Joseph Gordon-Levitt divorce, married, net worth, salary, affair, girlfriend, wife • biography

Early Life and Background

Joseph Gordon-Levitt was born on February 17, 1981, in Los Angeles, California, and was raised in the Sherman Oaks neighborhood. Coming from a culturally Jewish family, he has described his upbringing as non-religious. His parents were co-founders of the Progressive Jewish Alliance. His father, Dennis Levitt, worked as a news director for Pacifica Radio, while his mother, Jane Gordon, once ran for U.S. Congress in California in the 1970s and served as a program guide editor for KPFK-FM. His maternal grandfather, Michael Gordon, was a prominent film director in Hollywood, best known for movies such as "Pillow Talk," starring Doris Day and Rock Hudson.

Early Start in Entertainment

Gordon-Levitt began performing at the young age of four, famously playing the Scarecrow in a community production of "The Wizard of Oz." His performance captured the attention of multiple talent agents, quickly leading to roles in television commercials for brands like Cocoa Puffs, Pop-Tarts, Sunny Jim peanut butter, and Kenney Shoes. By the age of six, he was appearing in made-for-TV movies and series, including playing both David and Daniel Collins in the 1991 revival of the television series "Dark Shadows."

Child Actor and Breakout Roles

As a child actor, Joseph Gordon-Levitt appeared in a number of films, including "A River Runs Through It," directed by Robert Redford, and "Angels in the Outfield." He gained broader teen recognition for his role in the teen romantic comedy "10 Things I Hate About You." Arguably, his best-known role from this early period was playing Tommy Solomon on the NBC sitcom "3rd Rock from the Sun," which aired from 1996 to 2001.

Academic Pursuits and Return to Acting

Gordon-Levitt temporarily stepped away from acting to attend Columbia University, where he studied history, literature, and French poetry. Though he took his education seriously, he eventually left school to return to acting full time. His transition back into film was marked by more mature and diverse roles.