Why Joseph Gordon-Levitt Left 3rd Rock from the Sun: What Really Happened?

Summary

• Tommy Solomon was the main character of 3rd Rock from the Sun.
• However, his appearances in Season 6 were rare.
• The reason was a personal decision of Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Created by Bonnie and Terry Turner, 3rd Rock from the Sun is a true classic in the world of sitcoms. Following four extraterrestrials living in Ohio and trying to adjust to the lifestyle of an ordinary American family, the series has garnered tremendous ratings and received many prestigious nominations and awards, including 2 Golden Globe Awards and 6 Primetime Emmys. The family-friendly vibe and humor of aliens trying to understand and replicate the human way of life has captured the hearts of millions of households across the country.

And of course, one of the most popular characters was Tommy Solomon, played by none other than Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The oldest of the alien foursome, he was trapped in the body of a teenager, which became a comedic trope in pop culture for years to come. By the time of the final sixth season, however, his role status had been reduced to recurring, despite being a member of the core four. So what was the real reason for Joseph Gordon-Levitt's departure from 3rd Rock from the Sun?

Tommy's Role Was Significantly Reduced in Season 6

Tommy Solomon was an indispensable character for all six seasons of the show, not only because he was the main source of comic relief, but also because without him, the whole show would not have been nearly as funny. After all, the moments when Tommy, an ancient alien, yelled at his 'father' Dick (John Lithgow) for his childish judgments and actions were some of the funniest moments in the show's history.

Also, despite his real age, Tommy didn't know much about the human body and what happens to it during the teenage years. Throughout the series, he was not only trying to adjust to school life, but also struggling to understand his body as it went through puberty. This is what attracted not only adult viewers, but also teenagers to the show, as it was easier for them to relate to the experiences Tommy was going through.

However, despite Tommy's importance to the story and his contribution to keeping the ratings steady, the character only appeared in 12 of the 20 episodes of 3rd Rock from the Sun's final season, and in those episodes, his role was not always the most significant.

Why Did Joseph Gordon-Levitt Leave the Show?

According to the storyline, Tommy's absence from many episodes of Season 6 was due to the fact that he was away at college and only visited the Solomon family occasionally. Notably, literally the same thing happened in the life of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who was 19 at the time.

Then Gordon-Levitt decided to take a break from acting to pursue higher education. In 2000, he moved to New York City and enrolled at Columbia University, where he studied history, literature and French poetry. However, it is noteworthy that he left the university 4 years later to return to the screen. As we know, in the same year the movie Mysterious Skin was released, which gave the actor not only widespread fame, but also the status of a legend of indie cinema.

Nineteen years after the iconic sitcom ended, Gordon-Levitt noted that it was 3rd Rock from the Sun that allowed him to break into the craft and mold him as an actor:

'And yeah, that show was so formative for me. I was on that show from age 13 to 19, so all my teenage years I spent with that family of people and they're incredibly dear to me. I'm singling out John [Lithgow], but Kristen Johnston, French Stewart, Jane Curtin, Simbi Kali, Wayne Knight, everybody. Everybody was so, so sweet.'

3rd Rock from the Sun is available on Hoopla, Prime Video, Apple TV, and the Microsoft Store.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter.