Joseph Gordon-Levitt has revealed how '7500' took a toll on him.

The 39-year-old actor played the role of pilot Tobias Ellis in the action flick - which tells the story of an aircraft hijacked by terrorists - and admitted the film's extreme plot had a big impact on him.

When asked if the film affected him, he told Total Film magazine: ''It really did. It's a horrific situation that the film tells a story of, and it's combining that with an approach that's all about realism.

''It means that I'm spending all day conjuring up that horror. 'Horror' isn't the right word, but those horrible feelings.''

The 'Inception' star found it ''fascinating'' to remove himself from reality during production.

He explained: ''It's fascinating to go so far away from reality. And I think it's a big part of what makes us human beings. A lot of us don't encounter such extreme circumstances on a day-to-day basis.

''For those of us who lead more sheltered lives, it's easy to forget that actually a lot of people out there are under this kind of stress on a regular basis: people who are living in unstable countries or people who are living with violence in their household.''

Gordon-Levitt also praised director Patrick Vollrath for his ''realistic approach'' to the movie as it helped him get into character.

He said: ''Patrick's approach is very focused on realism, really more so, by a lot, than any other movie that I've ever done.

''I know that sounds like a hyperbolic statement, but it's true. He leaves the camera rolling for 20, 30, 40, 50 minutes at a time. You just kind of let yourself be the character, and be in the story. I found I was able to, at times, really feel like I was there.''