Joseph Gordon-Levitt started off on the small screen at a young age. His 1992 film debut in "A River Runs Through It" kickstarted his big screen career, and he went on to appear in "The Juror", "Halloween: H20", and "10 Things I Hate About You". But you'll probably recognise him from the TV show 3rd Rock from the Sun.
What was the attraction for you about voicing Jim Hawkins?
It's a Disney animated movie and Disney animated movies are in a class by themselves, without a doubt. "Dumbo" is one of my favourite movies of all time and to be part of that tradition is unbelievable to me.
Had you read "Treasure Island" before you did this film?
I hadn't but then I did read it. It's a fantastic book and I hope this movie inspires people to read it. It's just an excellent complement to the movie. And if you've read the book already and you like it, this movie is different enough that you won't feel, "Oh, it didn't do justice to the book." It's kind of just a different interpretation of the story.
How does the film keep the spirit of the book?
The themes are the same. The Disney movie really emphasises the humanity of Jim Hawkins. It's about somebody who can't find his place in the universe and then he finds it. The book is more about the specifics of the adventure - what's going on specifically with the rations, the outpost, the ammunition, things like that. They are just different takes on the same thing.
Do you have a favourite character in the film?
Emma Thompson's character is the coolest woman to ever hit Disney animation! I love this character [Captain Amelia]. She's the strong, badass captain of the ship. She's not Snow White! She doesn't need to be saved by any prince. If anything, she's going to save the ass of any prince who comes along and the prince is going to have to rely on her.
