Jake Gyllenhaal

Early Years

Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal was born in Los Angeles, California. The children of movie director Stephen Gyllenhaal and scriptwriter Naomi Foner, Jake and sister Maggie led a privileged life. The couple strived to teach their children to appreciate their many blessings. Jake and Maggie worked during school and mixed with "common" people.

As expected, Jake and Maggie were exposed to the world of moviemaking at an early age. His first movie was City Slickers, where he appeared as the son of Billy Crystal's character. Although Jake Gyllenhaal auditioned for and won roles in several movies, including The Mighty Ducks, his parents only allowed him to appear in his father's films. Both Jake and Maggie performed in their father's 1993 film, A Dangerous Woman.

Movie roles and wealth aside, Jake Gyllenhaal had a pretty typical early life. He finished high school on schedule and then went on to Columbia University.

Career

Jake Gyllenhaal left college after two years to focus more heavily on his acting career. He had appeared in several films prior to 1999, but it was that year's film October Sky that really garnered him critical acclaim. With his soulful eyes and earnest charm, he was able to perfectly capture the character's yearning for a better life. Jake also gained attention for playing sweetly troubled characters, first in Donnie Darko and then in the Jennifer Aniston favorite, The Good Girl. While he is widely considered a hunk, Jake Gyllenhaal also has a boy-next-door quality that allows viewers to get beyond his looks. With his soulful eyes, earnest expressions and boyish voice, Jake is able to poignantly display a range of emotions, taking moviegoers on emotional roller coasters.

His other films include:

• Lovely and Amazing
• Bubble Boy
• Moonlight Mile
• The Day After Tomorrow
• Proof
• Jarhead

His previous acclaim was nothing compared to the media frenzy created by his 2005 role in Brokeback Mountain.

Brokeback Mountain

At Premiere magazine's "The New Power," which celebrated Hollywood power players under 35.

In Brokeback Mountain, Jake Gyllenhaal took his penchant for playing sensitive, troubled souls to new levels. In the controversial, groundbreaking film, he plays a sheep herder who falls in love with another cowboy, played by Heath Ledger. While other movies and television shows have featured gay characters, this was the first mainstream movie to deal with all the heartache and emotion surrounding the taboo of homosexuality in the 1960s. The movie is stark and painful at times and Jake's performance is beautiful and deeply moving. The role won him several nominations, including "Best Supporting Actor" and "Best Ensemble" from the Screen Actor's Guild and "Best Supporting Actor" from the Academy Awards. While those wins escaped him, he did take home awards for the following:

• Best Kiss (with Heath Ledger) -- MTV Movie Awards
• Best Performance -- MTV Movie Awards
• Best Supporting Actor -- National Board of Review
• Best Supporting Actor -- BAFTA
• Young Artist Award for Artistic Excellence -- Americans for the Arts

Awards and Achievements

Brokeback Mountain isn't the only role that earned Jake Gyllenhaal high honors. He earned numerous titles, for both his movies and his looks, including:

• Young Hollywood Award for Breakthrough Male (2002)
• London Evening Standard Theatre Award for Outstanding Newcomer (2002)
• Best Actor for Donnie Darko (2003)
• Hollywood Breakthrough Award (2005)
• 50 Hottest Bachelors-- People magazine (2006)
• 50 Most Beautiful People-- People magazine (2006)
• Number 48 on the "Power 50"-- Premiere (2006)

Personal Life

Jake Gyllenhall and his sister, Maggie, at the 2005 Vanity Fair Oscar Party in West Hollywood.

Despite being linked to various Hollywood actresses, rumors have bubbled for years that Jake Gyllenhaal is a gay celebrity. His highly believable portrayal of a gay cowboy only intensified those rumors. In fact, some gossip columnists have gone so far as to speculate that Jake's friendships with Matthew McConaughey and Lance Armstrong may be romantic. The three men vehemently deny these claims. When Details questioned him directly about his sexuality, Jake Gyllenhaal responded, " I've never really been attracted to men sexually, but I don't think I would be afraid of it if it happened."

Jake dated actress Kirsten Dunst off and on for three years, finally breaking up for good in December 2005. Since then, rumors have swirled that Jake and his Rendition co-star, the newly single Reese Witherspoon, have taken their flirtation from reel life to real life. Many fans are cheering for the twosome, but no relationship has been confirmed.

Jake Gyllenhaal Trivia

• His Bar Mitzvah was held at a homeless shelter.
• He worked as a restaurant busboy.
• He was considered for the leading role in Spider Man 2, due to Tobey Maguire's back injury.
• He studied Eastern religions in college.
• Jamie Lee Curtis is his godmother.
• He and Kirsten Dunst share custody of a German Shephard.
• He is the godfather of Matilda Rose, daughter of Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams.

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