Where does the line get crossed when actors are doing research for their movies? In the case of Joseph Gordon-Levitt‘s research for his porn addiction-based film Don Jon, it’s a very fine line indeed.
During the premiere of ‘Don Jon’, he explained the research he had to do for the film, and revealed that this also included him hand-picking all the porn that appeared in the film, saying, “It was a pretty tedious and time-consuming task. And kind of horrid at times, to be honest. But I really wanted to find that balance between making it a rated-R movie that would fit into mainstream culture and, at the same time, be provocative enough to elicit the feelings that you get when you see these images. There’s no substitute.”
Considering that this is his directorial debut, I’m inclined to praise him for paying so much attention to detail. So many don’t realize that these kinds of indie movies depend a lot on detail and authenticity, so kudos to Joe for getting that right. That being said, it’s still skeevy, right? It’s not just me, right?
Having to sit and pick out porn is hardly a chore for any guy, but to hear about it – well, it brings a whole different dimension to the movie now. I suppose he knew all of this going into the movie, but I wonder how the other actors – specifically Scarlett Johansson – felt about it. I mean, she and Joseph have been friends for a very long time, so I’m sure it was comfortable between them. But do you think she found it odd or normal that he would hand pick all the porn?
What do you guys think about Joseph’s comments, and his decision? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
Image credit to FameFlynet
