Christopher Nolan, who is now in a race for the Oscars for Best Director with his 2023 film Oppenheimer, once shared significant advice to Joseph Gordon-Levitt for his directorial debut. The actor first took on the directorial role for his 2013 film Don Jon while playing the lead role alongside Scarlett Johansson. The movie performed very well at the box office and also received positive reviews from critics.
Despite the movie’s successful box office performance and positive critical reception, Nolan had earlier cautioned Gordon-Levitt against acting in his directorial debut, advising him to think about it before moving ahead.
Christopher Nolan’s Significant Advice to Joseph Gordon-Levitt For Don Jon
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who has collaborated with Christopher Nolan for movies like Inception and The Dark Knight Rises, shared that the acclaimed filmmaker supported him for his directorial debut with the 2013 film Don Jon. “I told Chris Nolan that I was going to direct a movie, and he was instantly supportive,” he shared.
While Nolan had confidence in the actor, he also warned him against starring in the film he was directing and advised him to keep such a plan on hold for his future project. Recalling his conversation with Nolan in an interview with the Huffington Post, he shared,
“I told him I was going to act and direct at the same time—He was like, ‘Are you sure you want to do that your first time?’ I said I really do, and he was like, ‘OK, but I’m raising my hand now and saying that you might want to think about that. That’s a whole extra challenge that you maybe want to do your second time.'”
Although he described Christopher Nolan’s suggestion as “valid,” Joseph Gordon-Levitt opted to go against it and starred in the film, along with directing it. Starring actors like Scarlett Johansson and Brie Larson, the film performed significantly well and has since become one of the best movies of his career.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Shared His Experience Working on Christopher Nolan’s Inception
Christopher Nolan’s 2010 sci-fi action film Inception featured an ensemble cast including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, among others. Gordon-Levitt portrayed the role of Arthur, an extractor who closely worked with DiCaprio’s Dom Cobb during their dream heist.
One of the scenes in the movie features him in a zero-gravity fight sequence in a hotel, which was filmed on a revolving stage. And the Looper actor reportedly underwent two weeks of physical training and combat practice to prepare for the sequence, which he later described as both enjoyable and agonizing.
“It was just about the most fun I’ve ever had on a movie set,” he said during an interview with Collider before adding, “It was also, probably, the most pain I’ve ever been in on a movie set.” Nolan also shared that the actor insisted on doing the stunt himself despite having a stunt guy who looked exactly like him.
Don Jon is available to stream on Prime Video.
Inception is available to stream on Peacock TV.
