Bonding with an imaginary friend (or two) may not be unusual for a kid, but in “Paper Man,” which opened Friday (April 23), the adults have them too.

The movie stars Emma Stone as a 17-year-old who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a middle-age novelist, played by Jeff Daniels. Both characters rely on made-up friends, including Daniels’ fictional Captain Excellent, played by Ryan Reynolds (who seems to be making a career of superhero roles lately).When we caught up with Stone, the actress said she was too busy as a kid dealing with her own complex personality to make any friends — real or imaginary.

“I was my own imaginary friend,” Stone told MTV News. “I was a ham. I was so obnoxious. I was very bossy. I was just awful. [My turning point was] at about 8. I had my first massive panic attack. That changed things a little bit.”

Although she didn’t grow up with an invented pal, 21-year-old Stone said she could see the value in having one. “I think an imaginary friend needs to pump you up,” she explained. “Captain Excellent is a superhero, so what’s better to pump you up than a superhero?

“We all have that voice in [our] head,” she added. “But it’s really bad when your imaginary friend is bringing you down.”

Source: MTV