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I want kids, a family of my own. I'd like to give them the first eight years of their lives in the country. Then I'd want them educated, which I wasn't formally, although I had a tutor once when I was twelve. At times I miss a formal education, but at others I thank God for everything else I have now. What I have got from my childhood aren't toys, but memories. And happy memories are better than any toy. It's a great feeling to think that I can be a friend to so many people through my movies. I'm having a kind of hard time keeping my head above water in this crazy business. In Stand by Me (1986), I realized that what I was creating was going to live on far longer than anything of me as a person. The characters are more powerful than the person that creates them. I would get songs sung to me, like 'Old Man River, 'or kids would call me Mississippi and things like that. At the time, I wished I had a name that blended in more with my surroundings. Now, though, I've really learned to love it. From fifteen, I really liked it. It felt appropriate. Before that, I don't think it quite fitted me. I had to grow into it . Sometimes I hear stuff like 'Hey man, wheres your skateboard, dude?' from people who think I'm Christian Slater. We need an extreme movement because what is happening to animals is so extreme. Some misinformed people claim that animal rights activists are terrorists, but these people are simply ignorant of who the real terrorists are - the companies and industries that torture literally billions of animals each year. (The Animals Voice Magazine - 1989) I don't see any point or any good in drugs that are as disruptive as cocaine. It still strikes me as strange that anyone could have a moral objection against somebody's sexuality, it's like telling someone else how to clean their house. Addiction is not just for bad people or scumbags - it's a universal disease. We were constantly moving to different countries and adjusting to new things. It was such a free feeling. I'm glad I didn't have a traditional upbringing. Vegetarianism is a link to perfection and peace. We are taught to consume. And that's what we do. But if we realized that there really is no reason to consume, that it's just a mind set, that it's just an addiction, then we wouldn't be out there stepping on people's hands climbing the corporate ladder of success. People wonder if I'll always be a part of this family and the answer is yes. My family has a lot of good energy going in one direction and because of it, we get a lot of things done. That's why I'll always spend a lot of time at Camp Phoenix. Rich kids gave us their old clothes. They were the best clothes we ever had. We were these very pure, naive, poor children. The rich kids called us a lot of names but it never bothered us because we didn't know what the words meant. When I was old enough to realize all meat was killed, I saw it as an irrational way of using our power, to take a weaker thing and mutilate it. It was like the way bullies would take control of younger kids in the schoolyard. I did my best work in The Mosquito Coast. I know it wasn't such a big hit, but for me it was more meaningful than anything else I'd ever done. I can't on my own change the regime in South Africa or teach the Palestinians to learn to live with the Israelies, but I can start with me. Everything is ironic to me. There are moments I find hysterical, but I'm probably the only one who would find that, except for a few people. Acting is like a Halloween mask that you put on. Commercials were too phony for me. I just didn't like selling a product I didn't believe in. Music is my main goal, but I'm not going to rush a record out. There are so many actors who have come out with albums these days. I don't want to do it because it's the thing to do. I want to wait until the time is right. Music is a whole oasis in my head. The creation process is so personal and fulfilling. Music is a hobby, because I'm not making any money out of it, but I put just as much conviction into that as I do into my acting. It's a great feeling to think that I can be a friend to so many people through my movies. I've been wanting to go into music ever since I can remember. I mean even before I became an actor. I just thought it would be a tough field to break into, so I became an actor instead. I remember we'd roll into gas stations in our beat-up van and I'd tell the attendant, 'I'm going to be an actor! I have twenty personalities on top of the ten I already have. So now I have thirty people in my head! I like girls who are natural because I am natural in everything I do. If I meet a girl who is snobby and wants special treatment, she's not going to get it from me because she hasn't earned it. But I've been basically lucky because I've met mostly nice girls - and that's what attracts me. I don't want to die in a car accident. When I die it'll be a glorious day. It'll probably be a waterfall. I have a lot of chameleon qualities, I get very absorbed in my surroundings. I sometimes lie, especially about personal things, because what does it matter? I am a kind of minute commodity, my name is no longer my own. I try to lie as much as I can when I'm interviewed. It's reverse psychology. I figure if you lie, they'll print the truth. I would never, never do anything unless I believed in it. I wouldn't eat a hamburger for 40,000 dollars. I'd like to play every type of character, but only once. I like to experience things. I'm really normal. I play football, go to the beach, drive. We have dogs. I can imagine people calling me a character, but I'm Joe Straight. I'm just a normal guy doing a job! I really like acting because you can create a character. You can make someone who has never existed before. That's neat. When I was younger, I was worried about how others viewed me and if I was good enough. I realize now that you can't mold an image or try to be something that you are not. As far as being an actor is concerned, your work really speaks for itself. You may report errors and omissions on this page to the IMDb database managers. They will be examined and if approved will be included in a future update. Clicking the 'Update' button will take you through a step-by-step process. With our Resume service you can add photos and build a complete resume to help you achieve the best possible presentation on the IMDb. Click here to add your resume and/or your photos to IMDb. 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