Penn Badgley is opening up with rare honesty as You prepares to air its fifth and final season. In a candid interview with The Guardian, the 37-year-old actor shared his complex emotional journey both on and off screen—revealing that while the hit Netflix series made him a global name, it also left deep personal scars.
Best known for playing the disturbingly charismatic stalker Joe Goldberg, Badgley admitted he’s relieved the series is coming to a close. While the show gained a massive fanbase for its twisted storytelling and psychological depth, portraying Joe’s dark psyche across five seasons took a significant toll on the actor’s mental and emotional well-being.
Among the most personal revelations, Badgley shared that he has struggled with body dysmorphia, a condition that distorts one’s self-perception and often leads to a toxic relationship with one’s body image. “I know that I hated my body and simply wanted a different one,” he said, voicing a vulnerable truth many in the entertainment industry experience but rarely admit publicly. He added that seeing hyper-idealized male physiques in Hollywood made him feel as though reaching those standards was an “impossibility.”
Badgley also spoke about the emotional cost of embodying such a dark character for so long. While the show’s fans were captivated by Joe’s manipulative charm and chilling narration, Badgley found the process of playing him increasingly isolating. “After signing up to play the role of Joe Goldberg, I became overreactive to things and situations, resulting in social isolation,” he shared.
He explained how the dissonance between his inner world and the public perception of him deepened his emotional challenges. “There was just a period where, coming out of depression and isolation, I was jumping willfully into, but also being thrust into, this world where the more conventionally beautiful I seemed, the more successful I might be, the more value I might have,” he said. His words point to a broader issue in showbiz — how physical appearance often unfairly dictates worth.
Badgley also reflected on the inherent superficiality of the entertainment industry and the culture that surrounds it. “There’s no way to get past the superficiality of this work, and if you recognize that, you can’t help but recognize the superficiality of our culture because of the way it rewards this work,” he said, shedding light on a cycle that promotes unrealistic standards while eroding mental health.
Despite the struggles, Badgley has continued to challenge the show’s glamorization of Joe, advocating for fewer sex scenes and questioning the romanticization of his character. His personal insight adds a new layer of meaning to You’s final season, which premieres April 24 on Netflix.
As fans prepare to say goodbye to Joe Goldberg, Badgley is clearly ready to close the chapter — and focus on healing, growth, and redefining success on his own terms.
