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Jake Gyllenhaal Profile |
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Birth Date:
December 19, 1980
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Birth Place: Los Angeles, California, USA
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Birth
Name: Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal
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Height: 6'0"
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Jake Gyllenhaal
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Biography |
Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal (pronounced Jill-en-hall) (born 19
December 1980 in Los Angeles, California) is an American
film actor and up-and-coming youth icon. Jake is the son of
director Stephen Gyllenhaal and producer/screenwriter Naomi
Foner Gyllenhaal, and the brother of actress Maggie
Gyllenhaal, who also played his sister in Donnie Darko. The
siblings also worked together in the film "A Dangerous
Woman". His father is of partial Swedish heritage and his
mother is Jewish of Ashkenazi heritage.
Gyllenhaal made his film debut in City Slickers (1991) and
began to establish himself as an up-and-coming actor in such
films as October Sky (1999) before being cast in the title
role in Donnie Darko (2001), for which he was nominated for
an Independent Spirit Award for best actor. Gyllenhaal's
performance as a troubled schizophrenic won him excellent
reviews and the film quickly acquired cult status. He played
opposite Jennifer Aniston in another Sundance favourite in
2002's The Good Girl and once again earned good reviews.
Gyllenhaal also starred in the Walt Disney romantic comedy,
Bubble Boy. Loosely based on the story of David Vetter, the
film portrays the title character's adventure outside the
confines of his bubble as he goes after the woman he loves
before she marries the wrong man.
Marking his theatre debut, Gyllenhaal appeared on the London
stage with a starring role in Kenneth Lonergan's revival of
This Is Our Youth. The play, which was a critical sensation
on Broadway, ran for eight weeks in London's West End. For
his role, Gyllenhaal received an Evening Standard Theatre
Award in the category of "Outstanding Newcomer".
Brokeback Mountain (2005), which stars Jake Gyllenhaal, won
the coveted Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival 2005.
When asked of his thoughts on playing a character who falls
in love with another man, Gyllenhaal showed comfort with his
own same-sex attractions by openly stating every man goes
through a period of questioning attractions for other men.
Gyllenhaal has an "on-again, off-again" relationship with
actress Kirsten Dunst. The two lived together briefly, but
continue to appear together in public. Jake is friends with
Maroon 5 frontman Adam Levine, they haven know each other
since kindergarten.
Fans of Gyllenhaal refer to themselves as "Gyllenhaalics". |
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Other
Information |
Dropped out of Columbia University after two years (2002).
Son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi
Foner.
Graduated Harvard-Westlake (private) high school [1998]
Brother of Maggie Gyllenhaal
Is of Swedish (noble) and Russian-Jewish descent.
Played brother to real life sister Maggie Gyllenhaal in
their movie Donnie Darko (2001).
Received his first driving lesson from Paul Newman.
His fans refer to themselves as "Gyllenhaalics"
His last name is pronounced Jill-en-hall.
Sister Maggie Gyllenhaal introduced him to Kirsten Dunst.
Jake and Kirsten dated, but broke up in July 2004. (Both
Kirsten and Maggie appeared in Mona Lisa Smile (2003)).
He was awarded the 2002 London Evening Standard Theate Award
for Outstanding Newcomer for his performance in This is Our
Youth at the Garrick Theatre in London, England.
Was set to play Spiderman in Spider-Man 2 (2004) due to
complications with Tobey Maguire. While he was preparing for
the role, Maguire was back as Spiderman.
Attended high school with "Freaks and Geeks" (1999) star
Jason Segel.
Was named one of People Magazine's 50 Hottest Bachelors
[2004]
Is close friends with Natalie Portman and Bryce Dallas
Howard.
Went to elementary school with band members of Maroon 5.
On Phantom Planet's album "The Guest", lead singer Alex
Greenwald lists him in his thank yous. Alex appeared with
Jake in Donnie Darko (2001).
His favorite book is To Kill a Mockingbird, and he has a
dog, Atticus, named after its main character.
Auditioned for the role of Batman/Bruce Wayne in Batman
Begins (2005).
Shares his birthday with Marla Sokoloff, Alyssa Milano,
Jennifer Beals and Édith Piaf.
Before success as an actor, Jake Gyllenhaal worked as a
lifeguard. He never had any life-saving incidents, but did
perform one lesser rescue. A swimmer had been stung on the
leg by a jellyfish, and Gyllenhaal helped relieve the pain
of the stings -- by urinating on the swimmer's leg.
Godmother is Jamie Lee Curtis |
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