
Joseph Leonard Gordon-Levitt (born February 17, 1981) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received various accolades, including nominations for the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his leading performances in 500 Days of Summer (2009) and 50/50 (2011). He is the founder of the online media platform HitRecord whose projects such as HitRecord on TV (2014–15) and Create Together (2020) won him two Primetime Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Interactive Program. Born in Los Angeles to a Jewish family, he began his acting career as a child, appearing in the films A River Runs Through It (1992), Holy Matrimony (1994), and Angels in the Outfield (1994), which earned him a Young Artist Award and a Saturn Award nomination. He played the role of Tommy Solomon in the TV series 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996–2001) for which he received three nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards. He had a supporting role in 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) and voiced Jim Hawkins in the Disney animated Treasure Planet (2002) before taking a break from acting to study at Columbia University, but dropped out in 2004 to resume his acting career. Since returning to acting, he has starred in Manic (2001), Mysterious Skin (2004), Brick (2005), The Lookout (2007), The Brothers Bloom (2008), Miracle at St. Anna (2008), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), Inception (2010), Hesher (2010), Premium Rush (2012), The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Looper (2012), and Lincoln (2012). He portrayed Philippe Petit in the Robert Zemeckis-directed film The Walk (2015) and whistleblower Edward Snowden in the Oliver Stone film Snowden (2016). In 2020, he starred in the legal drama The Trial of the Chicago 7, for which he won the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture. In 2013, he wrote and directed Don Jon, a comedy-drama film that was released to critical acclaim, earning him an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best First Screenplay. He previously directed and edited two short films, both of which were released in 2010: Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny and Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo. In 2021, he wrote, directed and starred in the comedy drama series Mr. Corman on Apple TV+.
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Biography from TMDB.
- February 17, 1981 (45)
- Los Angeles, California, USA
- Actor, director and producer, also writer
- 80 on MovieCove · 107 credits in all
What are Joseph Gordon-Levitt's films like?
Across their 53 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.
Genres
Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.
Themes
What they feel like to watch
Ironic 0 · Wry 4 · Earnest 44
A split, not a type: Light 15 · Serious 11 · Dark 22
A split, not a type: Grounded 27 · Stylized 15 · Heightened 6
A split, not a type: Gentle 7 · Charged 16 · Intense 25
Steady 15 · Shifting 24 · Whiplash 9
A split, not a type: Straight-faced 25 · Some laughs 17 · Funny 6
Slow burn 14 · Even-paced 28 · Relentless 6
Casual 16 · Engaged 21 · Full focus 10
A split, not a type: Easy watch 15 · Affecting 11 · Heavy 22
Resolved 35 · Open-ended 9 · Ambiguous 3
Roles they play
Usually the Hero: 18 of 40 analyzed roles.
Show the 40 rolesHide the roles
- Heroas Gregory Kingsley in Gregory K (1993)
- Allyas Roger Bowman in Angels in the Outfield (1994)
- Allyas Ezekiel in Holy Matrimony (1994)
- Heraldas Rich in The Road Killers (1994)
- Heroas Matthew in The Great Elephant Escape (1995)
- Allyas Tommy Solomon in 3rd Rock from the Sun (1996)
- Allyas Tony in Sweet Jane (1998)
- Heroas Lyle in Manic (2001)
- Heroas Jim Hawkins in Treasure Planet (2002)
- Shadowas Elder Paul Ryder in Latter Days (2003)
- Heroas Neil in Mysterious Skin (2004)
- Heroas Brendan in Brick (2005)
- Mentoras Dr. Don in Shadowboxer (2005)
- Heroas Chris Pratt in The Lookout (2007)
- Shapeshifteras Bobby Thompson in Uncertainty (2008)
- Allyas Tommy Burgess in Stop-Loss (2008)
- Heroas Tom Hansen in 500 Days of Summer (2009)
- Shapeshifteras Hesher in Hesher (2010)
- Allyas Arthur in Inception (2010)
- Tricksteras Bert Rodriguez in Elektra Luxx (2010)
- Heroas Adam in 50/50 (2011)
- Heroas Wilee in Premium Rush (2012)
- Heroas Joe in Looper (2012)
- Allyas Blake in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- Heraldas Blake in The Dark Knight Rises (2012)
- Heroas Jon in Don Jon (2013)
- Tricksteras Johnny in Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
- Heroas Philippe Petit in The Walk (2015)
- Heroas Edward Snowden in Snowden (2016)
- Heroas Tobias Ellis in 7500 (2019)
- Allyas Frank Shaver in Project Power (2020)
- Heroas Josh Corman in Mr. Corman (2021)
- Mentoras Luxcraft in Wolfboy and the Everything Factory (2021)
- Shadowas Travis Kalanick in Super Pumped (2022)
- Mentoras Jiminy Cricket in Pinocchio (2022)
- Heroas Travis Kalanick in Super Pumped (2022)
- Allyas Jeff in Flora and Son (2023)
- Heroas Nick Bali in Killer Heat (2024)
- Allyas Detective Bobby Abbott in Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (2024)
- Shadowas Terry in Greedy People (2024)
Moods and endings
- Happy16
- Bittersweet24
- Tragic2
- Ambiguous10
AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.
Where can I watch Joseph Gordon-Levitt's films?
As of October 24, 2026, 59 of their 80 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (17).
- Django Unchained (2012) · thanks · free
- 50/50 (2011) · actor · free
- Manic (2001) · actor · free
- The Walk (2015) · actor · free
- Snowden (2016) · actor · free
- Latter Days (2003) · actor · free
- Hesher (2010) · actor · free
- The Brothers Bloom (2008) · actor · free
- Gregory K (1993) · actor · free
- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014) · actor · free
- The Night Before (2015) · actor · free
- Paradise Records (2025) · actor · free
- +5 more
- Manic (2001) · actor
- The Outer Limits (1995) · actor
- Hesher (2010) · actor
- Gregory K (1993) · actor
- Don Jon (2013) · actor, director, writer
- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014) · actor
- 7500 (2019) · actor
- Stranger on My Land (1988) · actor
- Forever Lulu (2000) · actor
- The Great Elephant Escape (1995) · actor
- Killer Heat (2024) · actor
- Knives Out (2019) · actor · free
- Manic (2001) · actor · free
- The Outer Limits (1995) · actor · free
- Hesher (2010) · actor · free
- Family Ties (1982) · actor · free
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993) · actor · free
- Numb3rs (2005) · actor · free
- Killshot (2008) · actor · free
- Stranger on My Land (1988) · actor · free
- Forever Lulu (2000) · actor · free
- Picking Up the Pieces (2000) · actor · free
- 10 Things I Hate About You (1999) · actor · free
- The Lookout (2007) · actor · free
- Hesher (2010) · actor · free
- The Brothers Bloom (2008) · actor · free
- Family Ties (1982) · actor · free
- Stop-Loss (2008) · actor · free
- Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014) · actor · free
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (1993) · actor · free
- Killshot (2008) · actor · free
- Howdy, show their 5 titles on Howdy
- Lionsgate+, show their 5 titles on Lionsgate+
- Sony Pictures Core, show their 5 titles on Sony Pictures Core
- Shout! TV, show their 3 titles on Shout! TV
- Cinemax, show their title on Cinemax
- Dekkoo, show their title on Dekkoo
- Dove Channel, show their title on Dove Channel
- MovieSphere+, show their title on MovieSphere+
- Strand Releasing, show their title on Strand Releasing
- ViX, show their title on ViX
Subscription and free streaming for Joseph Gordon-Levitt's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.
Filmography
107 credits, 80 with a MovieCove page; 40 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

Pendulum (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

Wake Up Dead Man(2025)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films
Paradise Records(2025)
Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films
An SNL Thanksgiving (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

Killer Heat(2024)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Greedy People(2024)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
Once Upon a Studio(2023)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Flora and Son(2023)
Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all films
Poker Face(2023)
Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all shows
Glass Onion(2022)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all films
Pinocchio(2022)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
A Forest Haunt (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

Super Pumped(2022)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Super Pumped: The Battle for Uber (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)
Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows
Mr. Corman(2021)
Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Project Power(2020)
Midcredits score: 37th percentile of all films
Create Together (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

7500(2019)
Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films
Knives Out(2019)
Midcredits score: 98th percentile of all films
Band Together with Logic (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)
Endgame (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

Explained(2018)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films
Comrade Detective(2017)
Midcredits score: 52nd percentile of all shows
Snowden(2016)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Straight Outta OZ (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

The Night Before(2015)
Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films
The Walk(2015)
Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 1st percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all films
Sleep Cycle (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

HitRECord on TV(2014)
Midcredits score: 77th percentile of all showsOne Song (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

Vinegar (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

Don Jon(2013)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Django Unchained(2012)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Lincoln(2012)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all films
Looper(2012)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
The Mindy Project(2012)
Midcredits score: 63rd percentile of all shows
The Blue Dildo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

Premium Rush(2012)
Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films
The Dark Knight Rises(2012)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
50/50(2011)
Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films
Elektra Luxx(2010)
Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films
Inception(2010)
Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all films
Morgan and Destiny's Eleventeenth Date: The Zeppelin Zoo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

Morgan M. Morgansen's Date with Destiny (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

Hesher(2010)
Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all films
Uncertainty(2008)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
Women in Trouble(2009)
Midcredits score: 28th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
500 Days of Summer(2009)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
The Brothers Bloom(2008)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
Sparks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2009)
Big Breaks (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

Killshot(2008)
Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films
Miracle at St. Anna(2008)
Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films
Stop-Loss(2008)
Midcredits score: 57th percentile of all films
The Lookout(2007)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Brick(2005)
Midcredits score: 85th percentile of all films
Escargots (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

Havoc(2005)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Shadowboxer(2005)
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Mysterious Skin(2004)
Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films
Numb3rs(2005)
Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows
Latter Days(2003)
Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all films
Treasure Planet(2002)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films
Manic(2001)
Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all filmsNudes in the News (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2002)

Forever Lulu(2000)
Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films
Picking Up the Pieces(2000)
Midcredits score: 11th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all films
That '70s Show(1998)
Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Sweet Jane(1998)
Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films
The Juror(1996)
Midcredits score: 29th percentile of all films
3rd Rock from the Sun(1996)
Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows
The Outer Limits(1995)
Midcredits score: 82nd percentile of all shows
Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films
Angels in the Outfield(1994)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all films
The Road Killers(1994)
Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films
Holy Matrimony(1994)
Midcredits score: 16th percentile of all films
Gregory K(1993)
Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films
Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows
A River Runs Through It(1992)
Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all films
Beethoven(1992)
Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films
The Powers That Be (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1992)

Plymouth(1991)
Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films
Hi Honey - I'm Dead(1991)
Midcredits score: 4th percentile of all films
Changes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

Dark Shadows (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1991)

Quantum Leap(1989)
Midcredits score: 94th percentile of all shows
Roseanne(1988)
Midcredits score: 48th percentile of all shows
China Beach(1988)
Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all shows
Stranger on My Land(1988)
Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films
L.A. Law(1986)
Midcredits score: 56th percentile of all shows
Murder, She Wrote(1984)
Midcredits score: 67th percentile of all shows
Family Ties(1982)
Midcredits score: 64th percentile of all shows2034 (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Nobody Nothing Nowhere (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Seductive Poison (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Sovereign (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Weezer: Security Threat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

White Night (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)
Career shape
Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 107 titles, 100 of them dated from 1982 to 2025; peak year 2011.
Film career
Peak 2011 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 43 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.
- 1991Screen debut· Dark Shadows
- 1994First film· Holy Matrimony
- 1996Screen Actors Guild Award nomination· 3rd Rock from the Sun
- 2002First top-billed film· Manic
- 2009Career best· (500) Days of Summer
- 2009Golden Globe nomination· (500) Days of Summer
Show 4 more milestonesShow fewer
- 2011Golden Globe nomination· 50/50
- 2012Screen Actors Guild Award nomination· Lincoln
- 2020Screen Actors Guild Award win· The Trial of the Chicago 7
- 2021Career best· Mr. Corman
Billing
Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.
Awards
2 Primetime Emmys and a Screen Actors Guild Award from 14 major nominations, 1997–2021.
- Primetime Emmy, nominated · Outstanding Interactive Program
- Screen Actors Guild Award, won · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Innovation in Interactive Programming
- Primetime Emmy, won · Outstanding Creative Achievement in Interactive Media - Social TV Experience
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best First Screenplay
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Critics Choice Award, nominated · Best Actor in an Action Movie
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
- Golden Globe, nominated · Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical
+1 other major body · 1 nomination
- Independent Spirit Award, nominated · Best Male Lead
- Sundance award, nominated
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Show 2 earlier yearsShow fewer
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
- Screen Actors Guild Award, nominated · Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series
Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.
How do Joseph Gordon-Levitt's films land?
Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 58th percentile, the median of all 61; across their 48 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 56th percentile for acclaim.
- 75th and up33
- 50th to 74th19
- 25th to 49th17
- Below 25th11
Shape of the crowd
38 of their 80 titles are Crowd Pleasers.
- Universally Loved13
- Universally Panned1
- Cult Classic2
- Crowd Pleaser38
- Broadly Agreed6
- Mixed20
Reviewers score the acting 72/100 in their films, across 45 reviewed titles; fans 81, detractors 49. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.
Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.
Is Joseph Gordon-Levitt's work okay for kids?
Across up to 40 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.
Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.
Who does Joseph Gordon-Levitt work with?
People who share at least 2 of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Christopher Nolan shares the most, 3.
Directors
- Christopher NolanShared titles: The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Dreams: Cinema of the Subconscious (2010), Inception (2010)See all 3 shared titles with Christopher Nolan

- Robert ZemeckisShared titles: Pinocchio (2022), The Walk (2015)See all 2 shared titles with Robert Zemeckis

- Jonathan LevineShared titles: The Night Before (2015), 50/50 (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Jonathan Levine

- Rian JohnsonShared titles: Looper (2012), Brick (2005)See all 2 shared titles with Rian Johnson

Actors
- Channing TatumShared titles: Comrade Detective (2017), G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), Stop-Loss (2008)See all 3 shared titles with Channing Tatum

- Timothy OlyphantShared titles: Snowden (2016), Elektra Luxx (2010), Stop-Loss (2008)See all 3 shared titles with Timothy Olyphant

- Seth RogenShared titles: The Night Before (2015), Seth Rogen's Hilarity for Charity (2014), 50/50 (2011)See all 3 shared titles with Seth Rogen

- Josh BrolinShared titles: Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014), Women in Trouble (2009), The Road Killers (1994)See all 3 shared titles with Josh Brolin

Composers and editors
- James Newton HowardShared titles: The Lookout (2007), Treasure Planet (2002), The Juror (1996)See all 3 shared titles with James Newton Howard

- Alan SilvestriShared titles: Pinocchio (2022), The Walk (2015)See all 2 shared titles with Alan Silvestri

- Mick AudsleyShared titles: Pinocchio (2022), Killshot (2008)See all 2 shared titles with Mick Audsley

- Nathan JohnsonShared titles: Don Jon (2013), Brick (2005)See all 2 shared titles with Nathan Johnson

Producers
- Ram BergmanShared titles: Don Jon (2013), Looper (2012), Brick (2005)See all 3 shared titles with Ram Bergman

- Jordan GoldbergShared titles: The Dark Knight Rises (2012), Dreams: Cinema of the Subconscious (2010), Inception (2010)See all 3 shared titles with Jordan Goldberg
- Roger BirnbaumShared titles: G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), The Lookout (2007), Angels in the Outfield (1994)See all 3 shared titles with Roger Birnbaum

- Bob WeinsteinShared titles: Killshot (2008), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998), The Road Killers (1994)See all 3 shared titles with Bob Weinstein

Mixed roles
- Ariel ShaffirShared titles: The Night Before (2015), 50/50 (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Ariel Shaffir
- Evan GoldbergShared titles: The Night Before (2015), 50/50 (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Evan Goldberg

- Kyle HunterShared titles: The Night Before (2015), 50/50 (2011)See all 2 shared titles with Kyle Hunter


