It's that spooky time of year again. Although Halloween is not as big an affair in the UK as elsewhere (we enjoy burning effigies on Bonfire Night instead - accompanied by mulled wine, hot potatoes, fireworks and frightened pets), here is a look at how Scary Jake Gyllenhaal could take the genre of the Horror Movie to new heights of terror. In Scary Jake Land noone can hear you scream...
Jake has already been through the basics of the ritual of Halloween, so Scary Boot Camp will be short.
If needs be, Jake could make use of any weapon at hand to reduce us to shivers (or pieces).
Jake is used to communing with figures from beyond the grave, such as Grandma Death, and giant rodents hold no fear for him.
If you're going to be a Horror Movie star, then you need to have suitable Scary Transport.
You must also be able to sweat through fear to order.
If needs be, substances may help to get you into the right scary frame of mind.
Jake has had experience of Scary Movie Moments. These include prehistoric creatures, army food, extreme temperatures, Godforsaken environments, excessive clothing and face paint...
...Not to mention, haircuts snatched from the jaws of hell itself.
In the Prince of Persia, evil spells and spirits will be commonplace and Jake will have a battle on his hands.
In the pictures below, we see evidence of Jake rehearsing for his horror breakthrough role.
Maybe in the future, we will even get Stepford Jake...
A diversion tonight, dedicated to the probable reason why Jake Gyllenhaal has been given some time off over the last few days - Jake's Princess of Persia Gemma Arterton has been publicising the new Bond movie Quantum of Solace, which, last night, received its royal premiere, in the frosty streets of London Town. Gemma looked absolutely amazing. And, as Daniel Craig said himself, 'Gemma is a rising star and we were lucky to get her.'
Meanwhile, here is an article about part-time actress Barbara Weetman who scored a role recently as wife to the doomed cookie-chomping James Brolin in Nailed. Here's hoping we get to see the results of her efforts, and sooner rather than later.
Big hugs are flying their way over to Stephanie from IHJ this evening, because she took pity on a Gyllenhaalic with no small affection for Peter Sarsgaard and capped Peter's appearance on Conan last night for me and all of us, especially for those of us who are on the very chilly side of the pond and would not have seen it otherwise. Now we can all hear about the 'brewing whiskey in the woods beard' that Peter proudly sports (Maggie likes it) and also how Peter prepares himself for show time (it involves a two-headed robot and no shirt). So now Conan has sniffed Jake Gyllenhaal's beard and stroked Peter Sarsgaard's beard - whatever next... Thanks so much, Stephanie!
And while we're thinking about Peter, here is another video of the man himself signing autographs after a performance of the Seagull.
I got my December copy of Total Film today and, needless to say, I was thrilled to see Prince of Persia as one of its cover headlines. Here is the page from the magazine, demonstrating that this film will be watched closely by the movie and game worlds until it bursts upon us in May 2010 - can't come soon enough.
December's Total Film also features an interview with Jessica Biel and in it she discusses one of her more problematic movie projects - yep, that can be only Nailed. This is what the article, and Jessica, has to say: 'Shot over the summer, David O Russell's latest has been bogged down in a stop-start quagmire as its backers kept running out of cash. Biels says it would be 'tragic' if they can't finish - 'We only have three scenes left to shoot' - but even she's not sure. If Nailed does cross the finish line, we'll see Biel playing a blissfully air-headed, roller-skating waitress who gets a nail in her head and ends up prone to fits of shocking rage and 'crazy, aggressive sexual behaviour'.'
She becomes a nymphomaniac, then? 'Well, she'll start to get uncontrollably excited about, like, a lampost and then she races to... you know.' Biel says Nailed is 'poignant, sarcastic and hilarious' and that the famously intense O Russell has got 'incredible performances out of everybody, especially me.'' In a way I wish I hadn't heard this, because now I want to see Nailed more than ever (and if it's a choice between a lampost and immoral congressman Jake...).
And finally
Maggie's been out and about again - this time she attended the launch of the new Blackberry phone in NYC and she looked marvellous.
Includes pictures from IHJ and links, scan by WDW.
Now that Jake Gyllenhaal's back in London, he's hopefully getting a bit of rest to recover from the kind of airmiles cabin staff accrue before getting back down to work - swashbuckling, battling on horseback, running along walls, fighting snake-wielding sand monsters, and leaping naked into luxuriant baths with his feisty princess. So as not to disturb Jake's much-needed rest, I thought I'd take a look at a couple of interviews Jake did during the publicity for his last summer blockbuster.
I got hold of the above magazine today and from the interview in it, it's pretty clear why Jake would want to be in such a big movie as The Day After Tomorrow. Even apart from the highly sensible motive of simply getting one's name out there ('In my experience there have been directors who wanted to work with me but who couldn't get their films financed with me on board. Business-wise, a film like this does help one's career'), there are other reasons.
'I've always wanted to be in an action movie. It's probably part of being a guy. It's the little boy in me that wants to play around! As mature as I'd like to pretend that I am, I also have to admit I am not, and be true to that side. Doing this movie was a case of it being okay to have fun once in a while.' And it really must be cool to have friends phone you from around the world after they've seen posters for your movie everywhere.
Click on the pictures below to read more of the interview, to learn whose books Jake would burn for real, his horseriding experiences and fears, and his earthquake survival techniques and memories. Good to hear with all the flying that Jake's been doing lately that 'I'm okay with turbulence, though it is a little scary. If I had to experience the sort of turbulence that's in the movie I'd probably be pretty freaked out.' And again we get confirmation that Jake was linked to the rather odd project Me and My Monster, which has yet to get underway.
In another interview from the same time (recorded at ym.com but with a link now gone), Jake said: 'I have a silly side, too... But I want to play really meaty characters, and for someone my age those parts are always sad, really disturbed kids, which says a lot.' It's this mix - of the silly and the serious - which has led to such a range of roles. Jake also says that he entertained himself during the long hours of filming TDAT with crossword puzzles ('They're challenging and fun at the same time').
Finally, because Jake is back in England, which cannot help but make me happy, here is a section of a BBC Radio 1 report from The Day After Tomorrow premiere in London, during which guests were sprinkled with white stuff: '"It's not snow, it's soap. It sizzles! It's amazing!" he [Jake] joked. Jake also loved the attention from his UK fans as he told us: "I like the English fans - that was the best part. There were so many people, it's so nice. Everyone was so sweet and cool and enthusiastic - it makes you excited to see the movie for the fourth time! I did almost make out with a 55 year old woman, but that was erm, that was awkward!' Not for the woman, I suspect...
Now that's what I call a flying visit, and I don't envy Jake his jetlag. Today Jake Gyllenhaal arrived back at Heathrow, modelling another Free City top, which is set off perfectly by The Jeans and a spot of North Face. Glad to have you back in Blighty, Jake!
I'm sure many of us are familiar with the video of Jake Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard in which they discuss the true meaning of a Jarhead - something to do with a bamboo shoot - and warn us that 'Jarhead' must never be used in the plural. So I was very happy to come across another interview from the same British press junket. There is something about watching Jake and Peter strike sparks off each other and, as can be expected, there are some very funny bits, including something about Troy and cowboys, and Swoff and Troy ('Is that Alan Troy?') being 'friends out of wedlock'.
There is also a fuller discussion of how the movie Jarhead plays with the concept that soldiers learn about war from movies - ironically, in this film, the marines learn that movies (Apocalypse Now, Full Metal Jacket, The Deerhunter) can never prepare them for the reality of being a soldier-in-waiting. I hope you enjoy the interview.
As I'm taking a trip down memory lane, I thought I'd take a look at an event that took place back in the golden year of 2004. On 2 June, Jake was given a New Power accolade by Premiere magazine, in the Forbidden City restaurant in Hollywood. This annual event, which was hosted by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner, celebrates 'hot film industry innovators under the age of 35'.
Jake's award was presented to him by Mark Ruffalo and, according to Fashion Wire, Jake had this to say about the event: '“I know you guys came to see me tonight, not Tom Cruise,” kidded Gyllenhaal, whom presenter Mark Ruffalo crowned “the new punk rock movie star,” “This award means a lot to me because my girlfriend and my sister already have one. But it really does look like a penis. Oops, sorry ‘Premiere.’” Here below, is a picture of Jake and Mark with the award so you can judge its appearance for yourselves...
I liked the detail provided by Variety that 'guests and presenters including Naomi Watts, Mark Ruffalo and Marlon Wayans enjoyed cosmopolitans, cartons of Chinese food and free back massages.' All at the same time? What kind of an awards ceremony was this?? Variety also tells us that the event lost power for a while.
Incidentally, Mark Ruffalo had originally played the part of Warren in This Is Our Youth, the role that Jake took over. In the Daily Mail back in 2002, it was reported: ''I'm a little scared to be doing theatre in London,' Gyllenhaal confessed to me recently. 'I met Mark Ruffalo and he admitted he was nervous about anyone else playing Warren in This Is Our Youth, but he was happy to pass on the torch,' he said. In fact, I also bumped into Ruffalo in Los Angeles, and he was choked about not coming to London. 'I'm too old now, otherwise I would have jumped at the idea,' he told me. 'Jake has my blessing, though, and I might try to get over to see the play.''
Halloween
It's that time of year again... Kate Hudson (who was also given one of the New Power awards with Jake in 2004) has held her Halloween party again and details are just emerging. While we have photos of Gwen Stefani dressed as a fried egg (and her husband as bacon), we are so far spared photos of Jake and Reese in costume. And that is just as well, because according to OK! 'Also invited, and dressed as cats, cheerleaders and other ghoulish figures, were Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Dax Shepard, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, Sean Hayes, David Spade, Lukas Haas and Jennifer Meyer.'
NOTE: It now looks like this could be a false report, and OK! combined party lists from this and previous years - for reasons only known to them.
