Peter Sarsgaard's Elegy gala in NYC - Jake Gyllenhaal by sea and ocean

Many of you will know that Maggie Gyllenhaal had a film come out lately - it's done rather well at the box office. But I am also very excited to see that Peter Sarsgaard is about to reach our screens. Although with a limited release, Elegy arrives in theatres on both side of the pond this Friday (August 8). Last night, Peter and other cast members, including Penelope Cruz, attended a screening hosted by The Cinema Society and Glamour at the Tribeca Grand Screening Room in NYC. Maggie wasn't there but it's good to see the spotlight on Peter and his co-stars.


Of course, Elegy also features the dastardly Prince of Persia villain Ben Kingsley - just as Peter's future release An Education stars Prince Dastan's mentor Alfred Molina. Shrinking the world still further, Carey Mulligan appears in An Education and she will also be seen in Brothers - it's all like one big movie sometimes...


Maggie, meanwhile, has been speaking some more about The Dark Knight. This interview with Chuck the Movie Guy includes so many spoilers it should come with a health warning. So please be aware this video is crammed to the hilt with SPOILERS and watch at your own risk.



By the Sea

In another recent interview, Maggie mentioned her love for the ocean (as well as jewellery): 'Being around water, and in water, makes you feel so good. The ocean is really sexy, and the wilder and wavier the better!' This may have a lot more to do with memories of summers spent on Martha's Vineyard than of off-season ferry crossings over the Irish Sea, but this got me thinking about Jake Gyllenhaal and the sea. After all, Jake once said that his favourite place on earth were the cliffs of Gay Head on MV.


Jake also said (in one of my favourite Zodiac interviews): 'I really like to sail, actually. My family has a house in Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts, and we've had it since I was very little, so, I've sort of been on the ocean as a lifeguard from when I was like, 16 to 18.'



Jake has been photographed in, by and, even, walking upon the sea. In Cannes, the sea formed the perfect backdrop for interviews, photoshoots and premieres. In the idyllic setting of the Eden Roc hotel in Antibes, along the coast from Cannes, Jake seemed inspired in some of his most eloquent and thoughtful interviews to date. 'Venice is beautiful, but I never got to do my interviews by the ocean. This is great - it's beautiful' (BBC News).



Stories of rescuing poor swimmers from the attacks of Jellyfish are legendary - appearing with almost predictable regularity at BAFTA ceremonies - as are reminiscences of running along the beach as a teenage lifeguard, Bay Watch style. Speedos stolen for a dare from the Beverley Center no doubt came in handy.



Jake is rarely far from the sea - he doesn't just get to spend non-working summers on MV, plus surfing holidays in Hawaii (while collecting best young actor awards), he also spends much of his time by the warm Californian Pacific Ocean - although if you stand still on Venice Beach for more than five minutes you'll be knocked down by a cyclist and/or rollerblader. Much to contrast with the sand and mountains of Morocco.



It's therefore not surprising that the Oceana charity is close to Jake's heart (as we have previously seen), taking part in annual fundraising dinners. But sometimes the sea gets a little close for comfort.


In one of my most tenuous links yet, in this video Jake mentions the sea - very theatrically.



And finally... A flying visit to NYC?

One sighting has Jake and Reese in NYC last weekend - attending the 'Deerhunter and Black Lips' free concert at McCarren Pool in Brooklyn on Sunday night. If it is true, then this was a very fleeting visit indeed because yesterday Reese was back shopping in LA and, presumably, Jake is back at work on PoP. My ears did perk up at the mention of them being near the beer tent - always the best location at such events.


Pictures from links and IHJ.