Joseph Gordon-Levitt graces the cover of Out magazine this month and talks about his reaction to fame, his brother, and rumors that he's gay.
On leaving child stardom behind
I auditioned for lots of little movies and no one wanted to put me in their creatively challenging roles because they didn’t think I could do it. And I don’t blame them. I was known for being on a farcical television show.
He’s ambivalent toward fame
It comes from a really young age. It can be really awkward and difficult to be thought of as this thing on TV. Before understanding it or being able to analyze it, I just knew it made me really anxious. I wouldn’t just say ‘No.’ I was way more convincing than that. I would first act confused, and then I would try to understand what they were saying. I would play the part.
On his late brother, Dan
He was so overwhelmingly positive and warm. One of my favorite things about hitRECord is how positive it is, especially compared to most of what goes on on the Internet, which can be snarky and cynical. I credit Dan with that. He couldn’t help but get swept up in it, and it makes me so happy that the momentum continues today. I’m on the site every day, and the fact there’s this warmth to it, it reminds me of him every time.
On his hippie parents
I think they both instilled into me and my brother the feeling that we’re part of the world, and that that’s important — that we’re all connected and everyone’s well-being is tied to each other. They’re hippies, but they were not so much about being flower children as getting something done, trying to stop this war, or changing civil rights or the feminist movement — and they still are that way.
On his new film, Don Jon, in which he plays a porn addict.
I wasn’t interested in making a movie about pr0nography. I was interested in making a movie about how people treat each other like things, and all kinds of media can contribute to that. I’ve been working as an actor since I was a little kid, and I’ve always been fascinated, and a little horrified, by the way people relate to images they see on screen. Sometimes I feel I am seen as a thing more than a person, and I don’t think that’s unique to actors. I think everyone is subject to that kind of pigeonholing.
On not refuting paparazzi allegations he is gay
That would be really tacky — they would win if I had to clarify.
