Joseph Gordon-Levitt, full name Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt, was born on February 17, 1981, in Los Angeles, California. He is an American actor, director, screenwriter, and producer who began appearing in television commercials and series during childhood. He became widely known for playing Tommy Solomon in the television comedy 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001). His film credits include 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), 500 Days of Summer (2009), Inception (2010), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), and Looper (2012). In 2013, he made his feature-film directing debut with Don Jon, which he also wrote and starred in. He is also a co-founder of HITRECORD, an online collaborative production company.

Early Life and Family

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was born on February 17, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, and grew up in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood. His father, Dennis Levitt, worked as a news director for radio station KPFK-FM. His mother, Jane Gordon, was a political activist who ran for the United States Congress in California during the 1970s.

His maternal grandfather, Michael Gordon, was a film director whose works included Pillow Talk (1959). His older brother, Daniel Gordon-Levitt, was a photographer and performer who later helped him establish HITRECORD. Daniel died in October 2010.

Gordon-Levitt grew up in a Jewish family. He attended Van Nuys High School in Los Angeles and graduated in 1999.

Beginning of His Acting Career

Joseph Gordon-Levitt joined a musical theater group when he was four years old. He began appearing in television commercials at the age of six and subsequently received roles in television films and series.

His early television appearances included Family Ties and Dark Shadows. In 1992, he played the young Norman Maclean in A River Runs Through It, directed by Robert Redford.

In 1994, he starred alongside Danny Glover in the family film Angels in the Outfield, playing Roger Bowman.

His first major television role came in 1996, when he was cast as Tommy Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun. The comedy series followed a group of extraterrestrials living on Earth while pretending to be an ordinary American family. Gordon-Levitt appeared throughout the show's six seasons, from 1996 to 2001.

During this period, he also appeared in The Juror (1996), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), and 10 Things I Hate About You (1999). In the latter film, he played Cameron James alongside Heath Ledger, Julia Stiles, and Larisa Oleynik.

University Education and Return to Acting

In 2000, Joseph Gordon-Levitt enrolled at Columbia University in New York, where he studied French literature, history, and related subjects.

He temporarily reduced his acting commitments to concentrate on his education. In 2004, he left university without completing his degree and returned to acting full-time.

During this period, he appeared in independent films including Manic (2001), Latter Days (2003), and Mysterious Skin (2004). In Brick (2005), directed by Rian Johnson, he played Brendan Frye, a high-school student investigating the disappearance of his former girlfriend.

He subsequently starred in The Lookout (2007) and appeared in Stop-Loss (2008), continuing to work in both independent and mainstream productions.

HITRECORD and Production Work

In 2004, Joseph Gordon-Levitt began developing HITRECORD with his older brother, Daniel Gordon-Levitt. The project initially served as a website where Gordon-Levitt shared videos, music, and other creative work.

It developed into an online community where artists could collaborate on films, writing, music, animation, and other projects. In 2010, HITRECORD was formally established as a collaborative production company.

The company later produced HitRecord on TV, a television program featuring work created by its online community. The production received a Primetime Emmy Award for its interactive media component.

500 Days of Summer and Hollywood Films

In 2009, Joseph Gordon-Levitt starred alongside Zooey Deschanel in the romantic comedy-drama 500 Days of Summer. He played Tom Hansen, a young man reflecting on his relationship with Summer Finn. The performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy.

That same year, he appeared as Rex Lewis, also known as Cobra Commander, in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. The cast included Channing Tatum, Dennis Quaid, Marlon Wayans, Sienna Miller, and Arnold Vosloo.

In 2010, he played Arthur in Inception, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He also appeared in Hesher (2010) and played Adam Lerner in 50/50 (2011), earning another Golden Globe nomination for the latter film.

The Dark Knight Rises, Looper and Lincoln

In 2012, Joseph Gordon-Levitt appeared in several major film productions. He played John Blake, a young Gotham City police officer, in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Rises. The cast included Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine.

The same year, he starred opposite Bruce Willis in the science fiction thriller Looper, directed by Rian Johnson. Gordon-Levitt played Joe, a contract killer whose future self becomes his target.

He also portrayed bicycle messenger Wilee in Premium Rush and Robert Todd Lincoln, the eldest son of President Abraham Lincoln, in Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg. Daniel Day Lewis played Abraham Lincoln.

Directing Debut and Later Career

In 2013, Joseph Gordon-Levitt wrote, directed, and starred in Don Jon, released in Turkey as Kalbim Sende. He played Jon Martello, a young man whose relationships are affected by his compulsive consumption of pornography. The cast included Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore. The film was his feature-length directing debut.

He provided the English-language voice of Jiro Horikoshi in the animated film The Wind Rises (2013), directed by Hayao Miyazaki. In 2014, he played Johnny in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

In 2015, he portrayed French high-wire artist Philippe Petit in The Walk, directed by Robert Zemeckis. The following year, he played former American intelligence contractor Edward Snowden in Snowden, directed by Oliver Stone.

His later films included 7500 (2019), Project Power (2020), and The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020). In the latter production, directed by Aaron Sorkin, he played federal prosecutor Richard Schultz.

In 2021, Gordon-Levitt created and starred in the Apple TV+ comedy-drama Mr. Corman. In 2022, he portrayed Travis Kalanick, the co-founder of Uber, in the television series Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber. He also voiced Jiminy Cricket in Disney's Pinocchio (2022).

He subsequently appeared in Flora and Son (2023), Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024), Greedy People (2024), and Killer Heat (2024). His 2025 credits included a voice cameo in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery.

Personal Life

Joseph Gordon-Levitt married technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley on December 20, 2014. The couple have three children and generally keep their family life private.

Films and Television Series

Director and Screenwriter:
2013 - Don Jon (Feature Film, Director and Screenwriter)
Actor:
2025 - Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery (Baseball Announcer, Voice Cameo)
2025 - Paradise Records (The Negotiator, Film)
2024 - Killer Heat (Nick Bali, Film)
2024 - Greedy People (Terry, Film)
2024 - Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Detective Bobby Abbott, Film)
2023 - Flora and Son (Jeff, Film)
2023 - Poker Face (Trey, Television Series)
2022 - Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber (Travis Kalanick, Television Series)
2022 - Pinocchio (Jiminy Cricket, Voice Role, Film)
2021 - Mr. Corman (Josh Corman, Television Series)
2020 - The Trial of the Chicago 7 (Richard Schultz, Film)
2020 - Project Power (Frank Shaver, Film)
2019 - 7500 (Tobias Ellis, Film)
2016 - Snowden (Edward Snowden, Film)
2015 - The Walk (Philippe Petit, Film)
2015 - The Night Before (Ethan Miller, Film)
2014 - Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (Johnny, Film)
2013 - The Wind Rises (Jiro Horikoshi, English Voice, Film)
2013 - Don Jon (Jon Martello, Film)
2012 - Looper (Joe, Film)
2012 - Lincoln (Robert Todd Lincoln, Film)
2012 - The Dark Knight Rises (John Blake, Film)
2012 - Premium Rush (Wilee, Film)
2011 - 50/50 (Adam Lerner, Film)
2010 - Hesher (Hesher, Film)
2010 - Elektra Luxx (Bert Rodriguez, Film)
2010 - Inception (Arthur, Film)
2009 - Women in Trouble (Bert Rodriguez, Film)
2009 - Killshot (Richie Nix, Film)
2009 - G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (Rex Lewis / Cobra Commander, Film)
2009 - 500 Days of Summer (Tom Hansen, Film)
2009 - Uncertainty (Bobby Thompson, Film)
2008 - Stop-Loss (Tommy Burgess, Film)
2008 - Miracle at St. Anna (Tim Boyle, Film)
2007 - The Lookout (Chris Pratt, Film)
2005 - Shadowboxer (Dr. Don, Film)
2005 - Havoc (Sam, Film)
2005 - Brick (Brendan Frye, Film)
2004 - Mysterious Skin (Neil McCormick, Film)
2003 - Latter Days (Paul Ryder, Film)
2002 - Treasure Planet (Jim Hawkins, Voice Role, Film)
2001 - Manic (Lyle Jensen, Film)
2000 - Picking Up the Pieces (Flaco, Film)
2000 - Forever Lulu (Martin Ellsworth, Film)
1999 - 10 Things I Hate About You (Cameron James, Film)
1998 - Sweet Jane (Tony, Film)
1998 - Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (Jimmy Howell, Film)
1996–2001 - 3rd Rock from the Sun (Tommy Solomon, Television Series)
1996 - The Juror (Oliver Laird, Film)
1995 - The Great Elephant Escape (Matthew, Television Film)
1994 - The Road Killers (Richard Lerolland, Film)
1994 - Holy Matrimony (Zeke Jacobson, Film)
1994 - Angels in the Outfield (Roger Bowman, Film)
1992 - A River Runs Through It (Young Norman Maclean, Film)
1992 - Beethoven (Student, Film)
1991 - Dark Shadows (David Collins / Daniel Collins, Television Series)

Source: Biyografiler.com