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When Penn Badgley, the actor behind the enigmatic character of Joe Goldberg from You, explains how his character seamlessly shifts from charming to downright creepy, it’s almost as if he’s describing a real-life transformation many of us have witnessed but perhaps didn’t have the words for.
In a 2020 interview with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, he described the process as "shockingly simple." When the interviewer asked him about his character having a neat trick of going from charming to very creepy, Penn replied,
"It is shockingly simple. It does not mean it's easy, although sometimes it is. I'll tell you a little anecdote that illustrates this pretty well."
He continued,
"When we were doing the first round of press, like the stuff that you see on billboards or posters, whatever it might be, although now it's all on your phone, it was a photo shoot where I and my love interest in the first season, who's not around anymore, by the way, if I don't want to give any spoilers, but that gives you some indication of what happened."
And yes, this explains a whole lot more than you'd ever believe. But it's not the "Joe" we see on screen alone; it's an intentional blend of human emotion, manipulation, and expertly done art that leaves you asking: Can one person really change from being your charming love interest to a stalker in the flash of an eye?
Badgley's insight is more than a throwaway line. He's drawing on something we all know—human beings wear masks, especially in the early stages of relationships. Joe's morphing from adorable to monstrous is not an over-the-top interpretation. Instead, it's built on most human impulses that we may overlook.
He aced the transformation with jarringly realistic accuracy, reassuring us that it's not due to an overly complicated plot twist but one that demonstrates exactly how deeply unnervingly realistic Joe's deeds are.
Here's the interview for your reference:
Joe's charismatic start in You: The illusion of the perfect man
Joe, at the start of the show, appears to be the ideal bloke.
He is charming, respectful, and appears to care so much for the individuals in his life. He toys with people's vulnerability, particularly his girlfriends, with a combination of genuineness and intensity that they are unable not to be drawn to. But this charm is not a coincidence.
When Pen said,
"I'm fully clothed in a windbreaker, and I believe a hat, which is like my character's stocking outfit. I arrive on the mark. I do nothing but look up, and the entire crew behind the camera goes, oh, whoa, man, that is phenomenal. That is so creepy. And I did nothing."
We know that it's a tactic, one that Badgley executes so convincingly that you find yourself attracted to Joe despite knowing there's something off about him.
This inescapable ability to make individuals feel special, valued, and heard is something that most of us have been exposed to in previous relationships, be they romantic or otherwise.
The shift: When charm becomes control
And then, as Penn Badgley aptly illustrates, the shift comes, and it's incredibly easy.
Joe's charm turns rapidly into a trap of control and obsession. It is as if the mask he has been donning begins to crumble, showing a darker creature that was present all the while. What is love becomes manipulation, and what is nurturing becomes controlling.
The moment Joe's infatuation begins, it is hard not to see how quickly it gets out of hand. This evolution is presented in such a subtle yet effective manner that audiences find themselves questioning where the charm ends and the creepiness begins.
The fine line between love and obsession
One of the most frightening aspects of Joe's character in You is that he really does believe he's doing it out of love.
Badgley does a great job of portraying this internal conflict. Joe's delusions of grandeur lead him to believe that everything he does—whether it is stalking, lying, or even manipulating—is understandable because of his feelings. It makes the switchover from charming to creepy all the more unsettling.
In Joe's head, he's just fighting for love, but in real life, what he's doing is controlling and even frightening at times. Badgley adds a sense of vulnerability to this distorted view, so it is easy for the audience to relate to Joe's inner turmoil while condemning his actions.
Parallels in real life: The subtlety of manipulation
The reason why Joe's transformation in You is so relatable is because it mirrors real-life relationships where boundaries are crossed and manipulation happens subtly.
We are prone to overlook the warning signs that, like Joe's personality, can seem "shockingly simple." The difference between someone being charming and controlling can be as thin as a few well-timed words or gestures. This is where Badgley's performance is spot-on—he doesn't overplay an over-the-top villain but rather a character that can exist in our own lives, albeit in a more exaggerated role.
His change is one of increments, so the creepiness isn't merely inevitable but actual.
The subtle seduction of Joe Goldberg in You
Ultimately, Joe Goldberg's charm is not grand gestures or romantic declarations.
Instead, it's how he manages to control his environment to be the ideal partner—considerate, perceptive, and loving. Badgley explains how Joe's charm is not in his "good" qualities but in how he manipulates others' emotions. He enchants them by appearing to be precisely what they require, but it is this same charm that triggers his darker impulses.
Badgley's ability to make this shift appear natural and not forced is a credit to the richness of Joe's character and the nuance of his behavior. All in all, Penn Badgley's uncovering of Joe's ability to flip from suave to creepy is an eye-opener. It isn't about some grand gesture or sudden shift; it's the subtle manipulation of human emotions and behaviors that achieves this horrific transformation.
As Badgley rightly puts it, it's "shockingly simple," but vilely profound. And precisely that simplicity makes Joe Goldberg one of television's greatest—and most terrifying—characters in the present day.
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Also read: You Season 5 confirmed: Plot, cast, trailer, and more revealed
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