Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Will the real Jake please stand up?



I guess sitting down works, too.



A very interesting take no the current state of Jake Gyllenhaal in September's Details. The article offers a glimpse into Jake at work and at leisure, though perhaps not relaxed. And the photos are gorgeous. Not the shirtless shots of July's cover boy, Michael Phelps. But arresting nonetheless.

The 31-year-old A-lister, who stars in End of Watch, can be spotted all over town—on a date, riding his bike, feeding parking meters for strangers—and yet his essence is nowhere to be found. Is he the smiling guy next door seen in so many paparazzi shots, the dark philosopher who buries himself deeper in each successive role, or simply a wily, charismatic chameleon? Take your pick.



Gyllenhaal's way of keeping it fresh can befuddle costars on occasion. The far more common result, however, becomes clear in watching his catalog. For over a decade, actors have been doing some of their best work opposite him—Mark Ruffalo, Jennifer Aniston, Tobey Maguire, Heath Ledger. "It's no accident. Jake takes it all very seriously but also has a very light touch," explains Anne Hathaway, his costar in Love and Other Drugs and Brokeback Mountain. "On Brokeback, my final scene was on the phone with Heath, who was in Venice for Casanova. Jake offered to read Heath's lines. On the last take, he changed the line, ever so slightly. That kicked off something in me, and lo and behold, that's the take in the film."



"I grew up on the other side of the camera," Gyllenhaal says. "And yes, I do love making movies as much as being in them. I love actors, watching what they do, and I do love acting off-camera, and how it helps tell the story. But the camera eventually does turn to you, and then it's a very different question. I don't know if I have the answer to it yet.

"I guess you'll see up in Toronto," he says. "It's me acting against myself."




Cast and crew understood the commitment required for the film, no one more than Gyllenhaal. "Dave told me right off that this was going to affect my soul," he says. "'Friends are going to say, That's the Jake I've always known, but somewhere deep inside, you'll know otherwise.'"

The waiter who brings our fried-chicken main event has served Gyllenhaal before. A good-looking and extremely fit kid, he's apparently had trouble linking the bearded nerd before him to the sex symbol the waitstaff is buzzing about downstairs. He says he's seen one of Gyllenhaal's films. "No, I recognize you. I get it now," he says, but he still seems dubious. "And I still really don't know who you are, either," Gyllenhaal says, smiling. "But it's nice to see you again."


(Photos by Mark Seliger. Article by Ivan Solotaroff.)



Ayers has seen it before, in End of Watch. "That's Jake," he says. "He's a genuinely sweet guy, but he's also got this real darkness, this rage he's running from. All the great actors have it, believe me. It's what you do with it."

49 comments:

UltraViolet said...

I read through quickly, as stupid work is calling, but interesting interactions off screen and on set. Fascinating stuff.

bobbyanna said...

Thanks, UV, yes, fascinating stuff, indeed! I thoroughly enjoyed it. After such a long dry spell, I love to hear other people raving about Jake's brilliance! : )

Chica said...

I just finished reading the interview online, fascinating indeed! Love the pics too, thanks for posting UV!

UltraViolet said...

It's fun to have new Jake press. And I love hearing other film types talking about Jake's talent.

I wish, in a way, that the author had talked to more people to get at the "real" Jake. But I'll have to reread to get a good sense of the article. I skimmed the stuff from An Enemy, though it was great to get that peek behind.

Video of Jake at the premiere for The Good Girl. Just a few seconds toward the end.


And Michale Pena talks about Jake a bit in this interview.

Rachel said...

Black and white photography has always suited him best. He looks great.

Mary said...

Thanks UV nice article cant wait for the issue to come out. Do yu know when it does? I checked today still the one with MP on it.

UltraViolet said...

It comes out in NY/LA on Friday and then next week other places.

More on the David Bergstein trial, the man who screwed up Nailed.

Extra said...

I like the first two pics, very intense. Love the behind the scene video of the shoot, thanks!

Sounds like a more mature (but still funny) Jake from what I could gleam from the interview.

I forgot all about Nailed UV :(
It will never see the light of day, not even on DVD, what a shame.

UltraViolet said...

I fear you are right, Extra. Maybe in 20 years someone will finally just let the thing out.

I wish the author hadn't referred to that old Sam Mendes quote about Jake not knowing his mark. It may still be true, but it would have been nice to hear Duncan Jones talk about Jake and not a recycled quote.

Stuff like that (the parking meter story, for god's sake) make me question a reporter's research.

The cover and article seem to be getting a good reaction. Here is a hilarious sequence of comments on Facebook:

oh NOW you want to go after my secret admirer too Kelly?!?!?

LOL great minds love men alike Lucy

hehe, i saw mr jake here a few times in soho... just as gorgeous in person. sigh.

oh yeah, he lives down there doesn't he? i hear he takes the train with us pedestrians as well lol

Molly Glenn He's going to be in an off Broadway show!! I already have tickets to it. Seriously. Tickets are only $20 if you are 18-35!!

i know someone who knows the female lead in this play... how cool am i

He. Looks. Like. A. Sexy. Bear. Wouldn't mind being mauled by that one nahmsayinnnnnn heh heh

i want him to rub his beard on me. UMMM are we going to see this play or what?!
about an hour ago · Like

i want to smell him.

LMAOOOOO

you KNOW he just smells like rugged sexy man but probably still fresh like laundry and vanilla.....

rawr

UltraViolet said...

Added a couple more shots and quotes to the post.

I do wish the reporter had asked more direct questions or tried harder for a more direct answer in some questions. Or a follow up. Jake is so known for his fitness and generally happy/proud to discuss it. I wonder if he could have probed a little more on that. Was Jake defensive/provocative/what?

And some of the Tao of Jake answers inevitably lead to stories like this. I don't think Jake is in Franco territory, nor do I want him to be.

Except maybe when it comes to offers.

The part about the waitresses explaining the dishes and aligning the chopsticks was hilarious.

bobbyanna said...

"I wish the author hadn't referred to that old Sam Mendes quote about Jake not knowing his mark. It may still be true, but it would have been nice to hear Duncan Jones talk about Jake and not a recycled quote. Stuff like that (the parking meter story, for god's sake) make me question a reporter's research."


Yeah, UV, I got the impression the author interviewed Jake on set in TO, then just filled in other comments from previous articles. As much as I enjoyed the references to Source Code, it would have been nice to include Duncan's observations in the article.

Altho, Mendes' comment from
7 years ago, (!) showed a different perspective from ayer on similar observations about Jake's "method.": Ayer's framed it more positively.

bobbyanna said...

I did love the author's observation about how other actors shine working with Jake, and I especially loved the story Anne Hathway told about her experience with Jake on BBM. I had no idea he ran lines with her in place of Heath. That was a sweet piece of new info.

(I tried to leave a comment on that ridiculous "Franco" article, but had problems posting it.)

Rachel said...

I had no idea he ran lines with her in place of Heath. That was a sweet piece of new info.

The way I read that was it was Jake on the other end of the phone call reading Heath's lines. Obviously Heath filmed his end of the phone call earlier in the shoot.

bobbyanna said...

yes, rachel, that's right.

Twitter said...

Jake fucking Gyllenhaal at #Lupa in NYC. Holy shit. Hyperventilating @carlyleah0427
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9:26 PM - 7 Aug 12

Anonymous said...

The woman whit the dark hair in the video is the same woman whit who he walking whit in NYC..and drink coffee whit. it whas his personal assistent for the shoot. they are just friends since then, nothing more.

Anonymous said...

No.

UltraViolet said...

LOL at the anon, desperate to prove Jake wasn't with a woman in anything other than a professional capacity.

From twitter:

Having dinner with (ok maybe next to!) Jake Gylenhall. This is all bc of @JenniferZed and her awesome restaurant list!

OMG!!! Pics pls??!!

Tweety said...

I wish that the interviewer dug a little deeper and it does seem embellished with a few old quotes but overall a fascinating interview. Interesting that he says he isn't into cycling or running anymore.

The photoshoot is fun and edgy and I love the bare feet!!

I don't think that is the same woman anon. Doesn't look like her and the other woman had really curly hair.

Anonymous said...

Thats because I know thats the same woman and I know that she whas his personal assistent for that shoot and became good friends after. she did also works for his ex Kirsten.

UltraViolet said...

Oh, why didn't you say that to begin with? We totally believe you now.

Tweety said...

The curly headed brunette was spotted with Jake before he statrted shooting The Enemy in Toronto in NY.The photoshoot and interview took place during the filming so how could she become his personal assistant for the shoot and became friends after if they were seen before?

I think you got this assistant mixed up with the one that was his a ssistant on BBM and was a freind of Kiki's and her assistant, 2 different women.

The curly haird woman seems to be younger than this assistant and the curly head woman was seen with Jake while he wasn't working.

And anon., aren't you the same person that posted thst fake FB/twitter account of some model that was dating Jake? How did that turn out? The "whit", gives you away.

Why are you so obsessed with whom he dates anyway?

Anonymous said...

According to this Jake says he has given up exercising regularly and how it doesn't fit the character in "The Enemy"

how doing "EOW" changed him.

I have to wonder if he meant he gave up exercising regularly because he was doing the film, or if he has decided to cut back.

They'll miss him at soul cycle if he kicks the cycling habit

(probably already do. Those cyclists have no one to swoon over and who can conduct their classes like Jake?

http://www.monstersandcritics.com/people/news/article_1701936.php/Jake-Gyllenhaal-given-up-exercise-routine

Lily

Anonymous said...

At First...You fans always think that you know thing just beacuse you see it at pictures. And second no I dont mean the assistent thats whas both friends whit jake as wel whit Kirsten. and no not the assistent of BBM. This woman is the same woman as on the photo what whas taken in NYC. Jake assistent in his new movie is a blond woman and not a brunnet. the woman in the video here is the set assistent and whas for that jake's assistent for that day.after that jake is doing a nother project and she works for that one to, how ask him doing that project and thats why they meet up and been seen together. this project comes out in November.

You really think that family members ore friends doent look the fan sites, why you think ppl know so mutch about him ore his new up coming projects? ore how do you think his sources are. Really you guys dind think about that? its not only his PR that check things ore bring things in the world. his fam and friends as wel.
ist so said to see that allot of his fans are thinking they know him that well and think he is there friend ore more. You guys dont know him and only see what Jake gives away. Dont foret he is a actor and a good one. Whats you see is not always what you get. Like the spinning class, he doesnt go there enny more cause his fans where there to stalk him and whant to see if he whanted to date them. He whants to do his thing and whant People to leave him alone if he does. and thats why you see him Sade ore Angry some times. and thats why he is hiding allot. Ow and after his theater peace he is going home to LA.

bobbyanna said...

Lily, I thought that too. I'm leaning toward believing he cut way back because of the character both for "Enemy" and maybe for this play, too. Jake has been so dedicated to exercise for so many years, I can't see him giving it up entirely. He seems to actually enjoy it! : )

UltraViolet said...

The story frames it as a decision for the character. Headline writers and bloggers and other sites couldn't resist the easy story.

There's no hope "whit" some folks.

Tweety said...

The woman in the video and the curly headed woamn are two different women "whit". Check your eye sight.

Going back I realized that Jake was talking about not excercising anymore relating to his character in The Enemy. More lazy "reporting"!

UltraViolet said...

Tweety, I'm "whit" you :)

Non sequitur, from FB:

Hello Jake, at the day after tomorrow premiere (after party/london) you signed 8 posters for starlight childrens foundation(and drew little stick men)! just wanted to say thanks. i raised money for starlight for a couple of years before stopping. you were the most receptive out of every actor. it doesnt take long and does lots of good! dont know the exact figure your posters would have raised but it would have contributed to a few terminally ill childrens wish's, the items i used to get were auctioned off and used in fundraising events. your such a legend and a superb actor! thanks again, hope you see this or someone passes it on!

And

Anonymous said...

it's always very funny to see how people react when they hear that I am a family of jake. they react just like you ULTRVIOLET!
Jealously and incomprehension, because why would someone who knows jake well is on a site for fans to look well like any other family member of any other star or actor does. they want to know what and how their fans react to what they do. a nother cousin of Jake is also on the site of IHJ and often has plenty of things written about him. To be honest, sometimes I'm with him and we laugh at the stupidest things you write / say and things you bring into the world. there are certainly fun and good for fans who recognize him because they do not consider someone they know in their private life, as most of you think that you are friends with him or know him well or think to know.

Rachel said...

Anon at 10:43, you'll be a Gyllenhaal family member that doesn't speak English as their first language? Which part of the family tree would that be?

Office of Nancy Pelosi said...

This is certainly a more mature and serious side of Jake that we are seeing in this interview. The interviewer could have dug a bit deeper. I love the story about Anne and how Jake makes his co-stars look good, I couldn't agree more.

I love b&w photos of Jake, prefer them to color actually.

Love the behind the scenes video and you are seriously creeping me out Anon.!!!

Anonymous said...

as I said, it's always fun to see how people react when you say you are very close to Jake condition than you will ever have. you always get these comments. Do you look on youtube or on other sites, and everyone makes mistakes in English and in word or writing. Im sorry but its funny to, and Like I said tonight me and my cousing are going to have a good laugh about this. just because your fans want to see and hear things that you find the finest and like to see / hear / read.
Jake Returns to his fans, but often disgusted by some fans, such as spinning, everyone who twitters and replaced twitter pages knows when he is spinning and know where he lives and he knows where that particular place and that disgusted him , so he had to get away from LA and now he is looking for a new place in CALI, so that after his theater performance can go there. ow and indeed Jake has sublet his house in LA and when he gets back, he sells his house and buy a new house in CALI. and how do I know because I speak to him daily.

Mary said...

Anon if you are a family member why are you telling us personal info I thoughtJake like his privacy?

Rachel said...

and everyone makes mistakes in English and in word or writing

Then you'll be that Gyllenhaal family member that doesn't value the benefits of a good education or basic knowledge of sentence structure/grammar/punctuation?

bobbyanna said...

LOL! OONP, obviously, someone's off their meds!

UltraViolet said...

The LOLZ continue.

Getting back to cousin Jake, did anyone catch the wink about 50 seconds into the video?

bobbyanna said...

I agree Rachel! : )

Is it possible that some of Jake's friends & relatives might surf the internet once in a while to check out fansites? Yeah, it's possible.
(I'd love for them to know about GB! It's a great fansite!)

Do I think he might have gone off SoulCycle for a while because of so much fan interest? Yeah, it's possible. On the upside, he certainly did a great job of promoting interest in it! : )

Do I think he might've leased his LA house, pr that he might sell it, might even buy a new one? Yeah, it's possible.

Do I think sometimes "fringe" people get access to inside info and run to post it, or more often, their version of it? Yeah, it's possible. (Waitstaff, store clerks, extras, crew, etc.)

Do I think this "Anon" "whit" poster is a family member or even a friend, who talks to Jake everyday, and then rushes here to post insider info? No. I don't. Not for a nano-second.

UltraViolet said...

Gold star, Bobbyanna. Perfect score.

Chica said...

I have nothing to add to that Bobbyanna after reading that "insiders" comments. And yes they have posted here before.

Jake has some really wierd online fans IMO.

Monica said...

Damn, that was funny.

I need some time to read this interview, but i like the photoshoot.

Josie said...

Anon. cousin has provided us with some amusement I see, LOL!

I like the photoshoot too and I did catch the wink in the video UV :)

Hard to say if he was mixing his character(s) in The Enemy with himself in the interview, I'll have to read it again!

Interesting that he is using cigerettes as a prop, I know that he is smoking again but I don't recall him smoking in photoshoots before.

Anonymous said...

He did smoke in other photoshoots when he was younger:
http://iheartjakemedia.com/displayimage.php?album=357&pid=6793#top_display_media

översättning said...

He is so cool.

Anonymous said...

IMO, someone that is so close with Jake would never post any personal information on a fan site... Out of respect for him, and their relationship. Especially a family member. That would just not happen.

Anonymous said...

Cousin, lets say I believe you, what side of the family? And where are you from? It would not surprise me if Jake's family has family in another country. Hey for all we know it could be Jake himself. Sometimes what you can not believe is true.

bobbyanna said...

You know, looking at these photos again (!) I am getting that Russian "Pasha " vibe. He could be preparing for Chekov. Or not.

Monica said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Monica said...

It is a very interesting interview that left me with some questions about his work. It is as if something has changed there.
Hmm .. look depressed like his character in An Enemy seems to approach a method actor. And he is not a method actor.

I like the quote from Anne. It was good to know.

"Every journey starts with fear...,

This is so Batman, Jake!

UltraViolet said...

Definitely a different side of Jake, Monica. Will we see more of it? Is it part method, part madness? :)

New post.