Magic Mike XXL star Channing Tatum is being heralded as the first big movie star of his generation in the latest issue of Vanity Fair.

In a lengthy interview that explores the appeal and the mindset of America’s man-crush, Tatum talks about everything from fatherhood, his rise up the Hollywood food chain, and his experience making Magic Mike as well as his experience being the inspiration for Magic Mike.

On what XXL will give viewers that the original didn’t, Tatum says,

“I think this one is probably more what people wanted in the first film,” he told me. “We just couldn’t do it on the first movie. I think we all wanted there to be moments like that in the first film, but the reality of that world is not all giggles and fun. We had to let people understand that we knew the world, that it’s a real one, not savory at times, at least the one I was privy to.”

But would he ever do it again–strip, not as a joke, but for real?

“Well, we’re going to start a [Magic Mike] show in Vegas, and I’ll never say never,” he told me. “I wouldn’t mind going out there and doing it one more time. Or maybe twice. But, you know, every time I’ve put on a thong and am getting ready to walk onstage again, I’m like, ‘Why do I want to do this?’ It’s very uncomfortable to be in a thong in front of a thousand people.”

The actor who first garnered attention for his dance moves in the movie Step Up channels another famous dance icon, Gene Kelly, in his photo spread for the magazine. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Tatum looks good in the rain, even if he isn’t singing.

In a behind the scenes interview during the shoot, Tatum also busted a few moves.

He then shared what it’s like to work on a project that requires so much nudity. While initially awkward, he says the discomfort quickly fades and you end up checking everyone out. He also added that there might have been some twerking on set.

Head over to Vanity Fair for the full interview.