LDOC event features actor

First it was the Sundance Film Festival.

Later, it was the sobering death of his brother.

After three semesters of unforeseen complications, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt is finally coming to UNC, armed with his Web community hitRECord.org.

The actor ­— who starred in 2009’s “500 Days of Summer” and in last summer’s blockbuster “Inception” — was asked by three separate committees of the Carolina Union Activities Board to visit the University in the past year and a half.

“He’s a busy guy and it’s been difficult to get him on campus, but we’re really excited,” said Tyler Mills, CUAB president.

Aside from starring in two summer hits and being recently cast in Christopher Nolan’s third Batman installment, “The Dark Knight Rises,” Gordon-Levitt is founder of hitRECord.org — a social networking collaboration site specializing in video creation.

“It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen,” said Cierra Hinton, forum chairwoman for CUAB responsible for bringing the actor.

The site encourages writers, actors, cinematographers and musicians to contribute their work to create a joint project.

Gordon-Levitt often pitches well-received projects to film studios. Any profits are then divided between the site and the contributing artists.

Though Hinton could not discuss the specifics of Gordon-Levitt’s program, she described it as a highly interactive variety show.

As an actor and not a musician, Gordon-Levitt is not the usual choice for the University’s last day of class celebrations.

But the interactive nature of his Web site will animate the performance, CUAB members said.

Lauren Sacks, assistant director of student learning and activities for the Student Union, said this element makes it a perfect fit for the last day of classes.

“Because the show will be an interactive presentation, it will be particularly engaging for the audience and a unique presentation,” Sacks said in an email.

“(It’s) not a lecture, not a concert, but a kind of multimedia interaction.”

Mills said “hitRECord at the Movies with Joseph Gordon-Levitt” will be a refreshing end to the school year.

“You can bring a famous person to campus and it can be super well attended and no one will get anything out of it,” he said.

“(Gordon-Levitt) is exciting because he’s been in a bunch of movies, but he actually has something to talk about.”

Contact the Arts Editor at arts@dailytarheel.com.