JGL's Provocative Porn Audition

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Here's a terribly cruel un-fun-fact from back in the day that I was reminded of yesterday and felt as if we should mourn anew, since it's stuck on my mind again now and re-poisoning my thoughts. From this interview with John Cameron Mitchell back when Shortbus was coming out, comes this travesty of fact:

"Mitchell dubbed this ambitious undertaking the 'Sex Film Project' and, in early 2003, he, producer Howard Gertler and casting director Susan Shopmaker held an 'open call' via the Internet and trade ads, soliciting audition videos from thespians and would-be actors willing to have real sex onscreen.

Nearly 500 tapes arrived.

Mitchell says that few full-time or professional actors submitted tapes—most maintained other artistic endeavors or careers. 'Sook-Yin is a journalist and musician and filmmaker,' he notes. 'PJ is a musician. Paul is a writer.' Yet there was one well-known exception: Joseph Gordon-Levitt ( who since has starred in Mysterious Skin). 'It makes sense that the best-known actor who auditioned was a former child star,' Mitchell observes, 'because they're the ones caught in a very mainstream box and they're desperate to break out. Joseph was fantastic. He had a very provocative videotape. I was seriously considering him but there was no perfect consort and I wanted [ believable ] couples and it didn't work out with some of the other actors for compatibility. But I think he enjoyed pushing the envelope and I really admire him.'"

Doesn't that just make your brain bleed? If ever I meet John Cameron Mitchell I might just have to punch him in the face, at least a little. We were so close to JGL porn! And denied! Cruelly denied. And not only that, Mitchell didn't see fit to include this "provocative videotape" audition on the DVD extras of Shortbus either. Leak this shit, man! Goddamn. The world is a horrible place.
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