Jonah Hill Says He Quit College Because He Felt ‘Too Powerful’

From his first role in the film "I Heart Huckabees" which he starred in while still in college, to his portrayal of a high school teenager in "Superbad" and playing Donnie Azoff in "Wolf of Wall Street," Jonah Hill is one of the most versatile and popular Hollywood celebrities.

The 37-year-old actor has been nominated for and won several awards for his excellent performances, including an MTV Movie Award For Best Comedic Performance in 2014, a Teen Choice Award, and Young Hollywood Award. He was also once ranked number 28 on a list of the highest-paid actors by Forbes.

After "I Heart Huckabees," in 2004, Hill rapidly grew as an actor, and soon after, he dropped out of college to focus on his career in Hollywood. In a recent interview, he revealed that the real reason why he dropped out was that he held too much power at that young age.

So what does that mean exactly, and how big is Hill in the industry today? Please read on to find out.

By the time he turned 23, Hill had hosted popular shows like Saturday Night Live and was a regular in many writers' rooms for hit films. He revealed that it was then that he decided to drop out of college.

"I was a kid," he said to GQ. "I probably had too much power for a young person, too much autonomy, and not enough life skills. I dropped out of college."

Hill explained that he already wasn't a fan of school and had made several public negative comments about the idea of kids being forced to go to college. However, he admitted that dropping out made him fall behind on his personal goals despite his professional advancement.

He also shared that it wasn't until he recently hit his 30s that he decided to dedicate a few years to "reshape things."

The "21 Jump Street" actor said, "I hit a point in my life, in my early to mid-30s, where I was like, 'If I don't start developing hobbies and shit, I'm going to be one of those people that only likes to work."

Hill had starred in several comedy films before landing a role in Greg Motolla's 2007 movie, "Superbad," which grossed over 170 million dollars at the box office and further propelled his career.

Many fans and critics have credited it to be one of the best comedy and high school movies of all time.

Jonah Hill and Adam McKay spoke about their experience working together in an interview with GQ. McKay revealed how Hill landed the Superbad role. He shared that the up-and-coming Hill had wowed him and actor Will Ferrel over some tacos not far away from the actor's apartment.

"You were just on the rocket ship. You were starting to bang out these huge comedies," McKay said, referring to Hill's early acting career.

Hill also admitted how pleasurable it felt to be able to meet and talk with McKay and Ferrell. McKay also said that he already knew that Hill would be befitting for the part in the film as he was confident in his talent.

Following his quick rise to the top after his Superbad role, the actor admitted that he was unprepared for the fame and did not expect his life to change so fast.

"It was very overnight for me. Michael Cera (Superbad co-star) and I talk about it all the time. We just had this really rare experience, one day life was one way, and then one day life was a different way." he said to GQ.

Hill reemphasized how he didn't take enough time for himself during his 20's and how time went by too quickly, even though he was very successful. The actor also explained that he believes he was special somehow, as not many ordinary people in their 20s would experience the unexpected rise to fame that he did.

He then shared that as his fame grew and he became more self-aware, he eventually had to seek therapy to help him drop the emotional weight that had burdened him.

The 2021 comedy "Don't Look Up," directed by Adam McKay, will be released on December 10, 2021, and is Hill's first movie with McKay since "Superbad."

Hill is cast as Jason Orlean, chief of staff and the son of President Orlean of the U.S.

The movie follows some low-level astronomers, saddled with the responsibility of warning humans about a destructive comet approaching earth through a media tour. It also features several other renowned actors like Leonardo DiCaprio, Timothée Chalamet, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Evans, and Ariana Grande.

Though the actor only posted a screenshot on Instagram publicizing the movie, the clips and trailer have got several fans on Twitter excited and anxious for its release in December. Many have expressed that they simply "can't wait" to see Hill on-screen again.