Watching the stalker thriller YOU is a tricky experience as there’s a fine line between enjoying the story and realizing that Joe Goldberg is a crazy killer who is super dangerous. The actor who plays this character, Penn Badgley, is undeniably attractive and charming, and he of course brings those qualities to his starring role on YOU. But many fans seem to love Joe so much that they tend to forget the darker and more sinister aspects of his personality.
Every time that a fan tweets about their adoration for this character, Penn Badgley is ready with a smart or funny reply. Here are his ten best responses to people who still romanticize his character on YOU.
“He’s Actually, In Some Ways, Extremely Average…”
Penn Badgley was interviewed on The TodayShow, and he had this to say about his character. It’s a good reminder that although Joe might charm Beck and Love, he’s ultimately a really bad guy. Badgley saying that Joe is “completely obsessive and compulsive” is perfect because that’s the best way to describe his behavior.
It’s this really interesting thing where you’re seeing the trajectory of a soul, of a man and he’s just completely obsessive and compulsive and believing that he’s operating by the logic of a true romantic.
When Joe spies on his love interests or tries to tear them away from their friends and family, it’s not cute or sweet or romantic. It’s crazy and scary.
“It Will Be All The Motivation I Need For Season 2.”
This fan tweet gets right to the point: people are honestly big fans of Joe and think about him in a positive light. That’s not only weird but also unnerving.
Badgley tweeted this response back in January 2019 and noted it would be “motivation” for him to play this character in the second season. He definitely brought a lot to the role in the recent episodes as Joe is even darker and more messed up than ever before. He’s dealing with his ex-girlfriend Candace finding him in L.A. and even seeing visions of Beck, who he of course killed.
“Which House Is That?”
Badgley has an awesome sense of humor and it’s clear in his response to this fan tweet. He could have simply said something along the lines of “Joe’s a bad dude” but instead, he crafted this clever reply.
It’s admirable that Badgley takes the responsibility of being an actor on a popular Netflix show so seriously, and that he knows that he has to make it even more obvious that Joe has some serious problems. Badgley could simply sit back and take the compliments, but he’s chosen to engage with the show’s fanbase instead.
“No Thx”
It’s actually pretty wild that a fan even tweeted this because, well…what? Why? How could you ask that?
It’s hard to believe that people really and honestly think that Joe is a legitimate romantic leading man, but after seeing these tweets, we definitely have proof. This is one of the actor’s best responses to people who still romanticize his character. It’s simple and to the point.
“That is, to say the least, problematic and disconcerting, but it is also part of the device, because we’re playing with that energy.”
When he was interviewed by Vice, Badgley talked about how people really like Joe and how that’s “problematic and disconcerting” but also the “energy” of the show.
He raises a good point: while fans should definitely be aware of how dangerous Joe is, the story of how people are drawn to a character like this is an interesting one. If you met a real-life Joe, how would you react? Would there be any aspect of him that you found charming? The answer seems to be yes since the characters on the show are so fascinated in him — and so are many fans.
“But you’re supposed to see past my face TO the crazy s***. It’s the other way!”
It’s not often that an actor will tweet a fan and tell them not to love their character, but as we can see from the many responses that Badgley has for fans, this is par for the course of playing Joe on YOU. In this instance, a fan told him that he’s attractive, and he definitely wasn’t having any of it.
Badgley explains that there’s a lot of “crazy s***” that Joe does, and this is another helpful reminder.
“A: He Is A Murderer”
Well, you can’t argue with that response. This is another spectacular reply from Badgley who, once again, has to tell a fan that there is no reason to view Joe in such a positive light.
This is the perfect reply if you have a friend who loves the show and can’t help but say good things about Joe. If they say that he’s good-looking or sweet in some scenes, you can say, “He’s a murderer.” There’s really nothing to say after that.
“Then We Got Nothing Left”
This just might be Badgley’s greatest response to a fan ever. It’s clever, hilarious, and really drives home the bizarre reaction that some people are having to YOU.
By the end of the first season, when Joe has murdered Beck and really has zero remorse (not that having remorse would make that okay, of course), it seems impossible to see him in a romantic light. That becomes even more obvious when he starts spying on Love in the second season and puts the real Will in another cage that he has constructed. Fact: a good guy who is a legit love interest on a TV show doesn’t put people in cages.
“Joe is not actually looking for true love…”
Badgley said this in an interview with Entertainment Weekly after fans had watched (and obsessed over) the crazy Season 2 finale.
He’s not actually a person who just needs somebody who loves him. He’s a murderer! He’s a sociopath. He’s abusive. He’s delusional. And he’s self-obsessed.
He makes a compelling and true point: Joe isn’t “actually looking for true love.” His relationships with Candace, Beck, and Love are the complete opposite of healthy and happy ones.
“… Of Problems Right?”
While Dan was pretty creepy on Gossip Girl since he ended up being the one spying on everyone and spilling all of their secrets, there’s no denying that Joe is so much worse.
When a fan tweeted that Joe is even more attractive than Dan, Badgley was ready to respond, noting that Joe has a lot of “problems.”
