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Jake Gyllenhaal

Who Is Jake Gyllenhaal?

Early Life & Famous Sister

Actor Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal, better known as Jake Gyllenhaal, was born on December 19, 1980, in Los Angeles, California. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and producer/screenwriter Naomi Foner, Jake and his sister Maggie have been acting since childhood. Some of Gyllenhaal's earlier films included City Slickers (1991), in which he played Billy Crystal's son, and A Dangerous Woman (1993), directed by his father. The young Gyllenhaal graduated from Los Angeles' Harvard-Westlake High School and studied for a year at Columbia University in New York before dropping out to pursue acting.

'October Sky,' 'Donnie Darko'

In order to make the transformation from child to adult actor, Gyllenhaal purposefully passed over teen fare for such films as October Sky (1999) and Donnie Darko (2001), co-starring Drew Barrymore and sister Maggie, for which he earned an Independent Spirit Award nomination. Several of the roles that followed echoed former projects in complexity: Gyllenhaal played Jennifer Aniston 's troubled love interest in The Good Girl (2002), while in Moonlight Mile (2002), the actor portrayed a young man grieving over the death of his fiancee along with her family.

In spring 2002, Gyllenhaal also starred on the London stage in Kenneth Lonergan's revival of This Is Our Youth . The actor received an Evening Standard Theater Award for his portrayal.

Oscar Nomination for 'Brokeback Mountain'

Gyllenhaal was part of the ensemble cast of the 2004 worldwide blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow before starring in Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain (2005), a love story of two cowboys who fall in love with each other. Co-starring Heath Ledger, Michelle Williams and Anne Hathaway , the film earned Gyllenhaal a Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nomination in addition to winning him the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival.

'Jarhead,' 'Zodiac,' 'Source Code,' 'Prisoners'

Gyllenhaal starred in film dramas like Jarhead (2005), Zodiac (2007) and Brothers (2009) — all with military or government/espionage themes — before taking on an action/fantasy hero lead role in 2010's hugely budgeted Prince of Persia . The romantic comedy Love & Other Drugs was released later that year, re-teaming Gyllenhaal with Brokeback co-star Hathaway and also earning the actor his first Golden Globe nomination. The thriller Source Code followed in 2011. Gyllenhaal then starred as a police officer in End of Watch (2012), shot in gonzo-camera style, and as a detective in the shadowy drama Prisoners (2013), co-starring Hugh Jackman , Maria Bello, Viola Davis and Terrence Howard.

'Nightcrawler,' 'Nocturnal Animals,' 'Constellations'

In fall 2014, Gyllenhaal once again earned buzz for his role in Nightcrawler , a stark drama in which he played an on-the-precipice cameraman looking to become successful via harrowing crime footage. Gyllenhaal earned his second Golden Globe acting nod for the part along with BAFTA and SAG Awards nominations.

Film projects for 2015 included the romantic comedy Accidental Love , the boxing drama Southpaw, the biopic adventure Everest — based on the 1996 disaster on Mount Everest — and the drama Demolition . In 2016 he starred in Tom Ford's psychological thriller Nocturnal Animals , opposite Amy Adams .

In January 2015, Gyllenhaal made his Broadway debut in Constellations opposite actress Ruth Wilson , a play which fused ideas around cosmology and relationships. In 2017, he returned to Broadway playing French artist Georges Seurat in a revival of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's musical Sunday in the Park with George .

'Stronger,' 'The Sisters Brothers,' 'Spider-Man: Far From Home'

Back on the big screen, Gyllenhaal starred in Stronger (2017), based on the memoir of a victim of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing , and featured prominently in the comedy western The Sisters Brothers (2018). The following year, he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the villain Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home.

Personal Life

As of 2019, Gyllenhaal was reported to be in a relationship with French model Jeanne Cadieu. He was previously involved with other celebrities like actresses Kirsten Dunst and Reese Witherspoon and pop star Taylor Swift .

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Quick facts.

• Birth Year: 1980
• Birth date: December 19, 1980
• Birth State: California
• Birth City: Los Angeles
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Jake Gyllenhaal is an Oscar-nominated actor known for his work in films like 'Donnie Darko,' 'Brokeback Mountain,' 'Prisoners' and 'Nightcrawler.'
• Astrological Sign: Sagittarius

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Jake Gyllenhaal Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/actors/jake-gyllenhaal
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: August 27, 2019
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014
• I never would have thought the movie ['Brokeback Mountain'] would have gotten the response that it did. It was a life-changing story, and career changing for all of us. It was inexplicable.
• I think that more and more there's a sense that the best performances I can give are the ones that are the truest to who I am. The further I move away from who I am, the worse they are.
• I don’t really believe in nightmares. I don’t believe the things that scare us are in our dreams. I think they are us communicating with ourselves. Even if I’m scared, I think they are helpful sometimes.

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• Jake Gyllenhaal

Jacob Benjamin “Jake” Gyllenhaal (born December 19, 1980) is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal, screenwriter Naomi Foner, younger brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. He starred in October Sky (1999) from the 1998 book Rocket Boys and Donnie Darko (2001). He acted with Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl (2002), with Dustin Hoffman in Moonlight Mile (2002), with Dennis Quaid in The Day After Tomorrow (2004) by Roland Emmerich, with Peter Sarsgaard in Jarhead (2005) by Sam Mendes, with Gwyneth Paltrow in Proof (2005) by John Madden. He starred with Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain (2005) directed by Ang Lee from the short story by Annie Proulx, with Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. in Zodiac (2007) by David Fincher, with Reese Witherspoon in Rendition (2007), with Anne Hathaway in Love & Other Drugs (2010) by Edward Zwick, with Vera Farmiga in Source Code (2011), with Michael Peña in End of Watch (2012), with Hugh Jackman in Prisoners (2013) by Denis Villeneuve,  Nightcrawler (2014) by Dan Gilroy, Southpaw (2015) by Antoine Fuqua, Demolition (2015) by Jean-Marc Vallée. He acted with Amy Adams in Nocturnal Animals (2016) by Tom Ford, with Carey Mulligan in Wildlife (2018) by Paul Dano, with John C. Reilly and Joaquin Phoenix in The Sister Brothers (2018), with Rene Russo in Velvet Buzzsaw (2019), in The Guilty (2021) by Antoine Fuqua.  He played Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019) with Tom Holland.

Read Jake Gyllenhaal (Nightcrawler) by Janet Nepales.

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Jake Gyllenhaal On Throwing (And Taking) Punches: 'It's Very Primal'

Jake Gyllenhaal plays boxer Billy Hope in Southpaw. Scott Garfield/The Weinstein Company hide caption

Jake Gyllenhaal plays boxer Billy Hope in Southpaw.

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal knows what it feels like to take a punch. "It doesn't feel great, you know," he tells Fresh Air's Terry Gross. "I don't like getting hit, but it was important for the movie. At least that's how I justify when I would get hit: 'That was good for the movie.' "

The movie in question is Southpaw, in which Gyllenhaal stars as a boxer who grew up in the foster care system and is struggling to be a father to his daughter.

Maureen Hope (Rachel McAdams) confers with her husband Billy (Gyllenhaal) in Southpaw . Scott Garfield/The Weinstein Company hide caption

Maureen Hope (Rachel McAdams) confers with her husband Billy (Gyllenhaal) in Southpaw .

The actor says that it was the father-daughter relationship that initially drew him to the role: "[Director] Antoine Fuqua always said to me that he wanted this movie to be for the young men out there who never necessarily had a father figure ... to know that being a father is the most honorable job that you can have in your life."

But boxing was also part of the job, and so the actor spent five months learning the ways of the ring. During that time, Gyllenhaal says, his appreciation for the sport — both its brutality and its grace — grew. He likens the discipline, skill and sacrifice required of boxers to that of ballet dancers. "When I see and am moved watching Swan Lake , I'm equally as moved watching Cassius Clay, you know, Muhammad Ali," he says. "I think that there's a similarity — the beauty and the art and the angles and the science."

Interview Highlights

On training and developing a very muscular body

I spent five months learning how to box, so over those five months as I started to become more fluent in the language of boxing, what happens is you learn combinations or you learn offensive and defensive moves, and then you need your mind to be able to translate itself through your body. And so as you learn more you need to be in better shape. And so, over five months, slowly I sort of chipped away at it, and got in very, very, very good physical shape in order to kind of translate what had been taught to me skill-wise.

On how his physical training for Southpaw affected him mentally

You basically walk into a ring half-naked, and it's very primal in that way. ... There's a boldness, a confidence with your body that comes with being a boxer ... More than that, in terms of how you look on the outside, I think, my feelings about my endurance and my own strength and confidence, it was life-changing, to be honest. I felt ... more confident, internally, than I had in my whole life, and that was not just due to the physical stuff, it was really due to learning boxing and knowing that I could defend myself if I needed to.

On taking punches onscreen

In terms of getting hit, I think that's inevitable, and it's hard to play a boxer in a movie and not know what that feels like and not actually take a punch or give a punch. To me, when you're playing a character ... whether it's directly or indirectly, [you try to experience] the feeling of what your character might be going through somewhere in the real world. ...

As actors would say "[my face] is my instrument," and I do believe that and I do believe in taking care of yourself, but there's something that happens ... sometimes in the middle of a scene, in the presence of a feeling in the middle of a scene, those things do take over and you let go to the moment that you're in, so the repercussions of those things — maybe it's not safe and it sometimes isn't — but I don't always think about that, and maybe I should.

On getting his first role as Billy Crystal's son in City Slickers when he was 10

I remember I went to some sort of party with my parents and Billy Crystal was there and he saw me and he said, "Will he come in and read for this movie I have?" ... I guess I must've been acting out — if you spent more time with me in real life you'd see I like to act out — and so I was making some fool out of myself. I think I remember what happened — he was leaving and I knew who he was and I picked up a chair from the table and I said, "Here, take this. This is your party favor." That's just me. It doesn't make much sense, but he loved it and he thought it was really funny.

On his break-out role in Donnie Darko

I was at Columbia [University] ... and I think I was searching for this creative outlet. ... When I read that script I remember very clearly thinking, "Wow," because it was at the time when all of those movies about high school ... were about who was going to go to the prom or who was going to go to the party and get accepted in the cool kids club ... and this was a movie about high school, but it was about the internal ride that is adolescence ... and I read it and went, "Wow, this is really what I'm feeling." ...

I think it's that age where you're moving out of a life that's protected and safe into a world that is ... more scary and a little bit more dangerous and more fun and exciting, and trying to navigate through those things are all what being an adolescent ... is about.

On the attention he and Heath Ledger received for being two straight men playing gay men in Brokeback Mountain

It was fascinating, particularly because I don't think we knew what a success the movie would be, what it would become and it was an intimate and really scary thing for me and Heath, in particular, to dive into. It was uncomfortable for both of us in some of the scenes, and yet we both deeply believed in what the movie was saying. ... At the time it was pretty unreal. ... The emotional response you get from that movie from people who see that movie, I think it was one of the first movies where people would go, "Oh, I can see it as love." Believe me, we got a lot of other responses, too.

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On how Ledger's death has affected him

I miss him as a human being and I miss working with him and what an unfortunate thing it is that we won't be able to see the beauty of his expression. ...

I'm trying to be present where I am. I'm trying to have relationships that are as real as they possibly can be on a movie set, be close to people because I know that it's precious. And I know, not only can this career end in a very short period of time and this or that can happen, but also that life is precious. I think losing Heath and being a part of a family that was something like the movie, that movie we all made together, makes you see that, makes you appreciate that and hopefully moves you away from the things that really don't matter to the things that do.

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Jake Gyllenhaal Biography

• Began acting professionally by the age of 11
• Parents didn't allow him to take a role in 1992's The Mighty Ducks because it required a two-month location shoot
• Paul Newman, a family friend, gave him his first driving lesson at age 15
• Sang in a rock band called Holeshot
• Auditioned for the role of Christian in Moulin Rouge
• On-screen sister in Donnie Darko was played by his real sister, Maggie
• Appeared on the London stage in 2002 opposite Anna Paquin and Hayden Christensen in This Is Our Youth
• Developed friendships with Brokeback Mountain costars Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams
• Is godfather of their daughter, Matilda Rose Ledger
• In 2006, won the MTV Movie Awards' Best Kiss category with Ledger for Brokeback Mountain
• Supports Rock the Vote and the American Civil Liberties Union, among other causes
• 2019 Independent Spirit Awards - Best First Feature: nominated
• 2017 Critics' Choice Awards - Best Actor: nominated
• 2017 BAFTA Film Awards - Best Leading Actor: nominated
• 2015 Independent Spirit Awards - Best Male Lead: nominated
• 2015 IFTA Film & Drama Awards - Best International Actor: nominated
• 2015 BAFTA Film Awards - Best Leading Actor: nominated
• 2015 Critics' Choice Movie Awards - Best Actor: nominated
• 2015 Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Drama: nominated
• 2015 Independent Spirit Awards - Best First Feature: winner
• 2014 Canadian Screen Awards - Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
• 2014 Screen Actors Guild Awards - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role: nominated
• 2013 Critics' Choice Movie Awards - Best Actor in an Action Movie: nominated
• 2011 Golden Globe - Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical: nominated
• 2006 BAFTA Film Awards - Best Actor in a Supporting Role: winner
• 2006 Critics' Choice Awards - Best Supporting Actor: nominated
• 2005 Chicago Film Critics Association - Best Supporting Actor: nominated
• 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards - Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture: nominated
• 2005 National Board of Review - Best Supporting Actor: winner
• 2005 Phoenix Film Critics Association - Best Supporting Actor: winner
• 2005 Online Film Critics Association - Best Supporting Actor: nominated
• 2005 Oscar - Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
• 2005 Screen Actors Guild Awards - Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role: nominated
• 2002 Independent Spirit Awards - Best Male Lead: nominated

Relationships

• Alyssa Miller -- Ex-significant Other
• Kirsten Dunst -- Ex-significant Other
• Reese Witherspoon -- Ex-significant Other
• Taylor Swift -- Ex-significant Other
• Stephen Gyllenhaal -- Father
• Matlida Rose Ledger -- Godchild
• Jamie Lee Curtis -- Godparent
• Naomi Foner -- Mother
• Ramona Sarsgaard -- Niece
• Maggie Gyllenhaal -- Sister
• Kathleen Man -- Stepmother

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Substance & Meaningful Entertainment

Against gossip & scandal, independent media network, global stories from local perspective, factual culture news, a tribute to jake gyllenhaal: the rise and journey of the daring heartthrob.

Drew Alexander Ross writes for Hollywood Insider with the aim of bringing the reader an uplifting and insightful experience. He combines his degree in film and business to show a unique point of view on cinema and his beliefs coincide with Hollywood Insider ‘s values of promoting positive and meaningful content. Drew enjoys reading at the pace of one to two books a week and loves movies of all genres. He has placed in several screenwriting competitions and has short stories featured in several different publications.

Dec 19, 2020

Table of Contents

Video Version of this Article

Photo/Video: Jake Gyllenhaal//Disney/ Hollywood Insider  YouTube Channel

Growing Up in Hollywood and Staying Grounded

First of all, Happy birthday, Mr. Gyllenhaal!

Jake Gyllenhaal was born in 1980 in Los Angeles, California. His father, Stephen Gyllenhaal, is an Emmy nominated director, and his mother, Naomi Foner, is an Academy Award-nominated writer. In an interview with The Guardian , Gyllenhaal recalls director Steven Soderbergh renting a room above their garage before he became famous. Other interesting stories about early encounters with famous people in film include Paul Newman taking him to the race track and teaching him driving safety. Newman is not Gyllenhaal’s godfather, though, which is a fact that is often misreported. His godfather is Academy Award-winning cinematographer Robert Elswit. Needless to say, Gyllenhaal was around the film industry growing up. 

It doesn’t seem like a far stretch for Jake to find interest in the world of acting, but he describes his initial interest in the field coming from watching his older sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal , acting when they were younger. Jake was the first to land a role in film, though, with a small role as Billy Crystal’s son in City Slickers . He shot his audition on tape and went up to Montana to meet the director at 11 years old . 

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Even though Gyllenhaal had early successes with auditions for roles, his parents would sometimes not let him take the jobs . In a SAG-AFTRA interview , Jake described the importance bestowed from his parents of having a formal education and a life that was not inside of a bubble. He attended high school at Harvard-Westlake in Los Angeles and had summer jobs as a lifeguard and busboy. However, when Jake landed the leading role of Homer Hickham in the brilliant and heartwarming October Sky toward the end of high school, he took it. This role showcased Gyllenhaal’s acting abilities and put him on the radar of up and coming actors.

Indie Projects With Great Ensembles

Jake attended Columbia University for two years before eventually dropping out. In the movie world, his career continued with Donnie Darko . Gyllenhaal tells the story of the lead dropping out and director Richard Kelly scrambling to fill the part before losing financing. The movie ended up getting made but wasn’t successful at the box office. It would later be considered a cult classic, and now in a time where original content isn’t the norm, this film still resonates with a unique look at the alienation one can experience growing up. 

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Donnie Darko marked the last film to date that Jake acted in with his sister; they acted together previously on a couple of movies, including one their mother wrote and their father directed ( A Dangerous Woman) . However, it would be just one of many independent films to come. Gyllenhaal already acted with the likes of Chris Cooper, Laura Dern, Billy Crystal, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Lithgow, and Billy Bob Thornton, and by twenty added Patrick Swayze and Drew Barrymore to the list of actors he shared the screen with. This trend of working alongside other great actors would continue throughout his career.

EVOLUTION: Every Jake Gyllenhaal Role From 1991 to 2021, All Performances Exceptionally Poignant

Gyllenhaal’s next few films included Lovely & Amazing with Emily Mortimer and Catherine Keener, The Good Girl with Jennifer Aniston and John C. Reilly, and Moonlight Mile with Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon. Jake already proved he could carry a film with his acting abilities, but these next few films showed that his presence shone through even among actors who had been in the game much longer than him.

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Jake Gyllenhaal in Theater

At 23 years old, Jake played a lead role in Kenneth Lonergan’s This Is Our Youth . He previously worked on stage in high school and college but would make his professional debut in theater in the famous West End of London. Gyllenhaal’s performance earned him deserved plaudits, and he also caught the eye of director Sam Mendes. The director recounted seeing Gyllenhaal in the play, not realizing that he was a big guy and had the combination of soulfulness and man of action he was looking for. Mendes went on to cast Jake in his upcoming film Jarhead .

This Is Our Youth wouldn’t be the last time Gyllenhaal performed on stage. He later acted in Sunday in the Park with George, A Little Shop of Horrors, and Constellations . His latest theater outing in Sea Wall/A Life in 2019 earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Play .  

Gyllenhaal’s success as an actor in the theater world is also evident in film. While there was a break between films coming out in his early twenties, his return to screen marked a significant step forward with his career.

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Transition to Adult Roles in Hollywood

Jake’s last “child” role was Roland Emmerich’s The Day After Tomorrow . He played Dennis Quaid’s son in the commercially successful doomsday blockbuster. His next few films cemented his position as a top actor in Hollywood. If there was any doubt over his acting abilities, his Oscar-nominated performance in Brokeback Mountain dismissed them. Based on Annie Proulx’s short stories about a forbidden and secretive relationship between two cowboys, the hugely celebrated film made waves at the Oscars. While Gyllenhaal didn’t win Best Supporting Actor, his performance alongside the late Heath Ledger is a landmark in film history.

Brokeback Mountain , Proof , and Jarhead all came out in 2005 and proved that Gyllenhaal was a top talent. However, he didn’t go on to make big blockbusters year after year, although, with his success, he could have. Instead, Gyllenhaal continued to pick roles that were more nuanced and outside the typical stereotypes of a leading man. In another SAG-AFTRA interview , Jake credits his team of advisors and the education he received in high school and at Columbia for teaching him about literature and theater classics and knowing what makes a good story. 

His choice of good roles is evident in his CV over the years. To wrap up the end of the 2000s, Gyllenhaal chose Zodiac with Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo, Brothers with Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman, and Love and Other Drugs with Anne Hathaway.

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More Gems and Myster y (io)

Gyllenhaal’s career by 2010 already included many films with brilliant casts and amazing directors. He would continue in this vein as he moved through the new decade. Source Code directed by Duncan Jones and End of Watch directed by David Ayer were his first two films of the new decade. The former had Jake paired with Michelle Monaghan and supported by Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright, and the latter had him paired with Michael Peña and supported by Anna Kendrick. More mysterious and harrowing films followed with Prisoners and Nightcrawler . Each sported a phenomenal cast and was helmed by amazing directors. Nightcrawler also paired Jake with his godfather, Robert Elswit. This was undoubtedly a fun experience for Gyllenhaal after visiting sets of his father and Elswit’s when he was a kid.

From Nightcrawler , which he lost thirty pounds for the role, Gyllenhaal gained back weight and added boxing ability for the film Southpaw . He then went on to climb mountains in Everest , play two different roles in Tom Ford’s Nocturnal Animals , go to space with Ryan Reynolds in Life , and pleasantly surprised in his small part in Bong Joon Ho ’s Okja . All of these films had impressive casts and directors as well as excellent performances from Gyllenhaal.

Jake’s latest role brought him into the Marvel Cinematic Universe via Spider-Man: Far From Home . It is uncertain if he will reprise the role of Mysterio in a later film, but his part was a fun addition to the franchise and another quality addition to his prolific resume of roles. 

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Gyllenhaal has several films he’s attached to in the coming years, but the next big milestone will be his 40th birthday on the 19th of December. His career has already provided much for audiences, and it doesn’t look like he has any plans to stop acting soon. He also has added many producing credits to his plate in recent years. Whatever comes next will surely only add to his already profound resume of films.

We, at Hollywood Insider, would like to thank Jake for his contribution to cinema and wish him the best going forward. Happy birthday, Mr. Gyllenhaal!

By  Drew Alexander Ross

Click here to read H ollywood Insider’s  CEO Pritan Ambroase’s love letter to Black Lives Matter,  in which he tackles more than just police reform, press freedom and more – click here.

An excerpt from the love letter:  Hollywood Insider’s  CEO/editor-in-chief  Pritan Ambroase  affirms,  “Hollywood Insider  fully supports the much-needed Black Lives Matter movement. We are actively, physically and digitally a part of this global movement. We will continue reporting on this major issue of police brutality and legal murders of Black people to hold the system accountable. We will continue reporting on this major issue with kindness and respect to all Black people, as each and every one of them are seen and heard. Just a reminder, that the Black Lives Matter movement is about more than just police brutality and extends into banking, housing, education, medical, infrastructure, etc. We have the space and time for all your stories. We believe in peaceful/non-violent protests and I would like to request the rest of media to focus on 95% of the protests that are peaceful and working effectively with positive changes happening daily. Media has a responsibility to better the world and  Hollywood Insider  will continue to do so.”

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Jake Gyllenhaal

Introduction

Frequently asked questions, 1. what is jake gyllenhaal's full name.

Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal

2. When was Jake Gyllenhaal born?

December 19, 1980

3. What are some of Jake Gyllenhaal's most famous movies?

Some of his most famous movies include "Brokeback Mountain," "Nightcrawler," and "Donnie Darko."

4. Has Jake Gyllenhaal ever won an Academy Award?

No, he has not won an Academy Award, but he has been nominated for his performances in various films.

5. Is Jake Gyllenhaal related to Maggie Gyllenhaal?

Yes, Jake Gyllenhaal is the brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal.

6. How did Jake Gyllenhaal start his acting career?

Jake Gyllenhaal began his acting career in the early 1990s, appearing in roles on television shows before transitioning to film.

7. What is Jake Gyllenhaal's net worth?

Jake Gyllenhaal's net worth is estimated to be around $80 million.

8. Has Jake Gyllenhaal appeared in any Broadway productions?

Yes, Jake Gyllenhaal has starred in several Broadway productions, including "Sunday in the Park with George" and "Sea Wall/A Life."

9. Does Jake Gyllenhaal have any hidden talents?

Jake Gyllenhaal is known to be a talented singer and has showcased his singing abilities in various projects.

10. Is Jake Gyllenhaal involved in any philanthropic activities?

Yes, Jake Gyllenhaal is involved in various philanthropic efforts, supporting causes like environmental conservation and healthcare access.

Early Life and Background

Career beginnings, breakthrough and rise to fame, career highlights, personal life, controversies and challenges, legacy and impact, fan base and public image, recent projects and current status, interesting facts and trivia.

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Maggie Gyllenhaal

• Born November 16 , 1977 · New York City, New York, USA
• Birth name Margalit Ruth Gyllenhaal
• Height 5′ 9″ (1.75 m)
• Maggie Gyllenhaal was born on November 16, 1977 in New York City, New York as Margalit Ruth Gyllenhaal, the daughter of producer/screenwriter Naomi Foner and director Stephen Gyllenhaal , and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal . She is of Ashkenazi Jewish (mother) and Swedish, English, and German (father) descent. She made her film debut in Waterland (1992) . She had sporadic roles throughout her teenage years though she took a break to attend Columbia University where she graduated w/ a degree in literature in 1999. In addition, she briefly studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, which helped w/ her post-graduation transition back into acting. Soon after graduating, she had supporting roles in Cecil B. Demented (2000) & Donnie Darko (2001) . Her breakout role came later when she starred in Secretary (2002) , which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. She followed that up w/ supporting roles in 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002) , Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002) , Adaptation. (2002) , & Mona Lisa Smile (2003) among other movies. She received her 2nd Golden Globe nomination for playing a recent prison parolee in Sherrybaby (2006) . She followed that up w/ roles in World Trade Center (2006) , Stranger Than Fiction (2006) & The Dark Knight (2008) . In 2009, she received great acclaim for her role in Crazy Heart (2009) , which earned her 1st Oscar nomination. Since then, she has been seen in Nanny McPhee Returns (2010) , Hysteria (2011) & Won't Back Down (2012) . - IMDb Mini Biography By: Anonymous and Bee
• Spouse Peter Sarsgaard (May 2, 2009 - present) (2 children)
• Children Ramona Sarsgaard Gloria Ray Sarsgaard
• Parents Naomi Foner Stephen Gyllenhaal
• Relatives Jake Gyllenhaal (Sibling)
• Graduated from Columbia University (1999).
• Her father's ancestry is Swedish, English, Swiss-German, German, Scottish, and distant Welsh and French. Her ancestor, cavalry Lieutenant Nils Gunnarsson Haal, was enobled, and changed his surname to Gyllenhaal. Maggie's mother is Ashkenazi Jewish (from a family from Latvia and Poland).
• American actress, director & screenwriter.
• Graduated from Harvard-Westlake School (1995).
• She has appeared in one film that has been selected for the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically" significant: The Dark Knight (2008) .
• I do seem to have a bit of a predilection for movies that say something transgressive.
• It's my responsibility to see what we can move and change about these old-school feminist mantras.
• I find myself more and more interested only in roles which move the world forward.
• You're invited to tons of parties, and you'll wear these shoes and that dress, and it can be enticing, but I think it also sucks you dry. If you do it a little, sure, it's fun, but too much and you start to lose your footing.
• Someone asked me why I didn't do teen movies or action movies, but I'm not interested in them.
• World Trade Center (2006) - $500,000

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