Joseph Gordon-Levitt Explains the Inspiration for 'Mr. Corman'
Published Aug. 6 2021, 2:38 p.m. ET
Some of the best television comes from art imitating life, and even though Joseph Gordon-Levitt's series Mr. Corman on Apple TV+ isn’t a retelling of his own life, it was inspired by it. In a video posted on the Associated Press' YouTube account, Joseph explains how he was inspired to create the dramedy.
The series revolves around an elementary school teacher who has a sort of existential crisis that manifests itself in visions of the world literally crashing down around him. In real life, Joseph's life is essentially the exact opposite of that.
But it was because of everything good in his life that he was inspired to create a show about how his (or anyone else's) life might have turned out had he not been given so many opportunities.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 'Mr. Corman' was inspired by his "luck" in having a good life.
Joseph felt so lucky in the way his own life turned out that he felt compelled to write a story about a guy who *doesn't* have it all figured out.
"I was feeling just so grateful for my life," he said. "I started writing Mr. Corman when I first actually became a dad and I was feeling so grateful for my partner who I love so much and my family … I have two wonderful parents. I get to do work that is meaningful to me. You know, I'm healthy and safe and I have so much to be grateful for."
He went on to explain that "a lot of those things just come down to luck." Joseph admitted that he could have easily never met his wife with whom he shares two kids, and he could have ended up with one wonderful parent and one absentee mother or father.
The idea of luck playing a role in life events led him to create the show and the character.
He also pointed out, "Josh Corman sounds sort of like Joseph Gordon."
'Mr. Corman' is based mostly in reality and partially in fantasy.
Schoolteacher Mr. Corman has a personal crisis as he starts to realize everywhere he made the wrong moves, from his career to his ex-fiancée, and as the anxiety creeps in, he tries hard to make things right in his life.
Luckily for Joseph Gordon-Levitt, things are quite the opposite, but his ability to use hindsight to recognize that and is kind of amazing.