10 Actors Who Had Awesome Directorial Debuts

By Audrey Fox /

7. Joseph Gordon-Levitt - Don Jon

At this point, we have to just throw our hands up in the air and admit that it just might be possible that Joseph Gordon-Levitt can do no wrong. He's always stood out among his peers for picking interesting and complex projects, even when he was a teenager trying to transition from a child star to an adult career. So it stands to reason that when he decided to direct his first film, it would be something with a little bit more substance than your average rom com. On the surface, Don Jon was basically about a sex-obsessed dude bro and his relationships. But there's also an interesting commentary on masculinity and pornography, as explored by the main character. It's too early to tell if he'll return to the director's chair in the future, as his dance card is pretty full with acting roles for the next few years, but even if he doesn't, Don Jon was an impressive outing for a young director.