The Gyllenhaal Guide to 'Making an entrance'

It's about this time in the evening that we get wind of Jake and Reese shopping and eating another European capital dry on their whistlestop 'See 5 cities in 5 days' coach tour (minus the coach). But I'm going to chance a post, although there is always a risk that it will be interrupted by the rather heavenly sight of Jake Gyllenhaal eating a chocolate mousse in Brussels.


This evening I will be examining briefly an art that all moviestars must refine if they are to rise to stellar heights or make an entrance. No doubt taught widely, at every 'Skills No Movie Star Should be Without' evening class in Los Angeles, this is the art of getting in and out of a car as quickly and - ideally - as decorously as possible in order to get into the premiere, get into the hotel, get into the party, get out of the party, get out of the medical center, whatever the distraction or obstacle.

Undoubtedly, many of us can still recall that moment when, years ago, Jake and Kirsten left an event to go to their car and Jake was lost - leading to an ungainly Jake-calling session by both Kirsten and bodyguards before Jake was retrieved and chucked in the car.



It is a fact known to no-one that this afterparty car etiquette faux pas troubled Jake to the extent that he now makes sure he never ever misses a car, even a taxi.


And yet, Jake's subsequent journey towards the perfect exit or entry from/into a vehicle has not been without its setbacks - think back to February 2007 when Jake's exit from a vehicle for a TV appearance was at the cost of a dropped and smashed cellphone.


By October 2007, in Toronto, Jake showed understanding haste in his arrival at George Clooney's bash. Jake's exit from the car was so remarkable that it was seen being timed by more than a few aides to the famous and it is still held as the time to beat for all new stars aiming to leave their mark on Toronto.



In Rome, we saw Jake and Reese's exit from a shop into the car hampered by a no doubt well-meaning assistant who had no idea about how one should or should not use an umbrella. It is right to shield a star from the elements but not to the extent that they have to stand in the rain exposed for ten minutes while you work out which of the little sharp bits of metal to press to deflate the damn thing. This is made even harder when, as here, the protector has two stars to protect while only having one umbrella. It's a big umbrella but it's not that big.


I am detecting a pattern - it appears that Jake is on his highest top form when on foreign soil. This time, we look back to Paris 2008 when Jake was seen excelling not once, but twice. His performance was so good, it got a touch to the cap from a doorman who has seen it so many times over the years, but not this good.




Please do not attempt to recreate this behaviour at home - Jake Gyllenhaal is a professional actor and has had years of training.

Includes pictures from IHJ.