Aaron Johnson Explains How Fatherhood Has Changed His Life

Aaron Taylor-Johnson shows some scruff on the cover of At Large magazine’s second issue, which is out in newsstands now!

Here’s what the 24-year-old actor had to share with the mag:

On his influences: “There are also the hugely talented actors of my generation, like Miles Teller, Eddie Redmayne, Andrew Garfield, and Benedict Cumberbatch. They really push their craft and embrace challenges. Eddie, he’s a sweetheart. In The Theory of Everything, he put every last effort into his performance, into every muscle in his face, to portray Stephen Hawking. So I may have started with greats like Daniel Day-Lewis, but now I tend to focus more on the beautiful talent that’s rising around us. I kind of get more from seeing that. I just respond to them instantly.”

On how fatherhood has changed his view on acting: “Before I was married, I worked hard and played hard. I started acting when I was six. By fourteen or fifteen I was getting jobs on my own. And that opened me to all the experiences that come with an adult lifestyle. It’s part of being a young actor. The wilder the drama in my life, the deeper I can get onscreen� that was kind of the philosophy I had at the time. Now, I’m selective about what I do. So much so that, when I read a script and think I can do it, I have to ask myself, Why do I want to do it? I look around at my wife and kids, think about it carefully first. It gives you real perspective.”

On parenting wisdom: “Our two were both born at home, and I helped deliver my children. It was very intimate. When I was holding my daughter, I looked down and thought, This is the most pure and most gorgeous, innocent, angelic thing I’ve ever held in my hands. This is the purest thing we as humans can create. This is the best creation we can make. As parents, it becomes our job not to ruin it.”

For more on Aaron, visit Atlargemagazine.com!

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