Q&A: Josh Hutcherson Describes His Sexuality

Photo by Nino Munoz for Out

You've read the full story, but what else did Josh Hutcherson say when we talked about his sexuality. Here are some outtakes that shine even more light on the life and mind of the Hunger Games star.

WATCH: Behind the Shoot with Josh Hutcherson

Out: People are so fascinated by sexuality, and yet so easily confused by it. Do you think that's any different for younger people, or is it just an eternal question? Please answer this question on behalf of all 20 year olds, obviously.

Josh Hutcherson: There's a certain change with the times. Maybe sexual openness is viewed by older generations as promiscuity and viewed in a kind of negative, slutty so to speak sort of way, or a gross kind of way. If you look at nature, some animals are monogamous, some animals sleep with everything. I guess sexuality is confusing because it's intimate and personal. It's the most intimate side of yourself. You're really showing yourself to somebody. I understand why it's an insecure thing. But I do think that with the younger generation, that they are more open sexually. Not only with themselves but with [how they think about] gay and straight. I think it's definitely getting better. But I think it's always going to have a taboo to it, because it's such a personal thing.

I'm spent more time writing about sexuality than probably anything else in my career. It's the thing I'm most fascinated by.

Understandably so.

You completely pre-empted my standard question, which is to ask people to describe their sexuality. I ask everyone I interview that question, and it's amazing to me how wildly different the answers are.

Describe my sexuality... Like in what sense?

You tell me.

Hmmm. [Very long pause. He keeps eating. Twenty seconds later, he continues...] I really want to answer this right, so I want to think about it.

It's my open-ended essay question.

That's a great question, though. To ask everybody--to get such a wide range [of answers]. It must vary so much.

Now I usually also ask people to describe their gender.

I know a lot of guys who are straight and they define themselves as men, but they are like, 'I feel very feminine sometimes.' Let's see, my sexuality... I think my sexuality, and so much of who I am, comes from passion. My passion for whatever it is--whether it's a passion for a person or a passion for an idea or a movie or whatever--I think my motivation really comes from passion. I would say that I'm really attracted to women. I think women that have confidence and are comfortable with themselves are the most attractive to me. Hmm.

I think fun is an important part of sexuality. I think sometimes people take it too seriously. I think for me, it's like--sometimes the rhythm isn't right, or--[cracking up] you're trying to make a new position work and it really doesn't, and you have to laugh. If not, then you've ruined the whole experience. You have to be able to laugh, and sometimes in the middle of it, you have to just stop. Some people try to tough it out, but you have to be like, this is really not gonna happen right now, I'm sorry, this is not gonna work. I think being able to have fun with it, and laugh with it, and recognize that it is--to me, sex is more than just a physical act. Some people like to label it as just a physical act, which is fine for some people, but for me--I really feel like, when I'm with someone there's a more intimate, deep thing going on, because I wouldn't get to that point unless I felt that way. I think it's something that is special and intimate and it should be fun.

[Pauses.] The word sexuality, too. Do you mean, how do I feel about the act of sex? Do you mean, how do I feel about my own whatever? It's a great question. I'm going to start asking people that.

You'll have to report back.

It's kind of like sex, too, or sexuality. There's no right and wrong. It just sort of is whatever it is. The idea of conformity is a weird thing in my mind--the idea of yearning to be normal, because that's what society deems to be normal. And when they talk about statistics, I'm always way more interested if it's a scatter plot. I want to know why that guy's way out there. That's what interests me. Why do they want to do this? How do they think like that?

SLIDESHOW: JOSH HUTCHERSON, THE HUNGER