Many of us on this third rock from the sun we call home have been fans of Joseph Gordon-Levitt since the inception of his career. If asked to write 10 things we hate about him, even if we had 500 days of summer to do so, we’d draw a blank. The Dark Knight Rises star has now shared a very important message about Donald Trump, however, which will throw even the most ardent of JGL admirers for a loop(er) and cause them to question how they feel about him…
… If only because it will make them love him even more. Gordon-Levitt decided to take a stand against the Republican candidate in a personal video plea to his X followers, which sports the eye-catching caption: “Donald Trump wants to give me $70,000.” In most contexts, that might sound like something a Trump supporter would say, but the Treasure Planet actor (highly underrated Disney movie, thank you very much) makes clear that he definitely is not.
“So Donald Trump wants to give me $70,000 in tax cuts per year,” Gordon-Levitt begins his surprisingly honest video. “And, by the way, he doesn’t want to give that to everybody. I just read, that’s the average tax break for the top 1% if Donald Trump is elected president.”
Gordon-Levitt goes on to address that, yes, although Trump is claiming he’ll give tax breaks to everybody, “of all the tax cuts, of all that money, nearly half of it is going to go to just the top 5% of people.” The Hollywood mainstay then gets candid with his followers. “Now, do I need another $70,000? Honestly, no. My family and I are doing fine. Do I deserve an extra $70,000? I don’t think so. It doesn’t feel right to me.”
In case it wasn’t clear who Gordon-Levitt is supporting in this election, the actor goes on to stress: “If you want to know who’s going to help most Americans it’s Kamala. Trump’s gonna help the same people he always tries to help: the wealthy. Himself.” The Don Jon director adds, “Look, I completely respect needing to vote for the candidate that’s gonna make it easier for your family, but Donald Trump isn’t that candidate. Donald Trump’s trying to give me $70,000.”
He then concludes on a perfect note: “So, Mr. Trump… Thanks, but no thanks.”
Acquiring 4,000 likes in less than as many hours (at the time of writing), Gordon-Levitt’s message is being widely applauded online, for its frank response to Trump’s favoring of the extremely wealthy in a way that few of our other favorite film stars have been brave enough to do. “I respect him to the fullest,” one responder tweeted.
“Where can I sign up for the official Joseph Gordon-Levitt fan club?” asked another, speaking for all of us.
As Gordon-Levitt’s fellow former Gotham citizen Gary Oldman might say, he’s “not the hero we want, [but] the hero we need.”
Robin speaking out to accuse Trump of robbing from the poor to give to the rich is yet another political twist we didn’t have on our 2024 bingo cards, but at least this time it’s a positive one. Mr. Gordon-Levitt, you are now finally forgiven for your part in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra.