Jake: 'You look like a nice mint chocolate chip cookie'

Buona mattina! I'm shortly off to the Eternal City which, even if it weren't for Jake and Rendition, would be an amazing thing for me and will take me back to my years as a Roman archaeologist. I'll do all I can to fight the urge, but the odd picture of a ruin may turn up. If Jake should need a guide to the forum...

I couldn't leave without sharing my delight in this new article about Jake in which the interviewer Lisa is subjected to the full onslaught of Gyllencharm, rendering her, no doubt, a Gyllenhaalic for life.

It begins endearingly: “For me, being far away from home is a learning experience,” he explains. “This was shot in North Africa, in a different country with a lot of different rules, and I felt very isolated. It was a very good thing for me. You need to ostracize yourself to learn.”


But then the attack begins...
'“You look like a nice mint chocolate chip cookie,” he suggests in reaction to the mint green blouse and a dark brown skirt I am wearing. “I do?” I ask, blushing and feeling like a 14-year-old. At my advanced age, it really does take a great actor to make me feel that way. “That’s my favorite flavor, so I’ll take that as a compliment,” I offer. ““You should – that’s my favorite flavor too,” he replies.

Now I’m totally flustered. As a mature professional, I like to think I can handle any curve ball that’s thrown my way, but Gyllenhaal is looking at me with his adorable blue eyes and incredibly long eyelashes. “Okay, where do we go from here?” I say, stalling for time while I try to recollect my next question. “Let’s just talk about ice cream,” he offers, oozing boyish charm.

Oh yes, Jake Gyllenhaal has arrived. The man has definitely arrived.'


Israeli actor Yigal Naor has received much praise for Rendition, notably from Jonathan Ross in Film 2007. It is interesting to hear Yigal speak about Jake: “It was beautiful to work with Jake... I’m double his age – I have a son his age - and what really amazed me is his kind of silence, his way of letting things go through him without pushing anything. He goes so deep into himself and has this way of searching for his truth. He’s fighting for every feeling, even the slightest glimpse of the eye. He is a great cinema actor.”


Gavin Hood talks about Rendition and Wolverine

To find out more about the film and what it was like to direct it, you may want to watch this video interview, Secrets Out, with Gavin Hood. In it, he discusses the sheer scale of filming Rendition in locations across the world and with cast and crew from every corner of the planet. He also compares Rendition with his newest and radically different project, the much anticipated Wolverine.


Zodiac Director's Cut

With all the excitement about Rendition, one shouldn't forget that the next Jake offering we'll be getting will be the Director's Cut of Zodiac, due in the American stores on January 8. Variety has pointed out that Paramount is showing its support for David Fincher by delivering the Director's Cut version to 'the Producers Guild of America, the Writers Guild of America and the Screen Actors Guild, instead of the official release version.' This is the first time Paramount has sent out a Director's Cut. The Oscar panellists have been sent the theatrical release as that is the only one permitted.


Work must be almost complete on this new version, because David Fincher is to present it at 'a November 19 event hosted by the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Fincher will be on hand for a discussion at the Walter Reade Theater.'

Vedali! (all Italian on the site is the responsibility of Babelfish)

Includes pictures from IHJ.