Who is Jake Gyllenhaal? The Vital Stats:
- Name: Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal
- Nicknames: Jake
- Height: 6′
- Age: 30
- Born: December 19, 1980 in Los Angeles, California
- Profession: Actor
- Status: Single
- Filmography (year, title, role):
1991: City Slickers (Danny Robbins)
1993: Josh and S.A.M. (Leon)
1993: A Dangerous Woman (Edward)
1998: Homegrown (Jake/Blue Kahan)
1999: October Sky (Homer Hickam Jr.)
2001: Donnie Darko (Donald J. ‘Donnie’ Darko)
2001: Bubble Boy (Jimmy Livingston)
2001: Lovely & Amazing (Jordan)
2002: Highway (Pilot Kelson)
2002: Moonlight Mile (Joe Nast)
2002: The Good Girl (Thomas ‘Holden’ Worther)
2003: Abby Singer (cameo as himself)
2004: The Day After Tomorrow (Sam Hall)
2005: Brokeback Mountain (Jack Twist)
2005: Jarhead (Anthony ‘Swoff’ Swofford)
2005: Proof (Harold ‘Hal’ Dobbs)
2007: Zodiac (Robert Graysmith)
2007: Rendition (Douglas Freeman)
2009: Brothers (Tommy Cahill)
2010: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (Prince Dastan)
2010: Love and Other Drugs (Jamie Randall)
2011: Man VS Wild (himself) television series
2011: Source Code (Colter Stevens)
2011-2012: (post-production, release date/year unknown) Nailed (Howard Birdwell)
2012: (pre-production) End of Watch (Officer Taylor)
What can a girl say about Jake Gyllenhaal? The man is almost too beautiful for words. I first fell in love with Jake after watching him in the beautifully-dark Donnie Darko and that love has never wavered. From romantic comedies to action flicks, Jake plays every role he tackles to perfection. More than just a pretty male actor with a fantastic body, Jake has the acting chops to earn him serious respect in his profession. He chooses roles that appeal to him as an actor instead of roles that will make him the most money or earn him the most fans. He has inspired many to find an acting coach. The roles he has chosen have earned him a spot among the most promising actors of his generation.
Jake Gyllenhaal was born into a showbiz family. His father is respected director Stephen Gyllenhaal and his mother is noted screenwriter/producer Naomi Foner while his sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal is a respected and accomplished actress is her own right. Jake made his screen debut at eleven years old as Billy Crystal’s son in City Slickers and more film work quickly amassed. He was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for his portrayal of the troubled, but ultimately lovable, Donnie Darko in the film of the same name.
For many, Jake really rose to prominence in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain in which he played conflicted cowboy Jack Twist. While some look back on this film as the movie in which Jake made out with Heath Ledger, the movie was so very much more than that. Jake’s performance was absolutely heartbreaking and beautiful. While he might have been outshone by Ledger’s much more understated performance, he held his own and gave the role exactly what it needed: romance, conflict and most importantly, heartfelt passion.
Following the release of Brokeback Mountain rumors began to swirl about Jake’s sexuality. I’m not going to give this topic any more credit than it deserves. Who freaking cares? Gay, straight, bisexual – what does it matter? He’s gorgeous, talented and doesn’t seem at all shy about taking his shirt off in front of the camera. More than that, he seems like a genuinely nice guy – something that you don’t often see with celebrities of his caliber.
I love Jake most for his fearlessness. Whether it’s taking a role most Hollywood actors would shy away from or tackling the wilderness with Bear Grylls for Man VS Wild, Jake takes whatever comes his way and never loses his trademark sense of humor. In interviews, he’s always witty and engaging, but he also doesn’t balk from talking about the matters that are important to him. He is politically minded, campaigning for Democratic candidate John Kerry and shooting promos for Rock the Vote and recognizes that, as a young actor, he has power when it comes to issues such as politics. At the same time, he isn’t as vocal as other actors; choosing to let his actions and his films speak for him.
Jake enjoys cooking, woodworking and meditates as often as possible. He doesn’t classify himself as a Buddist, but tries to exercise ‘mindfulness’ (an important part of the path to Enlightenment according to the teachings of Buddah). Known as one of the ‘fittest’ actors in Hollywood, he jokes, cycles and works out on a regular basis to stay in shape and to live a healthier lifestyle. This healthy lifestyle doesn’t stop with the physical and mental aspect of wellness. Jake is also an actively environmentally minded person who uses his position in the public eye to help educate the public about issues relating to the environment. Jake has stated that he not only recycles regularly but donates money to plant trees in a forest in Mozambique as part of the Future Forests program. He has also traveled to the Arctic to raise awareness of the growing concerns regarding climate change.
Okay, before we get to the pictures of the delicious, talented and wonderful Jake Gyllenhaal, I’d like to take a moment to remind you all to vote in this week’s poll. The response last week was great, but wound up in a three way tie, forcing me to choose between Johnny Depp, Alexander Skarsgard and Jake. Voting closes on July 30, it’s absolutely free, and you can vote as many times as you like. Share the poll with your friends to vote your favorite guy in – write in votes are welcome. There will be another link to the poll at the end of the article. Now, enough talk. Let’s get to the Man Candy!
Who do you want to see profiled for next week’s Man Candy Monday? Send your suggestions via Twitter or e-mail or do it the easy way and vote! Don’t like the choices? Click other and tell me who you’d rather see! The winner will get his own Man Candy Monday profile next week and the popular runners up/write in votes will make up next week’s poll. Vote in the poll by clicking the big ass link below:
Want more Man Candy? Check out my previous Man Candy Monday profiles:
- Man Candy Monday: Charlie Hunnam
- Man Candy Monday: Ian Somerhalder
- Man Candy Monday: Jensen Ackles
And make sure you come back next Monday for even more Man Candy goodness! And remember, Jake’s new film Source Code is available on DVD and Blu-Ray tomorrow (July 26, 2011). Rent it! Buy it! Love it! Fantastic movie!
