Ansel Elgort considered trying prescription drug for research

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Ansel Elgort "thought about" trying OxyContin to research his role in 'The Goldfinch'.

The 25-year-old actor plays Theo Decker - who lost his mother in a terrorist bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when he was 13 - in the movie, which begins with his character addicted to prescription medication and contemplating suicide, and while the star considered using the drug to understand how his alter ego would feel, he was ultimately too worried about its addictive properties.

He told the Sunday Times Culture magazine: "Theo is a hard guy to be. He's on OxyContin, which I've never tried. I don't know how it makes you feel. I thought about taking one just to see, but I don't really trust myself in that way."

Asked if he didn't think he'd be able to stop, he replied: "One hundred percent. I think I'm that kind of guy. I put my foot down and said I wouldn't do it. Maybe it's a little selfish. I care about myself and don't want to ruin my life."

Despite his successful career, including a Golden Globe nomination for 'Baby Driver', Ansel insists he still has to push to find the roles he wants.

He admitted: "[I still have to] audition the shit out of good roles."

And the actor admitted he works hard on his image and constantly scrutinises himself to "construct" who he thinks he "should be" - though he's not sure if that's the approach he ought to be taking.

He said: "It's very important as an artist for your image to be right, otherwise you break the illusion.

"I look at myself from a bird's-eye view a lot of the time and try to construct who I think I should be. That might not be the right move"