terrible. I go in there and I learn how to be like the character and do the best I can, and that's all I really do.

Brothers don't necessarily have to say anything to each other - they can sit in a room and be together and just be completely comfortable with each other.

I prefer ordinary girls - you know, college students, waitresses, that sort of thing. Most of the girls I go out with are just good friends. Just because I go out to the cinema with a girl, it doesn't mean we are dating.

It's easy to fall into the trap of believing all the hype that's written about you... Who knows? In a couple of years, you might find me in the loony bin!

Meryl Streep does things I would never have thought possible... Her presence on screen is outstanding.

If I want to go to a party with a few male friends, it doesn't mean I'm gay.

I couldn't deal with playing a character who rides motorcycles and has a leather jacket and is a tough kid, y'know?

I like to be able to play a character and act out a lot of things which I can't or don't do in my normal everyday life.

I don't see why I can't have friends of both sexes without wild rumors being circulated. It's crazy.

With Romeo and Juliet, you're talking about two people who meet one night, and get married the same night. I believe in love at first sight-but it hasn't happened to me yet.

I've been planted here to be a vessel for acting... That's why I'm really taking any part, regardless of how complicated it's going to be.

I've managed to keep a clear head and remain sane in this business because I remain a kid off-camera.

Portraying emotionally ill characters gives me the chance to really act.

If you can do what you do best and be happy, you're further along in life than most people.

Drugs? Every one has a choice and I choose not to do drugs.

My dad's probably one of the kindest people in the world. When I was younger that's not how I was- I was a little spoiled brat.

To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the ultimate tragedy.

I got attention by being funny at school, pretending to be retarded, and jumping around with a deformed hand.

Don't think for a moment that I'm really like any of the characters I've played. I'm not. That's why it's called 'acting'.

Being dubbed as a hunk sort of annoys me. It gives me a yucky feeling.

The first kiss I had was the most disgusting thing in my life. The girl injected about a pound of saliva into my mouth, and when I walked away I had to spit it all out.

I was always the kid in school who tried to get attention, not necessarily the class clown, but I'd do little unexpected performances.

I'm probably not going to get married unless I live with somebody for 10 or 20 years. But these people (Romeo and Juliet) took a chance and they did it. We don't have the balls that Romeo did.

I've always been spontaneous and outgoing... I've tried lots of things so I've got some good life experiences, which is great 'cause it means I've got lots of material to work with as an actor.

I just want to keep doing what I'm doing and hopefully people will watch my movies.

I get a friend to travel with me... I need somebody to bring me back to who I am. It's hard to be alone.

I am friends with Demi. Don't believe anything you read.

The role of Rimbaud is one of the most important roles to play for a young actor.

I'm just starting to scratch the surface of what really makes me happy and it's taken me a while to admit that acting like a little child and being a jerk and a punk is fun.

I'm not the kind of person who tries to be cool or trendy, I'm definitely an individual.

I want to be a jerk like the rest of my friends, and have fun, and not care about the consequences, but I just can't now.

The good thing about acting is that it always keeps you on your toes... It's not like any other job where you can go in and do the same thing as yesterday.

Everywhere I go, somebody is staring at me, I don't know if people are staring because they recognize me or because they think I'm a weirdo.

I've never been Romeo who meets a girl and falls for her immediately. It's been a much slower process for me each time I've gone into a relationship.

School, I never truly got the knack of. I could never focus on things I didn't want to learn.

The best thing about acting is that I get to lose myself in another character and actually get paid for it... It's a great outlet. I'm not really sure who I am - it seems I change every day.

A great white jumped into my cage when I was diving in South Africa. Half its body was in the cage, and it was snapping at me.

As a kid, I was going to be a marine biologist or an actor. When I became successful as an actor, I said, 'Well, maybe I can lend a voice to this with an equal passion.' You realize how lucky we are and how destructive we've been and what little regard we have for the natural world.

As a young boy, I was obsessed with endangered species and the extinct species that men killed off. Biology was the subject in school that I was incredibly passionate about.

Considering all that's happened in my life, I feel like I'm a pretty levelheaded person that has remained happy and not let my shortcomings overtake the better part of me. I'm fulfilling the things I wanted to fulfill, and I'm still sane.

Hollywood is a very volatile place where artists come in, and they essentially say they want to belong. It's incredibly vulnerable to be an actor and also get criticism at a young age when you're formulating who you are. We've seen a lot of people fall victim to that, and it's very unfortunate.

Hoover was incredibly ambitious as a young man. He was highly motivated to succeed in Washington, primarily due to his mother's expectations of him.

Hopefully I've gotten better as an actor as the years have gone on, but the type of work I want to do has never changed.

I am completely open to doing a romantic comedy, but I will never do something just for the sake of doing a specific genre or because it's the time or place to do a different type of movie. I think that would be a huge mistake.