Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal was born on December 19, 1980, in Los Angeles, California, United States, to screenwriterNaomi Foner (née Achs) and film directorStephen Gyllenhaal.[5][6] ActressMaggie Gyllenhaal, his older sister, appeared with him in the science fiction psychological thriller filmDonnie Darko (2001). Gyllenhaal's father, who was raised as aSwedenborgian, is a Christian[7] of Swedish and English descent and is a descendant of the Swedish nobleGyllenhaal family.[8] His last ancestor to be born in Sweden was his great-great-grandfather, Anders Leonard Gyllenhaal.[9] Gyllenhaal's mother is Jewish,[10][11][12][13] and was born in New York City into anAshkenazi Jewish family from Russia and Poland.[14][15] Gyllenhaal has said that he considers himself Jewish.[16][17] Gyllenhaal islegally blind and has been wearing corrective lenses since he was 6.[18] On his 13th birthday, Gyllenhaal performed a "Bar Mitzvah-like act, without the typical trappings", volunteering at ahomeless shelter because his parents wanted to give him a sense of gratitude for his privileged lifestyle.[19][20]
As a child, Gyllenhaal was regularly exposed to filmmaking due to his family's ties to the industry. He made his acting debut asBilly Crystal's son in the 1991 comedyCity Slickers. His parents did not allow him to appear inThe Mighty Ducks (1992) because it would have required him to leave home for two months.[6] In subsequent years, his parents allowed him to audition for roles but regularly forbade him to take them if he were chosen.[21] He was allowed to appear in his father's films several times. Gyllenhaal appeared in the 1993'sA Dangerous Woman (along with sister Maggie), in "Bop Gun", a 1994 episode ofHomicide: Life on the Street; and in the 1998 comedyHomegrown. Along with their mother, Jake and Maggie appeared in two episodes ofMolto Mario, an Italian cooking show on theFood Network. Prior to his senior year in high school, the only other film not directed by his father in which Gyllenhaal was allowed to perform was the 1993 filmJosh and S.A.M., a little-known children's adventure.[22]
His parents insisted that he have summer jobs to support himself, and he thus worked as a lifeguard and as abusboy at a restaurant operated by a family friend.[21] Gyllenhaal said his parents encouraged artistic expression: "I do have parents who constantly supported me in certain ways. In other ways, they were lacking. Definitely, it's in expression and creativity where my family has always been best at."[23] Gyllenhaal graduated from theHarvard-Westlake School, a private school in Los Angeles in 1998, then attendedColumbia University, where his sister was a senior and from which his mother had graduated, to studyEastern religions and philosophy. At Columbia, he was a resident ofJohn Jay Hall.[24] Gyllenhaal dropped out after two years to concentrate on acting but has expressed intentions to eventually finish his degree.[6] Gyllenhaal's first lead role was inOctober Sky,Joe Johnston's 1999 adaptation of theHomer Hickam autobiographyRocket Boys, in which he portrayed a young man fromWest Virginia striving to win a science scholarship to avoid becoming a coal miner. The film was positively received and earned $32 million; it was described in theSacramento News and Review as Gyllenhaal's "breakout performance".[22][25]
2001–2004:Donnie Darko to the London stage
Donnie Darko, in which Gyllenhaal played his second lead role on film, was not a box office success on its initial 2001 release; eventually, the film became acult favorite.[26] Directed byRichard Kelly, the film is set in 1988 and stars Gyllenhaal as a troubled teenager who experiences visions of a six-foot-tall (1.8-meter) rabbit named Frank who tells him that the world is coming to an end. Gyllenhaal's performance was well received by critics; Gary Mairs ofCulture Vulture wrote that he "manages the difficult trick of seeming both blandly normal and profoundly disturbed, often within the same scene."[27][28]
Gyllenhaal's next role was as Pilot Kelston in 2002'sHighway alongsideJared Leto. His performance was described by one critic as "silly, clichéd andstraight to video".[22] Gyllenhaal had more success starring oppositeJennifer Aniston inThe Good Girl, which premiered at the 2002Sundance Film Festival; he also starred inLovely and Amazing withCatherine Keener.[29] In both films he plays an unstable character who begins a reckless affair with an older woman. Gyllenhaal later described these as "teenager in transition" roles.[30] Gyllenhaal later starred in theTouchstone Pictures romantic comedyBubble Boy, which was loosely based on the story ofDavid Vetter. The film portrays the title character's adventures as he pursues the love of his life before she marries the wrong man.[31] The film was panned by critics,[32] with one calling it "stupid and devoid of any redeeming features".[33]
FollowingBubble Boy, Gyllenhaal starred oppositeDustin Hoffman,Susan Sarandon andEllen Pompeo inMoonlight Mile (2002), as a young man coping with the death of his fiancée and the grief of her parents. The story, which received mixed reviews,[34] is loosely based on writer-directorBrad Silberling's personal experiences following the murder of his girlfriend,Rebecca Schaeffer.[35] In his theatrical debut, Gyllenhaal starred on the London stage inKenneth Lonergan's revival ofThis Is Our Youth at theGarrick Theatre in 2002.[36] Gyllenhaal said, "Every actor I look up to has done theatre work, so I knew I had to give it a try."[37] The play ran for eight weeks in London'sWest End; Gyllenhaal received favorable reviews and anEvening Standard Theatre Award in the Outstanding Newcomer category.[38][39]
Gyllenhaal was almost cast asSpider-Man for 2004'sSpider-Man 2, due to directorSam Raimi's concerns about originalSpider-Man starTobey Maguire's health.[40] Maguire recovered, however, and the sequel was shot without Gyllenhaal.[41] The actors later starred together inBrothers (2009), and resemble each other enough that Gyllenhaal has jokingly complained about cab drivers often calling him "Spider-Man".[42] In 2003, he also auditioned for the role of Batman in the superhero filmBatman Begins and came close being offered the part, but it was given toChristian Bale.[43][44] Gyllenhaal subsequently appeared in the science fictionblockbusterThe Day After Tomorrow in 2004, co-starringDennis Quaid as his father.[6][45]
In 2005, Gyllenhaal was cast in the dramaProof, with co-starsGwyneth Paltrow andAnthony Hopkins, where he played a graduate student in mathematics who tries to convince Paltrow's character to publish a revolutionaryproof to a problem puzzling the mathematicians' community. The film received a generally positive response. He also starred inSam Mendes'sJarhead, where Gyllenhaal played aU.S. Marine during the firstGulf War. The film garnered a favorable response;Stephen Hunter ofThe Washington Post praises Gyllenhaal's performance, writing, "He makes us see his character's intelligence", adding "he doesn't seem jealous of the camera's attention when it goes to others".[46]
Gyllenhaal expressed mixed feelings about the experience of being directed byAng Lee inBrokeback Mountain but generally had more praise than criticism for his directorial style. While critical of the way Lee tended to disconnect from his actors once filming began, Gyllenhaal praised his encouraging direction of the actors and sensitive approach to the material.[53][54] At theDirectors Guild of America Awards on January 28, 2006, Gyllenhaal also praised Lee for "his humbleness and his respect for everyone around him".[55] When asked about his kissing scenes with Ledger inBrokeback Mountain, Gyllenhaal said, "As an actor, I think we need to embrace the times we feel most uncomfortable."[56] When asked about the more intimate scenes with Ledger, Gyllenhaal likened them to "doing asex scene with a woman I'm not particularly attracted to".[47] Following the release ofBrokeback Mountain, rumors circulated regarding the actor'ssexual orientation. When asked about such gossip during an interview, Gyllenhaal said:
You know it's flattering when there's a rumor that says I'm bisexual. It means I can play more kinds of roles. I'm open to whatever people want to call me. I've never really been attracted to men sexually, but I don't think I would be afraid of it if it happened.[57]
The following year, Gyllenhaal played the lead role inPrince of Persia: The Sands of Time, an adaptation of the video gameof the same name, produced byJerry Bruckheimer and released byDisney. He starred oppositeAnne Hathaway in the romantic-comedyLove & Other Drugs, released on November 24, 2010, which gained him a Golden Globe Award nomination.[70]The Guardian'sPhilip French welcomed Gyllenhaal's choice of a comic role, in contrast to his previous film roles, but thought the film "stumbles badly".[71] For his sole project in 2011, he portrayed Colter Stevens, aU.S. Army Aviation captain, in the 2011 time-travel thrillerSource Code. Despite noting the film's unrealistic plot, Peter Howell of theToronto Star praised the prime performances of the cast.[72]
2012–2018: Critical acclaim and Broadway debut
Gyllenhaal starred alongsideMichael Peña inDavid Ayer's action thrillerEnd of Watch, about two Los Angeles street cops. The film, for which Gyllenhaal was also an executive producer, was released in September 2012 and received positive reviews, withRoger Ebert deeming it "one of the best police movies in recent years, a virtuoso fusion of performances and often startling action" andSalon's Andrew O'Hehir stating that the film was "at least the best cop movie sinceJames Gray'sWe Own the Night, and very likely sinceAntoine Fuqua's memorableTraining Day (which, not coincidentally, was written by Ayer)".[73][74] To prepare for the role, Gyllenhaal took tactical training and participated in actual police ride-alongs with co-star Peña to help establish the language of the characters.[75]
In 2016, he starred inTom Ford's neo-noir thrillerNocturnal Animals, based on the 1993 novelTony and Susan byAustin Wright.[94] The film received positive reviews.[95]The Sydney Morning Herald'sSandra Hall praised Gyllenhaal's brilliant portrayal of his two roles, whileJustin Chang of theLos Angeles Times wrote that his performance contained "rich emotional shadings" and escalating intensity that becomes overwhelming.[96][97] In October 2016, he appeared in four benefit concert performances of theStephen Sondheim andJames Lapine musicalSunday in the Park with George at theNew York City Center as the titular character.[98] Alexis Soloski ofThe Guardian gave the performance a perfect five-star review and hailed Gyllenhaal's superb singing.[99] Starting in February 2017, Gyllenhaal reprised the role at the reopenedHudson Theatre on Broadway.[100]Ben Brantley ofThe New York Times praised his "searing theatrical presence, in which his eyes are his center of gravity."[100] He was scheduled to appear inLanford Wilson'sBurn This on Broadway under the direction ofMichael Mayer in 2017.[101] However, a new production ofBurn This took place in 2019 withAdam Driver appearing, with Gyllenhaal's production having reportedly been abandoned.[102]
In 2017, Gyllenhaal starred as astronaut David Jordan in the science fiction horror filmLife;[94]Slant Magazine's Eric Henderson stated that Gyllenhaal was "dead behind the eyes from his first scene".[103] He also had a supporting role in the action-adventure filmOkja and starred in the dramaStronger, based onBoston Marathon bombing survivorJeff Bauman.[94] In his review of the latter,The Independent's Geoffrey Macnab complimented Gyllenhaal's versatility and "outstanding" portrayal of Bauman.[104] The following year, he co-starred in the dramaWildlife oppositeCarey Mulligan, in which he plays a father who temporarily abandons his family to take a dangerous job. It is based on the1990 novel of the same name byRichard Ford. Ella Kemp, writing forSight & Sound magazine, praised the chemistry of the lead actors which "fizzes with an effortless dynamism".[105] He also had a role in the Western dramaThe Sisters Brothers (2018).[94]
Gyllenhaal was named one ofPeople's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2006.[122] He was also listed inPeople's "Hottest Bachelors of 2006".[123] In April 2012,Shalom Life ranked him number six on its list of "the 50 most talented, intelligent, funny, and gorgeous Jewish men in the world".[124] He was ranked number 35 inEmpire's poll of The 100 Sexiest Movie Stars in 2013.[125] In another poll conducted byGlamour, Gyllenhaal was selected as one of the Sexiest Men of The Year 2018.[126]
Gyllenhaal's sister Maggie is married to actorPeter Sarsgaard, Gyllenhaal's co-star inJarhead andRendition.[127] In December 2006, Gyllenhaal and his sister escaped a fire that destroyed Manka's Inverness Lodge, a famed lodge and restaurant inInverness, California, at which they were vacationing. The two were among a dozen or so guests who fled after the fire, sparked by a falling tree, broke out at about 3 a.m. Co-owner and celebrity chef Daniel DeLong said the pair were supportive despite having to brave the wind and cold. "Jake was helping me pull things out of the fire," DeLong said.[128]
Gyllenhaal hasgodparents whom he describes as "celebrity godparents". Actor and directorPaul Newman was his godfather,[129] and actressJamie Lee Curtis is his godmother.[6][129] Other godparents of unknown status include a gay couple[130][131] and cinematographerRobert Elswit.[132][133] Gyllenhaal is the godfather of Matilda Rose Ledger (born October 28, 2005), daughter of hisBrokeback Mountain co-stars Heath Ledger andMichelle Williams.[134]
Gyllenhaal began dating actressKirsten Dunst in 2002 after his sister Maggie, who starred with Dunst inMona Lisa Smile, introduced them; they eventually broke up in 2004 on friendly terms.[135] He dated hisRendition co-starReese Witherspoon from 2007 until 2009.[136][137] He dated singer-songwriterTaylor Swift from October 2010 to January 2011,[138][139] and modelAlyssa Miller from July to December 2013.[140][141] Gyllenhaal has been in a relationship with French model Jeanne Cadieu since late 2018.[142]
Political views and other interests
Gyllenhaal once filmed a commercial forRock the Vote and, along with his sister, visited theUniversity of Southern California to urge students to vote in the2004 U.S. presidential election.[143] He also campaigned forDemocratic Party presidential nomineeJohn Kerry.[144] He has said that "it frustrates me when actors talk politics; I'm political and I make choices in my movies that I think are political. I try and say things with what I do. Rightly or wrongly, young actors have all the power."[6] In an interview, he remarked that "it's a sad time when actors are politicians and politicians are actors".[145] In the2018 midterm elections, Gyllenhaal endorsedU.S. Senate candidateBeto O'Rourke. His endorsement came in the form of aFacebook post that included a picture of him in a "BETO" shirt and a caption that also endorsedStacey Abrams,Andrew Gillum,Kyrsten Sinema, andJacky Rosen in their respective Senate or gubernatorial elections.[146]
Gyllenhaalrecycles regularly, and said in an interview that he spends $400 a year to have trees planted in aMozambique forest, partly to promote the Future Forests program.[147][148] After filmingThe Day After Tomorrow, he flew to theArctic to promote awareness ofclimate change.[149][150] He has described climate activistGreta Thunberg as an inspiring figure.[151]
In 2003, Gyllenhaal participated in an advertising campaign by theAmerican Civil Liberties Union.[152][153] Gyllenhaal is the Honorary Chair of theNew Eyes for the Needy Advisory Board,[154] and has signed on to help the TV fundraiserStand Up to Cancer.[155] Gyllenhaal is on the board of directors for theAnti-Recidivism Coalition and volunteered in California juvenile detention centers withScott Budnick.[156] In 2014, Gyllenhaal attended an event that benefited the Headstrong Project, an organization that provides treatment to military veterans suffering frompost traumatic stress disorder, during which he read a poem by a veteran,[157] and in 2017 he participated in a fundraiser to help survivors who lost limbs during theSeptember 11 attacks in 2001.[158] Gyllenhaal has studied Buddhism and has said, "I am not a card-carrying Buddhist, but I do try to practicemindfulness" and that it is his goal to meditate every day.[159][160]
^Gyllenhaal, Jake (October 13, 2014)."An Actor Pronounces My Last Name Correctly" (Interview). Interviewed by Pattanumotana, Goon "Gig Patta". 0:00 minutes in.Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. RetrievedApril 26, 2020. Gig Patta: Good, good. And, um, just to wrap things up, I know you've been asked, you know, hundreds of times—I mean, how do you really pronounce your last name? Gyllenhaal: How do you think you pronounce my last name? Gig Patta: I thought it was pronounced /ˈdʒɪlənhɔːl/. Gyllenhaal: You got it! That's it. Gig Patta: Is that really...? Gyllenhaal: Yeah, there's no need for me even to say it. You got it perfectly.
^Lawrence, Will (January 7, 2010)."Jake Gyllenhaal interview".The Daily Telegraph. London.Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. RetrievedJuly 30, 2017.
^Nichols, Kara (September 21, 2004)."Celebrities rally voters".The Daily Trojan.153 (20).Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. RetrievedDecember 13, 2014.
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