In preparation for his role as Edward Snowden in Oliver Stone’s forthcoming biopic, “Snowden,” star Joseph Gordon-Levitt revealed that he recently traveled to Russia for a secret meeting with the exiled NSA whistleblower.

“He was in good spirits,” said Gordon-Levitt of Snowden. “Certainly there was that note, that he very much would like to come home. He doesn’t want to live in Russia at all.”

This is the first time Gordon-Levitt has spoken publicly about their meeting — which Snowden’s lawyers advised him not to speak about or record — explaining that it came about as part of a desire to “understand this person that I was going to play, observing both his strengths and his weaknesses.”

Gordon-Levitt will play Snowden in Oliver Stone’s forthcoming biopic