Full carnal knowledge

That got your attention :) Watch the clip below and it will make sense.

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MTV interviewed Michael Pena for End of Watch, focusing on the work Jake Gyllenhaal and he did to portray a convincing partnership.

MTV: How did you and Jake build a strong relationship on set?

Michael Peña: David Ayer was really adamant about us spending time together and talking about the characters and what we want to do and plan it out. He has an older sister, and I have an older brother. We just remembered how they'd fight and bicker. I was like, "I remember that totally," and he says, "But you still love the person." In a way, we just kept talking about it and designing how we were with our siblings. We were getting to know each other, but at the same time designing the friendship and the brotherhood. At the end of the day, you have to believe these guys are real partners, and they spend a lot of time together and they have each other's backs. Instead of saying that, showing that is what's really exciting about the script. When you have the action sequences, it really pays off. You're like, "I really don't want these guys to get hurt. I don't want one of them to get hurt."

Love this German teaser. You "get it" even without speaking German:

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The first good video I've seen of Jake leaving the theater after "If There Is..."



The poster traveled from Rio to visit NY and to see the play. You can read his story here. Well, Monica and Paula C can read it. The rest of us have to google translate :)

Family man

Backstage interviewed Jake Gyllenhaal about his new play and about End of Watch:

"The bottom line is that it’s just fucking great writing,” Jake Gyllenhaal says of his American stage debut, Off-Broadway play “If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet.”

Gyllenhaal stars as the couch-crashing Uncle Terry in Nick Payne’s British drama, opposite Brían F. O’Byrne, Michelle Gomez, and Annie Funke. “It’s about family,” Gyllenhaal says. "I think family is the most important thing in the world. I think your own family is the most complicated thing in the world, and I think it’s the most beautiful thing in the world. I think it’s what I love the most.



“Somebody was trying to get an angle on why I moved to New York, and I was like, ‘Because my family is here and I love them. And I want to be with them and they mean everything to me.’ This is the best possible place for me to be, to be near my family, doing a show about the mess of a family, and then maybe having my family come watch it.”



As for his newly acquired stage relatives, Gyllenhaal can’t rave enough. “These actors are fucking amazing. Wonderful! And I’m a harsh critic, you know? I am. And they’re probably just as harsh as I am. But so far it’s been wonderful.”



The four-person dramedy, set in England and directed by Michael Longhurst, has what Gyllenhaal calls an ambitious physical production. “It takes what you sort of assume the play is going to be and it makes it so much bigger and grander. As much as I am one for real human interaction, I also want to make a show that’s entertaining and that people want to see,” Gyllenhaal says. “And I don’t think anyone here has any desire to make some quirky family drama. That’s not what it’s about. And Michael has done it. It’s ambitious. It’s daunting for us because I think we have to pull a lot of stuff off.” He laughs, adding, “But it’s not like ‘De La Guarda’ or anything.”



(Photos from tweeters at tonight's performance of If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet.)

First promotion

Jake Gyllenhaal arriving at the David Letterman show to promote End of Watch and If There Is I haven't Found It Yet.




Clips from the amazing Stephanie:




And leaving:

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If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet is one of the 10 Fall Shows Entertainment Weekly is Dying To See:



(Off Broadway) Nick Payne’s comic drama is certainly topical: It’s about a 15-year-old girl (Annie Funke) who becomes the target of bullies. And, oh…Jake Gyllenhaal makes his New York stage debut as the girl’s uncle.

Previews

Jake Gyllenhaal is making his American stage debut in the Roundabout Theatre's production of If There Is I Haven't Found It. The play began previews last night in New York. Thanks to a GBer, we have a first-hand account. "First things first: Jake is very good. Funny, charming, profane and sexy. Charismatic. Unlike any role he's ever done. Second thing: The accent is quite good. Different from PoP. Very regional. Might be hard for American audiences to understand. But last night's crowd didn't seem to have any trouble. "The play itself is a little bit disjointed but funny and poignant. Lots of swearing. Only four actors. Brian O'Byrne is good as the out of touch father, more interested in the fate of the world than the future of his own family. Michelle Gomez is fine as the wife, but the role is underwritten. Annie Funke is brave and touching as the daughter/niece tormented by bullies and neglected at home, until Uncle Terry comes to stay. "Jake and Annie are a treat to watch. More could have been done to show their growing relationship, but the actors make you believe the connection."Set design was fun. I had thought about getting first row tickets but settled for third. The actors toss parts of the set into a trough s the scenes change, so the A row gets a little splashed.



"Crowd reaction was positive, from applause to overheard conversations to a few people met after the show. I see a few plays a year, and this was an exciting night on stage. They are still in previews, so I there'll be changes and some tightening. "Diverse crowd: old and young, veteran theater goers to tourists. "The stage door crowd was similarly diverse. It was frustrating to wait so long, but I live nearby so it wasn't a concern. Some out-of-towners were anxious to get going. Ultimately, it was worth the time. Jake seemed subdued but happy. He signed and took photos but didn't really work the line. People seemed thrilled to finally get their moment."Thanks so much to our reporter, who has told me s/he is happy to answer questions. So ask away.

One more from "Off Broadway" and another from the first night:



From August 26:

If There Is I Haven't Found It

Theater construction

The New York Times has a profile of Jake Gyllenhaal as he takes the stage for his American theater debut. It's a glimpse into Jake's thoughts as he tackles this role among many:

“I wasn’t really listening to myself about the kinds of projects I wanted to do,” he said in a recent interview, reflecting on the past decade. “I had to figure out what kind of an actor I wanted to be and feel confident going for that.”

He has now come to a few conclusions, and they were evident last month at a table reading for his first outing in New York theater, “If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet,” a dark comedy about an overweight British teenager and her troubled family. The project itself was telling: The play, which will begin performances on Friday from Roundabout Theater Company, is an Off Broadway ensemble work by a little-known writer rather than a famous Broadway drama by a prizewinner like Arthur Miller — the vehicles of choice for Hollywood stars these days.

Hunched over a script beside his cast mates and director, Mr. Gyllenhaal rolled through questions on his mind about a scene in which his character — Uncle Terry, brokenhearted and charmingly roguish — reveals a few of his many problems.

“When was the last time I talked to Rachel?” Mr. Gyllenhaal asked, referring to Terry’s ex-girlfriend. “Did I see Rachel at the funeral, or after?” And then: “I must’ve done something that made her say, ‘I’m tired of this guy.’ What was it?”

These questions, and the many that followed, were the sort that classically trained actors ask as they probe layers of their characters to puzzle out intentions, tones and emotional shades for imbuing a performance. Mr. Gyllenhaal studied at Columbia University for two years before dropping out to become a movie star, and some directors on earlier films, like Ang Lee of “Brokeback Mountain,” have described him as a freestyle actor more than a methodical one.

Mr. Gyllenhaal, who was nominated for a supporting actor Oscar for “Brokeback,” said he still revels in experimenting with his take on characters from scene to scene and performance to performance. But acting rigor is increasingly his goal, and perhaps the respect that comes with it.



Mr. Gyllenhaal was careful to say that he didn’t think he needed a career reboot, but the fact remains that his continued celebrity is more about his raw talent and good looks than a proven record of hit films. Hollywood hasn’t seemed entirely sure what to do with him, and Mr. Gyllenhaal sounds at peace with that, saying he wouldn’t want to be pigeonholed as an actor at a time in his life when he is still finding his way.

“What I loved most about working in London, in the theater, there was a real appreciation of potential,” he said. “No one comes out of the gate 100 percent perfect. No one. I have a great sense of comfort onstage because I know taking risks is appreciated.” ...

It was Terry’s capacity for cruelty that appealed to Mr. Gyllenhaal most of all. “The intentions of Terry are very different from anything I’ve played before, especially his vicious side,” he said. “It intrigued me so much, and that was the sign. I want to come home at the end of the day and be wiped out and feel I’ve torn my heart out from acting and feel fulfilled. At this point I don’t have the desire to do anything other than projects that make me feel that way.”

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The Roundabout Theatre blog page posted interviews with four major players from If There Is I Haven't Found It: actor Jake Gyllenhaal, director Michael Longhurst, writer Nick Payne and set designer Beowulf Boritt. Some excerpts:



TS: How is the character of Terry relevant to you? Can you share some of your preliminary thoughts about Terry with us?

JG: I love the way he talks, how he moves through the world. He is desperate to pull the truth out of everyone around him, but he is unable to face his own. He is a constant contradiction and like this broken, beating heart with legs.



TS: What did you look for in casting the actors? What specific traits do you need?

ML: Nick’s writing is very funny in a very human way and requires a real knack to its delivery. The punctuation and rhythm of his work is very exact with characters trailing… or, orinteru- and then – then – suddenly changing thought. (Terrible impression of your writing – sorry, Nick!). But it sounds so real and all the thoughts are so in the moment. The script also requires the actors to really bare their souls emotionally. I’m blessed with a company that are really curious, invested, and open. They can breathe comedy into tragedy, and it’s a joy.



TS: What did you look for when casting this play?

NP: I love casting – and casting this production was huge fun. Jake was first. Of course I was familiar with his film work (I had particularly admired his work in Jarhead and Zodiac). And although I’m sorry to say that I missed his performance in This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonergan in London, the play’s director – Laurence Boswell – had mentioned to me in passing that Jake was one of the most natural stage actors he had ever worked with. Then came Michelle, who I was familiar with from her various television roles (she’s brilliant and sharp and extremely funny). Then Brian, and then Annie. Again, I’m sorry to say that I’ve never seen Brian on stage, but was familiar with his film and television work (precise, deeply engaging and, again, very funny). And Annie I’m excited to say I met through the audition process.

TS: Has the script changed since the premiere at The Bush Theatre in 2009? What was the catalyst for those changes?

NP: Yes, the script has changed. I’ve never had a play of mine staged for a second time, so I felt this was a great opportunity to try and improve upon and repair some of the elements that perhaps didn’t quite work first time around. Also, Mike and Jake (and indeed one or two others) had some great thoughts, so I’ve tried to incorporate those into the script. As I mentioned previously, this was one of the first plays I ever wrote and, having had a break of nearly three years from the play, it was great to revisit it and look at it a little more objectively – it was a little like looking at old school photographs and cringing at how my hair used to look!



There's also an interesting post from the Roundabout's Artistic Director on the meaning and making of the play.

Shiny, new Watch

Update: Photo from the NY Times:



And a new video from THR showing some more of the action from the screening.



This is an exciting week for Jake Gyllenhaal fans. His American stage debut is on Friday; last night, End of Watch had a special screening in the Hamptons. And today, we got a look at a new trailer for End of Watch:




This trailer, with credits in Spanish, differs from the previous two by showing more of the group camaraderie. But the action is still intense; the tension, palpable and the partnership, deeply felt.



Some impressions from last night's screening, via the Huffington Post:

The F-word flies by fast, furious and often from cops and criminals in Jake Gyllenhaal's new movie End of Watch, now on its way to the Toronto Film Festival. At a special preview screening at Bryan Bantry's Goose Creek on Sunday night, the dreamy-eyed star prepared the audience for extreme violence, and for another F-word: friendship. With more edge than the typical police procedural, the film left viewers -- including hosts Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brant, and many guests: Bruce Weber, Bob Balaban, Chris Martin, Donna Karan, Calvin Klein, Katie Lee, and Beth Ostrosky Stern -- getting over the movie's devastating end with champagne and dessert."




Everything is up close and personal, from scenes of what drug cartels do with their stash and those who cross them, to frantic users who want to silence their kids, to the families of these good cops both in the LAPD, and at home, to the front seat of the squad car where Gyllenhaal's Brian Taylor in shaved head, and his Mexican partner Michel Zavala (Michael Pena) muse about marriage, their lives and loves in a tight camera frame capturing every facial nuance, and signaling End of Watch as one of best buddy movies since Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, if more gruesome.

The Hollywood Reporter and Samsung Galaxy SIII sponsored the Peggy Siegal Hamptons screening; each guest received a gift: an invitation for a free phone and to sample their new white glove service. To attend and promote his film, Gyllenhaal left the dress rehearsal for his American stage debut in Nick Payne's If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet, to begin previews in New York next week. Referring to his shiny full head of hair, he smiled wide, "It does grow back."

In this video from The Hollywood Reporter, Jake talks about the preparation for the role and what it's like to be tased.

High society

"The Hollywood Reporter kicked off its second annual Hollywood in the Hamptons series Sunday night with the Jake Gyllenhaal movie End of Watch.




From Vogue:

Sheepish and unshaven, Jake Gyllenhaal greeted guests at Sunday evening’s screening of his new film, End of Watch, in which he not only stars but also executive-produced. Fondly remembering the six months spent shooting the action drama, about two young LAPD officers who unwittingly become embroiled in a drug cartel in South Central Los Angeles, Gyllenhaal stated, “The neighborhoods where we shot couldn’t be more different than where we are right now,” to the crowd seated inside the intimate screening room at the private home in Wainscott.





Before the film started, early arrivals sampled the hors d’oeuvres buffet of pigs-in-a-blanket, spring rolls, and spanakopita. Max Osterweis and Kate Foley chatted with Stephanie LaCava and Brian Weiss while hostess Gwyneth Paltrow looked end-of-August-appropriate with beach-mussed hair and a tie-dye shift dress at the event, which was presented in part by Samsung Galaxy SIII. Standing at the foot of the path leading into the house, she sipped a flute of champagne and welcomed guests including Calvin Klein, Donna Karan, Rufus Wainwright, Molly Sims, and Katie Lee. Chris Martin lingered near his wife and caught up with cohosts Jerry and Jessica Seinfeld.



Once the credits rolled, guests filtered up the plushly carpeted steps of the screening room: Alexander and Lisa Immordino Vreeland stopped to say hello to Bruce Weber and Nan Bush who were seated with cohosts Ingrid Sischy and Sandra Brant. The more conspicuous Brants in attendance were, of course, Peter, Jr., and Harry, who arrived with a group of friends and proceeded to hold court. A bottleneck leading out of the basement screening room simply provided more opportunity for post-movie socializing. One woman in floral chiffon turned to her husband and sighed happily, “That was in-tense.” So were the pineapple cocktails waiting for guests on trays at the exit.

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Jake begins the week partying in the Hamptons, but he'll end it on a different stage: At the Laura Pels Theatre in Manhattan, making his U.S. stage premiere in If There Is I haven't Found It. According to the NY Daily News, it's one of the city's tough tickets.