
- The 2009 Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt movie 500 Days of Summer sparked debate over who, exactly, was the villain of the story—Deschanel's Summer, or Gordon-Levitt's Tom?
- Twitter user @chrissymeds reawakened the debate, tweeting that Summer was "the movie villain" and Tom was "the actual villain."
- Gordon-Levitt agreed, tweeting, "I approve this message."
Perhaps you've heard of a small 2009 Belle and Sebastian-soundtracked, partially Ikea-based movie titled 500 Days of Summer? And perhaps you watched said movie as a teen, and could not imagine how Zooey Deschanel could possibly break sweet, precious Joseph Gordon-Levitt's heart so callously, only to subsequently realize that Deschanel's Summer was not to blame for refusing to be the one-dimensional manic pixie dream girl (remember that phrase?) Gordon-Levitt's Tom projected onto her? Well, in happy nostalgia news, JGL himself just tweeted that he absolutely agrees with the latter take, and said tweet quickly went viral.
If, like many of us, you're spending an increased amount of time on Twitter of late, you'll no doubt have encountered the "villain/actual villain" trend. @chrissymeds tweeted photos of Summer and Tom, titling the former "the movie villain" and the latter "the actual villain," a very correct tweet that quickly went viral. Then Gordon-Levitt himself chimed in, tweeting, "I approve this message."
I approve this message 👀 https://t.co/AVnY3bbCPUJuly 9, 2020
In a 2019 interview with Entertainment Weekly to celebrate the movie's 10th anniversary, both Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt agreed that Summer was not, in fact, the villain of 500 Days of Summer. "This is a movie with zero dramatic irony. Zero. It is 100 percent from Tom’s point of view, which we’ve talked about before, but it’s one thing people very much misunderstand about the movie. They think Summer’s a villain," Deschanel said.
"And a lot of it has to do with this voiceover, and I think that’s sort of part of the point, that the voiceover sounds authoritative, so you believe that it’s true," Gordon-Levitt agreed. "We all think that our perspective is authoritative, and Tom thinks that his perspective is authoritative. But life’s actually a lot more subjective than that."
For more stories like this, including celebrity news, beauty and fashion advice, savvy political commentary, and fascinating features, sign up for the Marie Claire newsletter.
RELATED STORIES
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.
-
The 32 Funniest Actors (Who Aren't Actually Comedians)
But you'd never know it.
By Katherine J. Igoe
-
32 of the Most Iconic Hollywood Friendships
Some have been going strong for decades.
By Katherine J. Igoe
-
Behold: Ciara’s Golden Flecked Baby Bump
Now *that's* how you do maternity fashion with flair.
By India Roby
-
How Timothée Chalamet's "Emotional Intelligence" Will Transform the Character of Willy Wonka
Literally perfect casting.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Adam Sandler Brought His Wife Jackie and Lookalike Daughter Sunny to 'The Out-Laws' Premiere
So cute!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Nicholas Hoult Told Toni Collette He Still Thinks of Her as His Mom When He Watches One of Her Movies
I love this so much.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Alicia Silverstone Would Totally Do a Sequel to The '90s Rom-Com She Starred In Opposite Brendan Fraser
Did you guys know about this movie??
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Jennifer Grey Spotted Someone Watching 'Dirty Dancing' on a Plane on Valentine's Day
Fact: This is the best thing that's ever happened.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Jennifer Coolidge Would Definitely Be "On Board" to Film 'Legally Blonde 3'
YES!!!
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Salma Hayek Says Channing Tatum Almost "Killed" Her During a Lap Dance for 'Magic Mike's Last Dance'
LOL, Salma.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Julia Roberts and Jennifer Aniston Are Body-Swapping in an Upcoming Comedy, And It Might Be the Best News I've Ever Received
Clearly, I've lived an uneventful life.
By Iris Goldsztajn