Many famous actors and actresses have been a part of Rian Johnson’s films, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Bruce Willis, Daniel Craig, and many more. However, one notable individual has appeared in every Johnson movie project since the beginning of his directing career. This actor is none other than Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who has been in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and the latest installment of the Knives Out series.
This phenomenon began in 2005 with Rian Johnson’s debut film, Brick, where Joseph plays the main character in a crime drama. After this movie, the actor has been in other Johnson films due to a pact between the two.
Gordon-Levitt previously discusses this theme in an interview with Looper and states, “The two Rian Johnson ones are because we had an agreement, a gentleman’s agreement, that Rian, for some reason, wants me to be in all of his movies, which is a delight to me.” He then continues on to talk about how he has done small voice roles for the times when he can’t make it to the set.
One example of this work is from Rian’s recent film, Glass Onion: A Knives Out mystery, in which Joseph is the voice for the “Dong!” that sounds off hourly at Miles Bron’s private island.
To see more Rian Johnson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt collaborations, here is a list of the remaining films they have worked on together:
- The Brothers Bloom (Uncredited)
- Looper (Joe)
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Slowen Lo)
- Knives Out (Detective Hardrock)
Noah Segan is another actor who may be a part of this hidden cameo theme in Rian Johnson projects because he played Trooper Wagner in Knives Out and then changed his appearance with Derol in Glass Onion.
All in all, Rian Johnson continues to incorporate themes into his films, and we can’t wait to see what he does for his next project.
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