At the star-studded premiere of Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F in Beverly Hills, Joseph Gordon-Levitt took a nostalgic trip down memory lane, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the beloved teen film 10 Things I Hate About You.
The actor, known for his versatile roles in both indie films and blockbusters, opened up to ET's Nischelle Turner about the enduring legacy of the cult classic and shared his reflections on being a part of the new Beverly Hills Cop installment.
Gordon-Levitt, who was just three years old when the original Beverly Hills Cop was released in 1984, revealed his deep-rooted connection to the film. "I love it deep in my heart. I think that one of the very first songs that I ever learned to plunk out on a piano was," he reminisced, breaking into a brief rendition of a song from the movie.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt arrives at the premiere Of Netflix's 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F' at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
He added with a smile, "It’s true. My older brother is a huge Eddie Murphy fan, so when I was a little kid it was all about it."
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is the fourth installment in the iconic franchise. It features Eddie Murphy's return as Detroit detective Axel Foley. This time, Foley heads back to Beverly Hills to thwart a plot against his daughter Jane, played by Taylour Paige.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Judge Reinhold, Bronson Pinchot, Eddie Murphy, John Ashton, Kevin Bacon and Paul Reiser and guests attend premiere of Netflix's 'Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F' at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on June 20, 2024 in Beverly Hills, California.
Foley teams up with familiar faces Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) and Taggart (John Ashton), alongside new partner Detective Bobby Abbott, portrayed by Gordon-Levitt, to uncover the conspiracy.
This film marks the first sequel in the Beverly Hills Cop series since Beverly Hills Cop III was released thirty years ago.
When asked about the milestone anniversary of 10 Things I Hate About You, Gordon-Levitt expressed his amazement at the film's lasting impact. "I just can't believe people still. I mean, it's so delightful. How often do you get to be an artist and make something and then 25 years later, people are still talking about it. I'm gonna tell you the truth. I never would have guessed," he said.
Reflecting further, he drew a parallel to his current project, noting the unpredictable nature of a film's legacy. "It's hard to tell when you're doing it. I don't know. I bet if you asked Eddie 40 years ago, 'Hey, do you think 40 years from now you're gonna be at the premiere for the fourth one of these movies?' He would say I don't know, probably not, I don't know. So, I mean, who would have guessed but we did have a blast making 10 Things I Hate About You and I'm glad people still love it."
Heath Ledger, David Krumholtz and Joseph Gordon-Levitt standing at table in a scene from '10 Things I Hate About You' in 1999.
The conversation then shifted to his role in the latest Beverly Hills Cop film and how it resonates with his family, particularly his two young sons.
When asked if his kids would be watching him as an action star, Gordon-Levitt responded humorously, "You think I would let my boys watch this movie?"
He continued, sharing a candid parenting moment: "I don't know, they'll see scenes of it. I'll tell you the truth actually. I brought one of my boys to a scoring session 'cause he's really into music and it was great to see an orchestra up close. But they had on the screen what was going on and there I was holding up a gun, and I was like, oh no, do I cover my boy's eyes? They've never seen me like that. You know, he's young, he's eight years old. He's not quite ready to watch Beverly Hills Cop."
He continues, "Although, if I'm telling the truth, I was probably about his age when I was watching this movie with my older brother."
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F releases on Netflix on July 3.
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