Penn Badgley has finally put the book on Joe Goldberg, his notorious ‘You’ persona, as the thriller finished its fifth season. The star, who acted out the violent, stalking main character for five seasons, has recently revealed the lone keepsake he took with him from set-a far different thing from the creepy "mementos" his character stored.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Badgley was questioned whether he brought anything back in the form of trinkets similar to Joe's treasure box of prizes, which contained such items as teeth and other ghastly mementos from his victims. "I like it that you used trinkets. Teeth, and should I mention the other one that begins with a T? No one liked that," Badgley joked, referring to the twisted mementos. He underlined his distaste for Joe, telling, "I kept one pair of track pants. That's the only thing I kept because what else am I gonna keep? I don't wanna look like him any more than I already do."
Though Badgley kept away from Joe's fashion, he did confess to gathering some of the books utilized on set. Season after season, the production crew filled Joe's apartment and bookshop with well-worn books, most of which impressed the actor. "They would fill it with a lot of old books, and some of them were real treasures," he explained. This reference to Joe's bookworm personality-a characteristic at the heart of the character's charm and intellectualized brutality-permitted Badgley to retain a fragment of the show's literary sensibility without adopting its darker elements. ‘You's’ last season finds Joe back in New York, discarding the disguises he used in previous seasons and facing the repercussions of his previous crimes. The series, which debuted in 2018, tracks Joe's deadly fascination with women whom he idealizes, mixing psychological suspense with incisive social commentary. Badgley's performance elicited both praise and disgust, with the actor himself repeatedly condemning Joe's actions in interviews.
Fans have long debated Joe’s fate, and the finale’s resolution-hinted to involve “ghosts” of his victims-marks the end of Badgley’s decade-long journey with the role. His decision to keep only the track pants underscores his eagerness to move on from the character, whom he once described as “a part of me I’m not proud of.”
Even with Joe's notoriety, Badgley's subtle performance solidified the show as a cultural touchstone, generating debate around toxic fandom and moral complexity in narrative. As for the books he brought home? They'll be a literary aside to a character he's eager to bid adieu-track pants and all.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Badgley was questioned whether he brought anything back in the form of trinkets similar to Joe's treasure box of prizes, which contained such items as teeth and other ghastly mementos from his victims. "I like it that you used trinkets. Teeth, and should I mention the other one that begins with a T? No one liked that," Badgley joked, referring to the twisted mementos. He underlined his distaste for Joe, telling, "I kept one pair of track pants. That's the only thing I kept because what else am I gonna keep? I don't wanna look like him any more than I already do."
Though Badgley kept away from Joe's fashion, he did confess to gathering some of the books utilized on set. Season after season, the production crew filled Joe's apartment and bookshop with well-worn books, most of which impressed the actor. "They would fill it with a lot of old books, and some of them were real treasures," he explained. This reference to Joe's bookworm personality-a characteristic at the heart of the character's charm and intellectualized brutality-permitted Badgley to retain a fragment of the show's literary sensibility without adopting its darker elements. ‘You's’ last season finds Joe back in New York, discarding the disguises he used in previous seasons and facing the repercussions of his previous crimes. The series, which debuted in 2018, tracks Joe's deadly fascination with women whom he idealizes, mixing psychological suspense with incisive social commentary. Badgley's performance elicited both praise and disgust, with the actor himself repeatedly condemning Joe's actions in interviews.
Fans have long debated Joe’s fate, and the finale’s resolution-hinted to involve “ghosts” of his victims-marks the end of Badgley’s decade-long journey with the role. His decision to keep only the track pants underscores his eagerness to move on from the character, whom he once described as “a part of me I’m not proud of.”
Even with Joe's notoriety, Badgley's subtle performance solidified the show as a cultural touchstone, generating debate around toxic fandom and moral complexity in narrative. As for the books he brought home? They'll be a literary aside to a character he's eager to bid adieu-track pants and all.
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