NEWSOK! Exclusive: Avan Jogia of 'Twisted' Talks Sociopaths and Yeezus
Do you sometimes feel like you missed the Pretty Little Liars boat? Just me? That show seems super complicated and it's way too late to start now. That's why I'm all over ABC Family's newest smash show, Twisted. It's got the same creepy thrill and murder mystery, but with a really hot lead actor: Avan Jogia.
OK! Loves: Learn all about Avan Jogia!
OKMagazine.com talked to Avan about other psychos in pop culture, his nonprofit organization for straight allies to the LGBT community, Straight But Not Narrow, and more. Tune in tonight to see him in action!
OK!: How did you prepare for playing such a complicated character? How do you find the tone?
Avan Jogia: It’s something that me, the writers, and producers talk about all the time—trying to discern where Danny stands. You have to make choices for a show like this, with so many questions. You have to make up your own answers, even if the writers don’t have those ideas yet. I did a lot of research into juvies, and the life in juvie, how that changes you.
OK!: What is it like working with Denise Richards?
AJ: She’s the most giving actress, and she’s so ready to make everyone comfortable. She makes scenes with her very very easy. We have conversations all the time about the tone of the show, and our characters' relationship. Sometimes you don’t get that with actors. I lucked out, again, with Denise.
OK! News: The costume designer on Pretty Little Liars discusses character outfits!
OK!: Do you have a favorite sociopath on TV or in film?
AJ: The best job with that kind of character is Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. It’s almost an exaggerated version of a sociopath.
OK!: You see him stressed out.
AJ: That’s interesting, too, because is stress something a sociopath feels? I don’t know. Maybe the stress of getting found out. I thought that was an interesting movie because maybe Patrick Bateman isn’t a sociopath. At the end of the movie, you don’t know if these things really happened or it’s the dark fantasies of a corporate psychopath.
OK!: Have you seen the Kanye promo?
AJ: With Scott Disick? Dude, that was pretty funny actually. Kanye’s new album is really good, though. That’s not usually my thing, but I really like it. It's like a punk rock album. It’s punk rock!
OK!: Are you still working on Straight But Not Narrow?
AJ: We’re always working on it. We’re doing a basketball game in a little bit. We’re working with colleges across the nation. There’s always stuff to do. The hope is that we’re irrelevant. That’s the goal. There are steps that have to be taken, and every time gay marriage is legal somewhere, every time a school defends a bullied kid… the schools sometimes turn their face to bullying for gay teens, and we want to make sure the schools are listening.
Want OK! each day? Sign up here!
Watch: Scott Disick makes like an American Psycho for Kanye West!
OK!: What other dramas are you watching right now?
AJ: I’m watching a show I’ve already seen, Battlestar Gallactica. I’m like a super nerd. I’m all over it.
OK!: Who was your celeb crush when you were younger?
AJ: Natalie Portman. Have you ever seen her speak Hebrew? Watch her speak Hebrew. You’ll fall in love with her. She’s wicked smart, and obviously beautiful, but mostly she’s wicked smart. I have a soft spot for her.
OK!: What's a book that changed you life?
AJ: The Giver. It’s about a perfect society, a utopia. All these people, who don’t feel any sadness or grief because they’re on these drugs. As a kid reading the book, I gleaned a lot about how I feel about things, my responsibility to society, the people around me. It’s a very, very good book.
OK! News: Kanye West admits to a sex tape in this interview!
OK!: You have one hour of me time. How do you spend it?
AJ: I usually spend it on my computer. Looking at crap online, just high-octane bullsh*t. I don’t want to think, I just want to click stuff and look at things. You get to that weird part of YouTube and it’s a 17-minute video of people jumping off stuff. And you’re like, alright, I’ll watch 17 minutes of people jumping off stuff. It’s usually like 3 AM. I could go to sleep, or I could watch a kitten play the cymbals.
Are you watching Twisted? Is that your kind of show? Doesn't Avan seem like a cool guy? Tell us in the comments below or tweet us @OKMagazine.
