All the lights and cameras may give Hollywood a glamorous feeling from the outside.
But from John Cusack's perspective, the the place isn't too shiny inside.
"You can't make it up," he told The Guardian while promoting his new movie Map to the Stars. "It's a whorehouse and people go mad."
He added, "The culture just eats young actors up and spits them out. It's a hard thing to survive without finding safe harbour."
The 48-year-old actor credits legends like Al Pacino and Rob Reiner for getting him on the right track when he was a young actor. Unfortunately, Cusack believes that times have changed for up and coming stars.
One young Hollywood actor who is handling the spotlight well is co-star Robert Pattinson. The Twilight star was able to collaborate with director David Cronenberg once again for the upcoming movie. They previously worked together on Cosmopolis.
Cusack believes he's in very good hands.
"I think it's very wise—and speaks highly of Robert that he's formed a thing with David," Cusack explained to the publication. "He can try to be good and have a space where he's not just this product that's going to be followed around by TMZ. That speaks to the healthier instincts of the guy. I don't know if there's that space for other people."
Map to the Stars takes a look at celebrity culture and the pursuit of fame at any cost. Pattinson plays a limo driver and aspiring actor who hooks up with a teenage pyromaniac (Mia Wasikowska) and an actress (Julianne Moore).
"People are looking to turn their pain into beautiful art, but they also want to be famous," Cusack explained. "And there's so much money—so of course all the predators come in."
And while Cusack may have a few concerns and complaints about Hollywood, he understands the positives the industry has given him.
"It's a blessed life," he admitted. "I got another 15, 20 years before they say I'm old."
A release date for Map to the Stars has yet to be officially announced. If you haven't already, watch the NSFW trailer below.