Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the embodiment of talent and charisma. He won the hearts of millions of people and even critics from the first steps on the big screen. His acting motto is: ‘If the script feels good, then I’m in. It’s that simple.’ Read further about the actor on los-angeles-trend.
JOSEPH HAD HIS FIRST MOVIE ROLES AT AN EARLY AGE
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt is an actor and director born under the sun of Los Angeles on February 17, 1981. His father, Dennis Levitt, worked on the Pacifica Radio station. His mother, Jane Gordon, edited TV programs on the same station. The actor’s parents were one of the founders of the well-known Progressive Jewish Alliance. Gordon-Levitt’s maternal grandfather, Michael Gordon, was a Hollywood film director. From the 1940s to the 1970s, he directed numerous movies, including Pillow Talk. Gordon-Levitt grew up in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood of Los Angeles with his older brother, Dan, who died of a drug overdose in 2010.
Joseph entered the world of acting at an early age. At the age of 6, he played the Scarecrow in the play The Wizard of Oz. In 1988, he debuted in the TV movie Stranger on My Land. He attended Van Nuys High School while acting in a sitcom. The show was about aliens who landed on Earth and took human form. The hit series lasted for five seasons. In 1997 and 1998, he won the YoungStar Awards for Best Young Actor in a Comedy TV Series. In 1991, he was listed by Teen People magazine among The 21 Hottest Stars Under 21.
In the 1990s, he often appeared in teen magazines and it embarrassed him. During this period, the actor did not like being recognized in public. He also stated that he hates celebrities. The actor appeared in the annual White House Christmas in Washington television special during the Bill Clinton administration in 1996. In the late 1990s, he appeared in several films, including The Juror (1996) and the Shakespearean teen comedy 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). The actor also voiced the main character Jim Hawkins in the Disney animated film Treasure Planet (2002).
He was first seen on the big screen in 1992 in the film Beethoven. The next chapter of Joseph’s story led him to the movie A River Runs Through It (1992). In 1996, he became an integral part of the television saga called 3rd Rock from the Sun.
THE FIRST ROLES IN A BIG CINEMA BRINGED THE ACTOR WORLDWIDE SUCCESS
Since 2009, the actor’s career has developed rapidly. He conquered the hearts of millions by playing a young man in love in the romantic comedy-drama 500 Days of Summer. He also captivated the critics with the role of the extractor who penetrates the subconscious of people in the sci-fi action film Inception (2010). The actor made even non-empathetic viewers worry, embodying on the screen a young man who fought cancer in the drama 50/50 (2011).
The year 2012 was marked by new achievements of Gordon-Levitt. He starred in the final part of the Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises, played the main role in the thriller Premium Rush and the fantastic action film Looper.
THE ACTOR TRIED HIMSELF AS A DIRECTOR AT THE AGE OF 32
In 2013, the audience observed not only Joe’s excellent acting work but also his directorial talent. His directorial debut was the 24-minute film Sparks, selected for the 2009 Sundance Film Festival’s New Short Film Program. In 2010, he directed another short film, Morgan and Destiny’s Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo. It premiered at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. In 2013, he started a serious project.
Joseph wrote the script, played the main role and directed the comedy film Don Jon. This is a comic story of a modern love interest, who is forced to escape from every love affair. The film also starred Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore.
Gordon-Levitt had a lot of work to do from 2014 to 2022. He starred in more than 10 projects, among which the most successful were Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014), The Walk (2015), Snowden (2016), 7500 (2019), The Trial of the Chicago Seven, Project Power (2020).
In 2023, the actor starred in the detective series Poker Face and the drama Flora and Son. He can also be seen in the films Killer Heat, Nobody Nothing Nowhere and Beverly Hills Cop: Axel Foley.
HOLLYWOOD EXPERTS CRITICIZE THE ACTOR FOR SECONDARY ROLES
Gordon-Levitt has won numerous awards, including Golden Globe Awards, MTV Movie Awards and People’s Choice Awards. He also got the Spike TV’s Scream Awards for Best Supporting Actor and the Washington Film Critics Association Award for Best Ensemble for the 2010 film Inception. In 2011, he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy and the MTV Movie Award for Best Actor. The actor was also awarded for his role in the film 50/50.
However, some critics believe that, despite the fact that the actor has worked with many modern directors, such as Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Robert Redford, Spike Lee, Oliver Stone, Robert Zemeckis, Rian Johnson, Aaron Sorkin, he does not attract a lot of attention. The awards jury never seems to notice that he’s in the cast. With almost three decades in the film industry, he has never been nominated for an Academy Award.
The actor usually plays secondary characters. These are not the roles that bring fame and awards. Joseph says he doesn’t care about trophies and other material signs of Hollywood approval. Critics believe that these factors can push Gordon-Levitt out of the acting world. He’s doing well but may disappear from screens.
SCARCELY IS KNOWN ABOUT THE PERSONAL LIFE OF THE FAMOUS ACTOR
Gordon-Levitt values his privacy. At the end of 2014, Joseph married Tasha McCauley. The couple has two sons. To protect privacy, Joseph and Tasha are not telling the names of their heirs. The actor believes that popularity plays an important role for him. It allows him to do what he loves. Still, popularity is a choice. The actor’s children did not make it, so Joseph protects them from publicity.
In 2005, his brother Dan helped him create the platform HitRecord to host short films, music and stories. The concept blossomed into an online community of artists of all skill levels who could collaborate on different projects. This platform has helped Gordon-Levitt learn every aspect of production and tell his own stories, which he is happy to recommend to actors and creators at all stages. He urges actors to think outside of outdated conventions. Instead, he suggests practicing the ancient, universal art of acting.
The actor calls himself a feminist. In his free time, Gordon-Levitt likes to play the guitar, play football, rollerblade and program his computer.
