Joseph Gordon-Levitt Is 'So Happy' His 'Good Friend' Shailene Woodley Agreed to Go to Greece for New Movie (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (left) and Shailene Woodley in 2016.Photo:Jonathan Leibson/Getty

Jonathan Leibson/Getty

Joseph Gordon-Levittwas thrilled to work withShailene Woodleyagain on their new murder mystery movie.While speaking with PEOPLE recently about his new Prime Video movieKiller Heat, Gordon-Levitt, 43, says it was “such a pleasure” to reunite with Woodley, 32, on the new film, which releases eight years after the pair costarred in the 2016 thriller biopicSnowden.“When I called Shae it had been a few years since we’d spoken,” Gordon-Levitt tells PEOPLE of recruiting Woodley forKiller Heat. InSnowden, Gordon-Levitt portrayed title character Edward Snowden, while Woodley played the whistleblower and former CIA contractor’s wife Lindsay Mills.“You know when you have a real good friend and it’s been awhile, you just fall right back into all the comfort and friendship that you’ve had in the past, that’s how you know it’s a real good friend? That’s just like it was with Shae,” Gordon-Levitt says of reconnecting with Woodley forKiller Heat.“I was like ‘Hey, want to go to Greece?,’ " he added. “And I’m so happy it worked out.“Shailene Woodley (left) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt inKiller Heat.Patrick Redmond/PrimeInKiller Heat, Gordon-Levitt portrays a private detective named Nick Bali, who travels to the Greek island Crete to investigate the accidental death of a young man from a rich family on the island.Richard Maddenplays both victim Leo Vardakis and his identical twin Elias, while Woodley portrays Elias' wife Penelope, who hires Nick on the hunch that something suspicious happened to her brother-in-law.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“It’s funny because he is just such a sweetheart,” Gordon-Levitt adds of his other costar in Madden, whose dual performance brings much of the tension at the heart of the movie. “And he’s playing this really diabolical — two guys, and both of them in different ways are pretty damaged, nasty character. And Richard himself is kind of a teddy bear, a real sweetheart.“Gordon-Levitt, Woodley and Madden shot the film — which is based on author Jo Nesbø’sThe Jealousy Man— on location in Greece, to which Gordon-Levitt says he felt “so lucky” to get to work against such beautiful scenery on the island.Killer Heatposter.Amazon MGM / Prime Video"I just consider it such a privilege. I feel so lucky,” he says. “I’ve gotten to go to lots of different places and there are very, very few places I’ve been that were more beautiful than the island of Crete. I’ve never been to Greece before getting to do this movie, and it’s a cliché — the beauty of Greece — but it’s a cliché for a reason. It’s flipping beautiful!“Killer Heatbegins streaming on Prime Video Sept. 26.

Joseph Gordon-Levittwas thrilled to work withShailene Woodleyagain on their new murder mystery movie.

While speaking with PEOPLE recently about his new Prime Video movieKiller Heat, Gordon-Levitt, 43, says it was “such a pleasure” to reunite with Woodley, 32, on the new film, which releases eight years after the pair costarred in the 2016 thriller biopicSnowden.

“When I called Shae it had been a few years since we’d spoken,” Gordon-Levitt tells PEOPLE of recruiting Woodley forKiller Heat. InSnowden, Gordon-Levitt portrayed title character Edward Snowden, while Woodley played the whistleblower and former CIA contractor’s wife Lindsay Mills.

“You know when you have a real good friend and it’s been awhile, you just fall right back into all the comfort and friendship that you’ve had in the past, that’s how you know it’s a real good friend? That’s just like it was with Shae,” Gordon-Levitt says of reconnecting with Woodley forKiller Heat.

“I was like ‘Hey, want to go to Greece?,’ " he added. “And I’m so happy it worked out.”

Shailene Woodley (left) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt inKiller Heat.Patrick Redmond/Prime

Patrick Redmond/Prime

InKiller Heat, Gordon-Levitt portrays a private detective named Nick Bali, who travels to the Greek island Crete to investigate the accidental death of a young man from a rich family on the island.Richard Maddenplays both victim Leo Vardakis and his identical twin Elias, while Woodley portrays Elias' wife Penelope, who hires Nick on the hunch that something suspicious happened to her brother-in-law.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“It’s funny because he is just such a sweetheart,” Gordon-Levitt adds of his other costar in Madden, whose dual performance brings much of the tension at the heart of the movie. “And he’s playing this really diabolical — two guys, and both of them in different ways are pretty damaged, nasty character. And Richard himself is kind of a teddy bear, a real sweetheart.”

Gordon-Levitt, Woodley and Madden shot the film — which is based on author Jo Nesbø’sThe Jealousy Man— on location in Greece, to which Gordon-Levitt says he felt “so lucky” to get to work against such beautiful scenery on the island.

Killer Heatposter.Amazon MGM / Prime Video

Amazon MGM / Prime Video

“I just consider it such a privilege. I feel so lucky,” he says. “I’ve gotten to go to lots of different places and there are very, very few places I’ve been that were more beautiful than the island of Crete. I’ve never been to Greece before getting to do this movie, and it’s a cliché — the beauty of Greece — but it’s a cliché for a reason. It’s flipping beautiful!”

Killer Heatbegins streaming on Prime Video Sept. 26.

source: people.com