Quotes

I just graduated from high school, and I was working at Blockbuster. Not only did I get into movies while I was there, but I was putting away boxes and looking at the kids on the covers, it felt like windows into these seemingly perfect lives.

I'll never have a more life-changing year than than this last one (2003-2004). I could win an Oscar and it wouldn't alter my daily life as much as The O.C. (2003) has.

You know how in The Fugitive (1993), when Harrison Ford hears sirens, he'll just subtly steer the other way? I do that when I see groups of teenage girls.

I love movie-making. I'm interested in writing and directing, and I've dabbled, but I haven't done anything I care to brag about. Yet.

I wish I came from a more pure place. I don't have something to say from the bottom of my soul. I just know how to take stuff I like and repackage it in a slightly different way.

I don't want to be one of those guys who's known for his love life and not his work.

I was giving away movies all day, and it looked really interesting. I was not into school, there wasn't anything I wanted to do. The only thing in my career counseling class that looked at all interesting was acting. I was kind of drifting. I thought maybe I'd own a surf shop.

It's very important to me to love what I do. It was important to me to find a career that I truly enjoy. You can find something that sort of excites you, that's half the battle of life.

I'd like to write a little bit. If I could trade being an actor for a writer, I'd rather be a writer. But I don't know if I'm any good at it.

Life is so fleeting in a way - and it's unlike me, because I'm very driven, and I get a little obsessive - but I am trying to be very Zen about it. Just enjoy it.

And, honestly, who cares if you get a good movie or not? I feel like I'm in semi-retirement already a little bit. I'm 27, and I have a house. I've decided that I'm happy with my lot in life.

[on fame] When all this started I was worried I'd become addicted to the wrong things. I don't mean drugs, but I thought I might become an egomaniac. I will admit that I've caught myself about to act like a diva. But I try to keep myself in check.

I love a good, interesting movie with good, interesting choices. I'd rather be in an interesting failure than a generic copy of a copy of a copy.

[on his upbringing, and moving to Los Angeles] All I wanted to do was surf. I pretty much lived at the beach. I tried going to community college but dropped out and moved to Hollywood. It was really cool when I moved to Hollywood. There are so many Jews and I immediately liked the camaraderie with people who had the same heritage. It felt good. Where I grew up there were hardly any Jews. I'm not religious but both my parents are Jewish. I was Bar Mitzvahed and we celebrate Hanukah. Growing up, I think there was maybe one other kid who was Jewish. I wasn't teased because nobody cared but I guess on some level, I knew in that way I was different.

I'm just drawn to all aspects of filmmaking - writing, directing; I'd love to try my hand at everything.

[on career choices] After last year, all of us on the show could've jumped on the boat right away and gone and done some cheesy, bad movie that catered exactly to our demographic and our characters, but no one did, which I thought was really smart and cool.

[on moving to Los Angeles] I made a deal with myself, I would come here and give myself one year, try acting my absolute hardest. If going to an audition conflicted with a job, I'd go to the audition.

[on acting] It turned out to be something I love, and that I really feel is my calling. I really feel like I lucked out and found something I love to do.

[if acting doesn't work out] There's about six things I could be happy doing. I'm getting really interested in politics. I'd love to work for a newspaper and do editorials and stuff.