Heartbreaking reason Joseph Gordon-Levitt vanished from Hollywood

Here is the heartbreaking reason why actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt decided to take a step back from Hollywood.

The 44-year-old actor's face is one you'll likely recognise from Leonardo DiCaprio blockbuster Inception, cult 90s film 10 Things I Hate About You and peak millennial film 500 Days of Summer.

Add in projects such as The Dark Knight Rises and Snowden and it truly felt like he was everywhere between the late 90s and early 2010s. However, nowadays it feels like the Gordon-Levitt isn't as prominent in the acting field as he used to be.

So, what happened to the him?

A quick glance over Gordon-Levitt's recent filmography will tell you that the actor hasn't completely vanished off the face of the Earth, but instead taken step back to work on his media platform HitRecord.

After starring in numerous major films, the actor decided to take a step back from Hollywood (Brenton Ho/Variety via Getty Images)

Why did Joseph Gordon-Levitt take a step back from Hollywood?

According to a recent article from MailOnline, Gordon-Levitt's decision to step away from the limelight may have come from the death of his older brother, Dan Gordon-Levitt.

The brothers had originally founded HitRecord together back in 2005, however, Dan would tragically pass away just five years later at the age of 36.

Dan's passing is said to have had a profound impact on Gordon, who was just 29 at the time, with the insider telling the outlet: "His brother's death has had a lasting impact.

"Joseph has continued to work since that moment in a mixture of on camera and voice roles, but what it taught him most was that life is fleeting and should be enjoyed.

"It's not that Joseph doesn't enjoy working, but he also enjoys life and working on projects that were dear to his brother."

The source went on to describe Dan as a 'hero' to Joseph, adding that the actor now lives 'the way he believes his brother would be proud of'.

"It has had a major life altering impact on their business and his life. No question about it," they added.

Dan and Joseph Gordon-Levitt attending an event together in 2002 (Frank Trapper/Corbis via Getty Images)

Following his brother's death, HitRecord has since released numerous short films as well as Gordon-Levitt's 2013 directorial debut Don Jon, starring Scarlett Johansson and Julianne Moore.

Meanwhile, Gordon-Levitt, who is set to feature upcoming horror film Pendulum, has previously opened up about the impact of his brother's death.

"The biggest transformation I've ever seen is my brother," he explained to the Off Camera Show in 2016.

Going on to recall how Dan had been 'introverted' for most of his life, Gordon-Levitt revealed that a chance trip to Burning Man festival inspired his brother to learn fire spinning, adding: "It changed his life. He became such an extroverted person.

"I love hearing about people who say I can be who I want to be and change themselves."