Ashton Kutcher Explains Why He Wanted To Portray Steve Jobs

The anticipated Steve Jobs biopic, "Jobs," is set to hit theaters on August 16, and as such countless trailers have been surfacing online, with one even recently appearing in Instagram. Now, in a post added to Quora, Ashton Kutcher explains in his own words why he chose to portray Jobs the way he does in the forthcoming picture. He notes:

Choosing to take this role was very difficult. I greatly admire the work that Steve Jobs has done and have many friends and colleagues who knew and/or worked for Steve. So, when I read a screenplay that was not entirely flattering to his character I had great reservations. But I chose to take on the role for a couple reasons.

Kutcher identifies four particular reasons for his decision to play Steve Jobs in the movie:

1. I care. As I read the script I had a knot in my stomach. I imagined actors playing the role and not connecting to the love that went into some of the seemingly irrational decisions that Steve sometimes made. If this film becomes an enduring memory, of a man I admire, I wanted to ensure that it was portrayed by someone who cared about his legacy and took the time to represent him in a way that people who were close to Steve felt to be authentic.
2. The idea of playing the role terrified me. I've found that the greatest rewards I've received in my life have come from jumping at the opportunities to take on things that scare me. The chance to portray someone who not only lived but who is still very relevant and alive in the zeitgeist seemed to be a once-in-a-lifetime challenge.
3. It was a perfect convergence in my craft and my interests. I've spent the last 5 years working with early stage technology companies as an investor and advisor. Whenever you take on a role, it's like crash course in the subject matter of the film. So while researching the role I was able to spend countless hours studying tech design, product, and history. It also afforded me the opportunity to meet with several of Steve's peers who happen to be icons of the tech world.
4. I loved what the film stands for. I think with the state of the global economy inspiring young people to build things is vital. I wanted to remind entrepreneurs that Steve Jobs wasn't always "Steve Jobs", that he struggled, that he failed, and that he rigorously persevered to build something great to improve other people's lives.

So far, "Jobs" is one of three Steve Jobs biopics available or in production. The first to be released was Funny or Die's dreadful movie "iSteve," starring Justin Long (who played "Mac" in Apple's "Mac and PC" ad campaign). Kutcher's "Jobs" will launch next, while one further biopic written by Aaron Sorkin and based on Walter Isaacson's biography "Steve Jobs" is currently in pre-production. Below, we've included a trailer for "Jobs," which will launch on August 16, 2013. Have you reserved your ticket yet? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=exOFfoxcXW8&feature=player_embedded

If you can't see the above video, please click this link.

See also: Apple Hoping To Incorporate Ad-Skipping Technology Within Its TV Service, Zynga Joins Forces With Hasbro To Create KRE-O CityVille Invasion, and AT&T, Verizon To Make It Easier To Upgrade iPhones Yearly.

Related articles