Jake Gyllenhaal - Love is knowing when to let your love go

It's only a day or two since I was wishing that we had more opportunities to listen to Jake Gyllenhaal being given the space and opportunity to express his feelings - however guardedly and carefully - about the big themes that preoccupy him, just as they do ourselves. Today my wish has been granted in the shape of an article in Welt Online, which features another interview with Jake from Antibes. Some of the answers are familiar - part of the rehearsed routine about Zodiac's themes of obsession and passion - but there are others which provide tantalising, albeit guarded, glimpses into Jake's heart. Again, this interview is in German and I suggest you consult the original article because my German is not as expressive as Jake's English.


From the beginning of the interview, it is clear that Jake is in a good mood. He offers his hand to shake and he winks before his assistant rushes up with Jake's chewing gum. 'Jake breathes deeply once, and with eyes closed puts two pieces of chewing gum into the mouth.'

The interview first focuses on Zodiac and Jake's portrayal of a character obsessed. For the second time, Jake compares this insatiable hunt for the answer to the need of some to understand the artistry behind a magician's tricks. "We are not satisfied just to be astonished. We want to explain the unexplainable." And if we can't understand it? "Then we want to destroy it. Therefore, Zodiac is for me a parable of our society: What we don't understand, we want to destroy."


Jake is asked what he understands by obsession and he replies with his analogy that passion is the land - "I always know where I am" - and obsession is the sea, "twice as large and definitely terrifying." This interviewer is sharp: "You neatly diverted yourself from telling me what your obsession is." Jake laughs: "You don't give up! I would describe myself as a very passionate human being. And I can be enthusiastic for many things. I know, you will now probably ask me what things..." The interviewer doesn't argue! Jake continues: "Now I'm walking on ice... Even if it perhaps sounds geeky, I have a big passion for chewing gum. I am very passionate where politics are concerned. I am a passionate cyclist. And I am a passionate family member, and my friends are unbelievably important to me. Obviously I am somewhat obsessive, when it concerns relationships."


And Jake seems perfectly happy to open up - just a little bit - about love: "There was this girl was in the sixth grade! No I'd better not tell you that! But, seriously, I'm learning about love and in a good way. In the past, I was so over enthusiastic to receive love that I suffocated it. Now I completely focus on the passion. Sometimes you want to fill an emptiness that you feel inside yourself with love. But that's wrong. Love is about giving and sharing. That's the only way to be lucky."

Jake is asked what he has already learned about love: "Classical love stories never worked in my life. I've never experienced it to run smooth. ... Love makes whatever it wants and moves in different directions and no love is the same. I always notice, that if I'm particularly open in a relationship to everything that it can be, then it's particularly beautiful. Liberty is so important in love! If I really love someone, I must also accept that this person may fall in love with someone else, and then must I let them go... We must learn to let go and let love follow, whereveer we may find it. But I believe, I can't speak so well about love..."

The interviewer reminds Jake that he has presented millions with the very image of true love in Brokeback Mountain. "That is probably my fate: a life dedicated to obsession. But I must say that I could easily reconstruct that obsession because it was born from passion. My heart is usually much stronger and more influential in my life than my mind. I'm often like that as well with my choice of roles: my heart doesn't tell me whether I should trust these feelings, but I trust my instincts completely up til now."


Jake is asked who he turns to if he he feels his heart is taking control and he needs an objective opinion. "My father once said to me: 'It is completely unimportant which decision you make and what you do. What matters is that you lead a good life.' At first I didn't understand that and asked him what he meant. So he said: 'Trust your feelings and go with the films that please you personally. Do what interests you and don't be afraid. Go outside into the world, do what you consider right, and come back home. Because that is the crucial thing, that you have a home. Work is important, but not everything in life.' This discussion freed me, because I knew suddenly that it's okay to make mistakes. The next thought that came to my head was 'Damn, actually you don't have a proper home!' "


The interviewer asks if Jake could change that and he responds: "Yes, I have already. Apart from the success which I've had, I've invested a lot of time in creating a home for myself." "But doesn't the traditional proper home need a wife and children? When do you want to take that on?" Jake laughs and replies: "I know many people who have marriage and children as their number one priority. But I've thought about that hard and think you shouldn't put the cart before the horse. You must first meet another person with whom you'd like to create a family. I know that when I have a wife and children it will be completely the right thing for me, but in the current phase of my life I'd probably prefer to just prepare for it. For the moment,my parents, my sister and her family are the best things I have in my life. No doubt at all. Yes, I would gladly have my own small family. But I'm still young."


Jake is asked if his career is an obsession or a passion: "Clearly a passion". "And if the passion of daily life diminishes?" "Since I don't define myself by my work, I wouldn't have problems doing something else. If it makes me feel better then I could earn money as a garden worker. However, I would love to do something with cooking. Perhaps I should open a restaurant, my best friend is a cook. And if you think actors are crazy, cooks are completely out of it."

Pictures from IHJ.