Celebratory and contemplative

There's a new interview with Jake Gyllenhaal in Australia's Herald Sun, conducted sometime in the past week. Jake is asked the usual questions about Source Code but also about recent world events.

Having been politically active in the past, for environmental and civil liberties causes as well as former presidential candidate John Kerry, Gyllenhaal won't be drawn on his personal reaction to the US military events of the past week.

"My opinion matters very little but to be here, I have seen a whole number of reactions," he says of the mood in his homeland right now.

"It's hard to speak for everybody and that's what makes America so extraordinary. It's celebratory and contemplative at the same time."





Having played a US marine in Jarhead, a pilot in Source Code and a cop in the coming drama End of Watch, Gyllenhaal says he takes the portrayal of serving men seriously.

"I think even as this whole thing with Osama Bin Laden comes out and people start to think what an extraordinary job these Navy Seals did, to portray someone who does a job as significant as they do accurately and with respect, I find that to be a great responsibility," he says. "I always feel pressure when I am doing it and try to do as much research as possible."



With the 10th anniversary of Moulin Rouge approaching, Baz Luhrmann recently reflected on the fact that Gyllenhaal and the late Heath Ledger were the last two considered before he ultimately decided on Ewan McGregor as his leading man. After all these years, Gyllenhaal remembers the near-miss fondly.

"It was an honour to be seen and heard and listened to by Baz," he says of his audition. "He is a great filmmaker. I remember it as a very nurturing, huge growing process for me as an artist, which says a lot about Mr Luhrmann."

Given McGregor's surprising vocals in the film, surely Gyllenhaal is harbouring musical talents too?



"Oh, it's not hidden," he says, laughing. "And I'm not even necessarily sure it's a talent, but I would love to do a musical one day."

(Railroad Revival photos from flickr/mandalandish and breakfastontour.)