Joseph Gordon-Levitt Takes GQ to Task Over Mention of Late Brother

4:52 PM PDT 7/17/2012 by Kelly Payton

49
40
0
0
0
Email
Print
Comments

"I asked the writer not to dwell on how he died, I did say quite a bit about how he lived, and how much he means to me," the actor said in reference to the mag's cover story.

The Dark Knight Rises star and GQ cover is upset with the magazine for their “factually incorrect” representation of his late brother.

Comic-Con 2012: 'Looper' Star Joseph Gordon-Levitt on Getting Kicked in the Head by Bruce Willis (Video)

'Dark Knight Rises': Joseph Gordon-Levitt on the End of the Batman Saga (Video)

Joseph Gordon-Levitt's older brother Dan, otherwise known as BURNING dAN, died in October 2010 for causes that were not made public, but had been speculated by gossip sites to have involved drugs. The family has kept the matter private, until this month's GQ profile story included mentions of Dan that Gordon-Levitt felt the need to clarify via his Tumblr.

He begins his post thanking everyone at GQ for putting him on the magazine this month. "That kind of exposure is a huge help to all the work I love to do, and I’m deeply appreciative,” he says.

PHOTOS: 'The Dark Knight Rises' Premiere: Bale, Hathaway, Gordon-Levitt, Hardy Celebrate Nolan's Final Batman Film

Gordon-Levitt explains his reason for the post is because of a problem with what the article says about his brother's untimely death. "I’ll be honest, it really made me feel terrible.”

The quote from the article is as follows:

"…the elder Gordon-Levitt died of an alleged drug overdose in 2010. 'It was an accident' is all Joe will say about that."

Gordon-Levitt explains that by using the word “alleged,” the writer is given free range to say whatever she wants on the matter. He explains that the “allegations” that she is referring to were fabricated. “[The allegations] are factually incorrect according to the coroner’s office and the police department,” he says. “I don’t like publicly speaking about my brother’s death, but I’m making an exception to correct this irresponsible claim.”

FILM REVIEW: The Dark Knight Rises

Gordon-Levitt notes that in his interview, he asked the writer to focus on his relationship with Dan and how much his brother meant to him. "I asked the writer not to dwell on how he died. I did say quite a bit about how he lived, and how much he means to me," the actor says.

“Dan was a brightly positive, genuinely caring, and brilliantly inspiring person, and I liked the idea of such a wide readership learning about him,” he concludes. “My parents and I are disappointed with what the article chose to focus on regarding this sensitive subject.”