First of all, I have to applaud GQ for using a really great photo of Joseph Gordon Levitt for their cover – this is one of the best, one of the sexiest photos I’ve ever seen of JGL. At times he can photograph as “too cute” and I feel like a predator for being attracted to him. But in this GQ photo shoot, he actually looks like a boyishly handsome MAN. A man who is perfectly capable of doing dirty things. Anyway, you can read the full GQ piece here, and here are some highlights:

Growing up, Joseph Gordon-Levitt admits he was “a sort of serious little dude—snobby,” and tells GQ’s Amy Wallace that he was dangerously at risk of becoming a “hopeless ivory-tower douchebag.” It was somewhat fitting that he played an old geezer trapped in a boy’s body on “3rd Rock From The Sun.” According to his ex-costar, John Lithgow, “he was a very mature boy—I remember him carrying on about the ecological damage that is done when people build new golf courses. What teenager worries about that? And now he’s a very youthful adult. He’s done a flip-flop.”

Joseph Gordon-Levitt on not going to his high school prom: “I thought the girls my age were very frustrating. They were, like, looking in their compact mirrors and s–t, and I thought that was evil.”

JGL on how Hollywood is crumbling: “The entertainment business as it has been is not going to be around that much longer. The way it’s going is, there’s going to be artists, and they’ll make their s–t, and they’ll connect to their audience, and you don’t need any of the middlemen—the studios or the agents.”

JGL on how he hates Americans’ fawning over celebrity: “I really don’t like this notion that some people are more important than other people. These stories about these elevated people called ‘celebrities’ teaches you”—and by “you” he meant regular, nonfamous folks—”that what you have to say doesn’t matter. It’s degrading.”

“The Dark Knight Rises” director Christopher Nolan on Gordon-Levitt: “He has a tremendous charisma and that incredible kind of positivity that can’t be faked.” Which makes him perfect, of course, for Commissioner Gordon’s protégé. “We really needed somebody with a sense of idealism to contrast with Gordon’s weariness. I thought of Joe first and foremost.”

[From GQ]

GQ even notes the rumors that JGL is playing “Robin” to Christian Bale’s Batman, although I don’t really know if that’s on the level or not. JGL basically sounds like a sweet little hipster dude – hipster dudes aren’t my type, but I might make an exception for him.

Oh, and some of you wanted me to mention this – while JGL was at Comic-Con to promote Looper, he was doing press alongside Emily Blunt. According to reports, JGL was asked about working with Emily and what he thought about her and he said some variation of “She’s funny… and let’s face it, most pretty girls aren’t funny.” A Variety reporter claims that Emily “visibly bristled” at the comment. So… is JGL a dimpled misogynist who thinks that only ugly girls can be “funny”? Does he merely patronize “funny” pretty girls? Have at it.

Photos courtesy of Nathaniel Goldberg/GQ, GQ’s slideshow, WENN.