Tuesday 25 November 2008

Jake Gyllenhaal - making a lasting impression

Vanity Fair is celebrating its 95th anniversary and to mark the occasion the Los Angeles County Museum of Art is presenting 'Vanity Fair Portraits: Photographs 1913-2008.' And this site tantalisingly says 'The most engaging part of the exhibit (backstage footage of Jake Gyllenhaal’s photo shoot excluded) is the "Vintage Vanity Fair" section.'


Jake's photoshoot left an impression, not least because of the video footage of the shoot, done for Tom Ford's 2006 Hollywood Issue, which features photographer Annie Leibovitz, artistic director Tom Ford himself and a stunning and confident Jake Gyllenhaal.



The photos - and the video - were shot at Smashbox Studios in Culver City, California, on November 19, 2005. A day to remember, three years on. The cover for the special issue featured Tom alongside the nakedly draped Keira Knightley and Scarlett Johansson (seen below) but there was a rumour that the original idea for the cover had been somewhat different: 'Could the Tom Ford-directed Vanity Fair be any hotter? Apparently, it could have been. Sources say the cover shot of Ford with the very naked Scarlett Johansson and Keira Knightley is not the lineup the maestro first envisioned. "The idea was to have Tom between a guy and a girl, and he wanted Jake Gyllenhaal" ... The official word from Gyllenhaal's rep: "He was never asked to be on the cover or pose nude. He was asked to be featured inside, which he did." There is a lesson here - VF, ask the right questions!


In 2004, W magazine suggested that Jake and Heath had turned to Tom Ford for advice before the filming of Brokeback Mountain: 'Despite reports that their onscreen kiss was a no-go, it appears that Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger shared a passionate canoodle on the set of Ang Lee's "Brokeback Mountain" after all. The actors, both straight, had turned to Tom Ford for advice about the whole man-on-man thing at this year's Vanity Fair Oscar party. (Gyllenhaal was riveted, and Ledger squeamish, says a witness.) When filming began near Calgary this summer, they did further research at the city's annual gay rodeo. "Everybody was anxious before the kiss happened," says a source on the set, who couldn't confirm whether the smooch would make the final cut. "But when the day came, they just went for it. And it was amazing."'



Back in 2003, Jake had attended a Goddess gala at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art along with Tom Ford, Stella McCartney and Nicole Kidman. Outside the event a fan asked Kirsten for her autograph - you can read Jake's cheesy but sweet response here.


And finally...

One of the oddest headlines today related to Jake was this one. As a fan of Snow Patrol, it seems there is only one thing that can make a Snow Patrol video better and that's the inclusion of Jake Gyllenhaal. No arguments there, then.


Includes pictures from IHJ and Amazon.

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay, if that Vanity Fair video doesn't prove that Jake is the sexiest man alive, I don't know what could! I will never get tired of watching that. It has everything: the twinkle in the eyes, the smile, a little shyness, a lot of smouldering looks, the beautiful body in a simple jeans and T-shirt, the hands (oh the hands... how I love them so...) *Sigh* ... So beautiful...

Olympia

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Hi there Olympia! I really couldn't agree with you more - who could resist? Or want to? Absolutely perfect :) Sigh...

Monica said...

Good night, wet dark!

After seeing that video five times followed...awwwww
It's the sexiest man in the world!
What is that smile? Smile more beautiful in the world!

Zodiac said...

He IS absolutely perfect in this video, WDW. I don't think I would survive the cover with naked Jake on it. I'd probably frame it:)

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Hi Monica! I just can't count now how many times I've seen that! Just perfect :)

Hey Zodiac :D A naked Jake cover - that might have been too much... but I can see why they would have liked that... :P

Hpe everyone's having a good evening :D

Anonymous said...

Damn, what are you doing to me? This is a totally totally HOT post!

Tom Ford... what a naughty man who can read my mind :) If his original vision of VF cover happened, there would be men and women lying on the ground in front of the newsstands and the VF copies would have been spontaneously combust!

I love that VF backstage video though and I totally understand how Tom Ford couldn't keep his hands away. Tom, we know... we know... Jake was extremely cute.

It's interesting to read that Jake was riveted and Heath was squeamish - that's just so like them to have such reactions!

Great post :)

Atticus said...

I kiss Daddy all the time and I'ma boy. Whuts the big deal? Hey Blogger knows who I am. My word is jakid.

Atticus said...

Uh oh my next word is decon. Isn't decon a bug repellent? What the hell is Blogger telling me? *looks for fleas*

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Good morning everyone! Looking dark and a bit stormy out there...

Thanks Winterbird! It's hard to know when Jake's looked more iressistible than he did in that shoot - and lucky Tom :) His original wish would have been too much for my lovelorn ticker...

And you're a lucky boy, Atti! Ooh, good word (not the flea repellent). I have anede - and sometimes it's true, I am a little nede.

Have a good day everyone!

Xenia said...

Funny because reading yesterday post and looking how Jake makes all these polls and lists around the world in spite of not being around in the Hollywood Circus for a while now, I was thinking he must have made a lasting impression indeed.
I mean, look at me:) No way I can quit him.

Speaking of which,that Vanity Fair video clip is so perfect, makes me week at the knees even after all these years (and views ;)).
Damn you Tom Ford, couldn't you go for what you (and me) wanted the most? :)

A good day to lovely WDW and everyone.:)

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Morning Xenia! Me neither, and it makes me mad that Jake has been dropped off the Calendars for 2009, despite the fact that he continues to pop up in polls and in people's minds.

A good day to you too :D

Anonymous said...

Oh I adore the Vanity Fair shoot - perfect *

My word is Oreda, clearly a kind of trans-fat product or some kind of errrr pharmaceutical thing.

Anonymous said...

imici - I'm itchy in Italian.

ulvas - no comment.

Where do they get these, WDW? Love 'em.

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Nouskie! Hello! My word is culean :D Which is not what my mind is like when I watch this photoshoot video :P

Atticus said...

Bambi has a brother, My word is bambro LOL! Happy Thanksgiving to the Americans! Mail all leftovers to me and in return get a candid pic of Daddy in the shower.

Atticus said...

*hope it works*

Anonymous said...

Oh great post - really captures the imagination. Especially that inviting last pic and Il Cowboys Innamorato. *Sigh*

I've been finding the word verifications kinda cute too - mine is brurismo! ;)

Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it, and just good wishes to our non-American friends. :*


Sounds like a good deal, Atticus! ;)

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Atticus, I'll go for that! I'm relying on our American friends to fill you up so we can have nekkid Jake :D

Hi Shy Anon :D Thanks so much and I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving - it's a shame we don't have it as a holiday over here. I like the word things too :D

Anonymous said...

Ookeries? They'd make a good sauce for turkey, I betcha.

James Taylor: Long Ago and Far Away

To love is just a word Ive heard when things are being said
Stories my poor head has told me cannot stand the cold
And in between what might have been and what has come to pass
A misbegotten guess alas and bits of broken glass

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Ahh, thanks for that, Pia! I'm going to watch this video again, I want to see Jake being fluffed up :)

Wet Dark and Wild said...

Just watched the video again (swapped one for another) and it/Jake sizzles :)