The heartthrob thing came in the late 1960s, and to be honest, it was fun! But I was very aware that well-known actors are two people - who you are and who other people think you are. Life only gets tricky if you confuse the two.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
I don't know if I could ever really be cast in a heartthrob role apart from 'Twilight', which I didn't really know was a heartthrob role. I really don't feel I am one.
Being referred to as a hunk or a heartthrob makes me nervous, but it's flattering. But I'm more interested in being an actor than a heartthrob.
I'm a character actor at heart.
When I was a teenager, the biggest heartthrob was Tab Hunter. He was in every movie out of Warner Bros. until he was exposed as gay, and his career faded. That was an object lesson. I knew I must protect my sexual orientation.
In my heart of hearts I believe I was made to entertain.
The real actor has a direct line to the collective heart.
I didn't know I was a good director, and I mean that sincerely. I had done a film a long time ago called 'Cold Around the Heart.' Nobody saw it, and it didn't turn out the way I wanted to.
Let's not get too precious about it: actors are not heart surgeons or brain surgeons. We are just entertaining people.
I played a doctor on 'Chicago Hope' 15 years or so ago, and I did go and watch an open heart surgery.
I was raised by two actors in a moment in time - the Seventies - when there was no judgment of characters, no heroes and bad guys.