Edward Snowden says his life as an American fugitive in Russia is "surprisingly free," but hints he's homesick and ready to return to the United States.
The former National Security Agency subcontractor who fled in 2013 after leaking top secret information about the agency's extensive internet and phone surveillance techniques, said in a chat with Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone:
"I can confirm that I am not living in a box. I actually live a surprisingly free life. This was not the most likely outcome."
Snowden — chased around the world by federal law enforcers before finally being admitted to Russia, which has protected him from arrest on espionage charges — added:
"I didn't actually expect to make it out of Hawaii. I thought it was incredibly risky ... I still thought I was going to get rolled up at the airport ...''
During the conversation at San Diego's ComicCon convention, first reported by
London's Guardian newspaper, Snowden lamented he's still persona non grata in the U.S.
"I still can't come home. And we don't know when that'll change," he said. Attempts by Snowden to hammer out a deal with the feds have failed.
Snowden's explosive life story has been turned into a movie directed by Stone to be released in September.
"Snowden'' stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the title role, as well as Melissa Leo, Shailene Woodley, Nicholas Cage, Scott Eastwood and Zachary Quinto.
Stone, director of "Platoon," "JFK," "Natural Born Killers'' and "W,'' noted that Snowden, who makes a brief appearance in the film, had to do a number of takes because of his anxiety in front of the camera.
He said it was in sharp contrast to another actor he once directed, Donald Trump, who had a bit part in his 2010 Michael Douglas drama, "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" — a scene that was cut before the movie's release.
"After every take he jumped up and said, 'Wasn't that great?' Honestly, Donald, no. That's the confidence that's allowing him to run," Stone said.
Trump has appeared in a number of motion pictures over the years, including the R-rated movies "54," "Celebrity" and "Ghosts Can't Do It." He was also in episodes of "Sex and the City," "Monk" and "Sabrina, the Teenage Witch."
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.