Norman Reedus flat-out refused to play Jennifer Love Hewitt’s ‘sweet boyfriend’

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Norman Reedus got one of the multiple covers for GQ’s October issue, The Age Issue (NBA star Blake Griffin got a cover too, and I think Clive Owen and Tom Selleck’s covers will be released this week). From what I know of Reedus, I like him, although I’m not watching The Walking Dead. I’m just not really into zombies and that kind of sci-fi/horror, but to each his own. It’s pleasantly surprising to see Reedus on the cover of a major men’s magazine. Reedus came to play though, giving one of the most entertaining and quotable interviews I’ve read in a while. You can read the full piece here and here are some highlights:

On The Walking Dead: “I really matured a lot in my mind and became a happier person in this job, because I really like this job, and I like the people I work with, and I like the environment I work in. And you know, the cuts on my forehead, and the bruises, and the black eyes, it doesn’t matter; it’s awesome. I think that mentality has matured me a lot in the past couple years, you know? I care more about what I’m doing, too.”

On being offered a role in the 2001 movie Heartbreakers with Jennifer Love Hewitt: “When that came around at the time, my agents at the time were, ‘They like you for this part, and it’s a Jennifer Love Hewitt movie.’ And I’m like, ‘Well, what do I do?’ And they’re, “You’re her boyfriend,” And I go, “Well, do I rape her? Do I kill her? What do I do?” And they go, “You’re her sweet boyfriend.” And I was like, “No! Absolutely not!” But yeah, I just assumed I had to rape and kill her.

On why he is drawn to dark movies: “Even with photography and artwork, I’ve really liked having grotesque things and finding beauty in them. I’ve always been a fan of horror films, and I like aggressive music, and I like aggressive people—they all kind of were interesting to me. I mean, I really don’t see myself ever being, or wanting to be, in some sort of light romantic comedy about nothing.

On modeling in his early acting years: “I mean, I’m short and fat and drink beer. F–king hated it.

On dating models: “I’ve been with several. Not any to the extent that… Helena [Christensen] and I were pretty serious.

On having a child with Christiansen: “Pretty f–king serious.”

On rooting for the bad guy: “I mean, even today, if I watch Spider-man or something, I root for the bad guy. I like the Joker better than I like Batman, you know what I mean? I’m still like that.

Social awkwardness: “Well, you know, if you feel socially awkward, there’s reasons why you feel socially awkward. Maybe you feel socially awkward on the outside because inside you don’t feel like you fit in. And I like feeling like I don’t fit in, and I’ve always liked feeling like I don’t fit in, and I’m perfectly cool with it. When someone would fake it to fit in on the outside, it really rubbed me the wrong way, you know? I’m more of a Francis Bacon guy and less of a Banksy guy, you know what I’m saying? I prefer it, and I like people like that. I always liked shy and sort of interesting people, rather than pretty people trying to please everybody—I always dislike them right off the bat.

[From GQ]

The Jennifer Love Hewitt story is amazing. I remember Heartbreakers! It’s a funnier movie than it should have been and it has some surprisingly deft comedic acting by Ray Liotta (playing against type) and Sigourney Weaver (also playing against type). Norman Reedus would have been interesting in that kind of film, but he’s right – his presence would have probably made everything uncomfortable. When he comes on screen, you just know that somebody is going to die some horrible death.

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Cover courtesy of Sebastian Kim/GQ, additional photos by WENN.

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48 Responses to “Norman Reedus flat-out refused to play Jennifer Love Hewitt’s ‘sweet boyfriend’”

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  1. mimif says:

    Didn’t read the article, just came here to write that Sean Bean is looking much better these days.

    • kri says:

      @mimif read the article!! Or else I will have to call Jordan Nuttz and have him pay you a visit-sans pants. As for NR I too have always found him hot, but from a distance. Also had no idea his son was with Helena C. Tough act to follow.

  2. Pandy says:

    He’s hot. Can’t wait for the new season.

  3. zan says:

    I don’t really like is casual comment about ”raping her” , I know I know.. it’s about roles he usually get, but still. it’s weird.

    • megs283 says:

      Yeah – I know nothing about this guy, so that’s probably a part of getting the reference…but I really disliked that too. Poor JLH. No one wants to read that about themselves, even in the context of a script!

      • Phenix says:

        He’s talking about how he wants to play dark characters. He doesn’t want to rape or have Hewitt raped for crying out loud. They are actors!

    • Rae says:

      Yes, it was a very awkward statement, and would definitely be offensive if the reader didn’t understand he was referencing the fact that as a general rule he’s only offered the darker roles.

    • Lex says:

      Ick that that is where his mind first goes when he is offered a role?! Can he not be in a scene with a woman without raping her?

      • deehunny says:

        I think he meant he is usually offered and attracted to darker roles. I didn’t find it offensive.

  4. BengalCat2000 says:

    He is so Damn fine. And he’s a cat lover, yup, I’d be all over him like white on rice!

  5. Jsilly4 says:

    I don’t know. I don’t watch the show. He seems hot in a way and handsome. But that Jennifer Love Hewitt quote? I didn’t find it that wonderful. Maybe it’s not meant towards her personally (if she’s not Lindsay Lohan she doesn’t bother me) but it just sounds wrong. I get it maybe he wants to be the bad guy but did he have to go straight to rape? Maybe I’m just sensitive today.

    • lem says:

      I doubt it’s meant towards her personally and I think it’s more that his roles (both that he gravitates towards and that hollywood pins to him) are those of a dangerous, demented person.

  6. don't kill me i'm french says:

    OMG all i see is that he took a shower!!!

  7. FingerBinger says:

    It looks like GQ photoshopped the bags under his eyes.

  8. Loopy says:

    I would not want to bump into him in a dark alley way,he is talking professionally but somehow i feel he must be a bit like that in real life.

  9. stellalovejoydiver says:

    He sounds like an immature, tryhard jerk.

  10. HappyMom says:

    I’m a huge fan of Walking Dead (which is so not my usual thing) and I love him on that show. So to me, he is Daryl-and I can just envision him talking about the Jennifer Love Hewitt movie in that gravely voice-and it makes me laugh. I don’t find him particularly attractive-but he’s endearing.

  11. TheCountess says:

    I don’t know who this guy is but neither the pictures nor quotes do much to sell him. He looks gross and dirty, and turning down a role because it lacked a criminal element – specifically, a sexually violent one – is just weird. Most actors don’t want to be pigeon-holed into a “type.” This guy seems to prefer it and that’s fine, but again, he mentions an expectation of a character committing rape and murder. No thanks.

  12. Cupcake says:

    I had no idea he had a kid with Helena Christiansen!! He apparently knew how to get a gorgeous girlfriend before becoming wildly famous himself.

    • Echo says:

      The funny thing is that HC is now dating Paul Banks (lead singer of Interpol) who has morphed into a Norman Reedus lookalike. I guess she has a type.

    • Hautie says:

      “I had no idea he had a kid with Helena Christiansen!!”
      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
      I had no idea that they had procreated either.

      I bet that child has incredible features. Both Helene and Norman have such distinctive pretty eyes.

  13. ReturnoftheMac says:

    Y’all I have met him. He’s genuinely a nice guy and SUPER down to earth. Also, don’t get the short remark. I’m 5’10” and I was looking up at him.

    • jinni says:

      Replied to wrong comment. Please delete.

    • Lynn says:

      I have met him also, he is very sweet and genuine. Always stays as long as it takes to meet all the fans who have stood in line for hours to meet him. Really sweet with the little kids too. Not a creepy guy at all

    • MeloMelo says:

      Perhaps he meant he was short in the modeling industry?

    • Jules says:

      Awww, I met him too! He’s the NICEST guy ever. He was so good with my son 😉 We took a “family picture” in which he’s holding him 😀 LOL He’s just a big dork who likes to be weird. He’s cool. Love him for ever. 😉

    • Tiffany :) says:

      I love nice people! 🙂

  14. Miffy says:

    Urgh, liked him more before this interview.

    Jesus, we get it. You’re a gritty outsider… even though you did a Zoolander in your early career and were getting job offers for romcoms… SOOOOOO gritty.

    • CarolinaKit says:

      Wasn’t he on Charmed? I could swear he played Rose McGowan’s character’s boyfriend one season.

  15. Jaderu says:

    #teammichonne

  16. Green Eyes says:

    I love him on Walking Dead and had a little crush on him for a bit, but not so much now.

    Is he still seeing that much younger “model”? There was quite a hullaballoo over that last year, if I remember correctly…She had *just* turned 18 when they started dating.

    • Hayley says:

      Yeah, his penchant for dating young models and his friendship with Terry Richardson are enough to make me go “eeeuuugghhhh….” Even though every story I’ve read from people who have met him say he’s super nice. So I just prefer to crush on Daryl Dixon. Not Norman Reedus. Daryl. Love Daryl.

  17. Karen says:

    Love Norman – love that he adores his crazy fans so much too. I never imagined I would be into a show about zombies but it’s so much more than that. Really, really worth a watch.
    I wish people would stop clutching pearls over the JLH comment, it was obviously not meant to be at all demeaning to her as a person.

    • Esmom says:

      My youngest son and I started watching recently. I’m not loving it, but I’m sticking with it since it’s a way to spend time with my increasingly grumpy teen, but Norman’s introduction into the story livened things up for me a bit.

      I liked what he said about social awkwardness. His take reminds me a bit of my older son who is on the autism spectrum. He’s really starting to own his quirks and be a little more comfortable with not always fitting in and I love it. Bending over backwards to fit in can be so destructive.

      • Lynn says:

        I’m right there with ya! I’ve got a teenage son who may be on the spectrum too, and he totally embraces his quirkiness. It’s part of what makes him, him.

  18. belladonna says:

    I think he sounded rather obnoxious. I get that he’s just trying to describe himself but he has the same answer for every aspect of the interview. We get it, you’re a bad boy, you like the unconventional blah blah blah. He’s rather old to be defining himself by those terms.

  19. Maxwell says:

    For people who don’t know him from Walking Dead, he was one of the Boondock Saints.

  20. Chem says:

    I want him to be with Helena so she would leave Paul for me, I love him.

    • stellalovejoydiver says:

      Aaahh a fellow Bankslover. Helena got him on lock though, she said several times in an interview that she wants to have a kid with him.

  21. whocares says:

    I realize things are different in the entertainment industry but I don’t have respect for any man in his 40s who screws around with teenagers! What does a man in his 40s have in common with someone who is only 17 or even 20 years old? Disgusting!

  22. Kate2 says:

    Love the Reedus. He can save my ass any day. The crossbow is so hot.

    They did a bit on the Talking Dead where they pretended they caught when he learned how to use the crossbow on film. He was throwing the whole crossbow around. It was hilarious.

    I’m not into the whole “dating someone almost 25 years younger than me” thing (he’s 45) but I stuck my fingers in my ears and pretended they weren’t together. I think they’re over though.

    Fun fact: He was in a serious car accident about 10 years ago in Germany. He almost lost his left eye but now has a titanium eye socket instead. I think that’s why one eye (his right, without the metal) has bags and the other doesn’t.

    But yeah, I’m a Walking Dead geek. I own it. Can’t wait for the 12th. Its a LONG 6 months between seasons. People I hope die: Beth and Bob.