2008 - The Year of the Beanie

Happy New Year and a big personal thank you to all of you who have continued to visit Wet Dark and Wild through a year that has had more than one year's fair share of difficulties and even heartbreak. Through it all, even during the long months of filming when Jake may as well have been on the moon and not forty minutes away, you have made me laugh and chuckle and kept me company, and I am thoroughly looking forward to spending 2009 - with its promise of Jake treats - with you all! Who can guess what might happen? But, first, it's time to put 2008 away.


Movies

The film I was looking forward to seeing the most in 2008 was Brothers - this has now become the film I'm looking forward to seeing the most in 2009. This is ironic, because the film I was looking forward to seeing the most in 2009 is now the film I'm looking forward to seeing the most in 2010. This alarming trend has been taken to new heights with another Jake Gyllenhaal movie - Nailed - which has now become the film I just want to see.


The Dark Knight did a good job instead as the film of the year and Heath Ledger's Joker made a caricature real and absolutely terrifying and memorable.


Movie rumours

I am longing for David Fincher to get the movie Torso/Ness in the can once and for all. One movie rumour came true - Jake did indeed become the Prince of Persia, while the Unnamed Moon Project (UMP) remains Unnamed. Stage plans also came to naught.


Fitness

Jake got buff. And we found out how: 'Jake has to look like a warrior capable of sword-fighting, not like he's been hitting the gym. He is working out twice, sometimes three times a day, six days a week, for three to four months on top of stunt rehearsals before filming begins.”' We were given Jake's daily regimen and it read like a horror story - no wonder he dreams of being fat and happy.

'5.30am Pre-workout snack: half a banana, some nuts and an espresso.

6am An hour-and-a-half cardio outdoors workout while wearing a 20lb flak jacket to simulate the weight of armour. Interval training - 10min uphill sprint, followed by abs exercises, eg, sit-ups, at the top of the hill. Repeat sequence five times, then a 10min run, followed by stretching exercises.


7.30am An egg-white omelette, a small protein shake and an isotonic drink to replenish salts lost during training.

Lunch Baked potato with tuna and salad.

6-7pm An hour of resistance training using cables to simulate sword fights, pull-ups, press-ups, abs exercises using weights; finish with stretching.

7-8pm: An hour-long deep tissue massage

Dinner: Soup and a protein shake


Snacks/supplements Two litres of water, protein bars, dark chocolate, supplements rich in omega-3, 6 and 9. No foods containing refined sugar, occasional glass of wine allowed.'

But there is a distinct downside to too much excercise, as can be seen by Jake in the spring, when a basketball injury had him on crutches - and in crocs.


Fashion

Jake tried some new trends during 2008 - plaid with birds and crocs - but I'm delighted to say that, as the year wore on, old favourites were dusted off: The Jeans, cardies and woollies, Free City hoodies, the boots, the felt clogs, practical winter coats. Layers were the way to go.


Nike was seen less (sigh) but beanies were triumphant. Especially when combined with sunglasses and a scarf. Jewellery made a comeback thanks to early medieval Persia.

Hair

A year without controversy over Jake's hair is a year not having. In 2008, we were faced with the prospect of a long-haired Jake (extensions?). Fortunately/Unfortunately, Jake seemed to realise that this was all too much for his long-suffering Gyllenhaalics and decided to tease us further by becoming surgically attached to a beanie.


As for the facefuzz, the year began with the itchy Brothers beard and has ended with a cleanshaven Jake (in a beanie).

Music

Despite brief rumours that Jake was contemplating doing a stage musical this year, Jake has not sung to us since Crazy on Conan O'Brien. He has been spotted at concerts, usually Rufus Wainwright concerts, but Jake's musical talents made an appearance only once in 2008 and that was in honour of Ellen Degeneres' birthday. Meanwhile, the lovely Amy MacDonald kept Jake on the musical map with her song LA, which was inspired by Jake, 'Here's a story about a boy named J...'


Animals

Filming schedules meant that Atticus got to see relatively little of his master during 2008, leaving Jake to settle for the multi-legged company of horses and scorpions. The eco-system of southern England has been forever altered by the Prince of Persia, thanks to marauding scorpions and camels.


Family and friends

Jake has mainly been enjoying the company of Reese this year, leaving Peter and Maggie to amuse themselves - their moviemaking has also led to two of my biggest memories of the year - meeting Peter (completely by accident and in my hometown) while he was filming An Education and hugging him and seeing Maggie (and Peter) and others on the red carpet for The Dark Knight. We wore stripes.






Rememberance

For almost all of 2008 we have been remembering Heath Ledger, and missing him. This is not set to change for 2009.



Includes pictures from IHJ and WDW.