Jake Gyllenhaal: An international man of mystery, mirth, nosh and mottos - 'live, work and play sports'. And the Return of the Son of PoP...

The Son of the Prince of Persia is back. 'You have beautiful dark hair like your mother' Jake Gyllenhaal aka Dad Dastan tells him, while evil Uncle Nizam continues to test his hapless nephew, stating that the union of Dastan and Tamina poses no threat at all. It turns out that this Son of Persia was also the one who asked Jake at the London Press Conference why he was so afraid of Austrians. Continuing with its bounties of richness, this video also gives us the opportunity to hear Jake speak in an English accent in German - a rare feat, I'm sure you'll agree. Bravo to Daniele Rizzo.



Mike Newell would have only one word for it - and I think you know what it is...



Talking of accents and Jake's adaptations of Britishness (so much so that he's now stopped talking about hockey and is talking non-stop instead about soccer and watching the USA lose to England in South Africa on Sunday), in this interview brand new and beautiful bride Gemma Arterton talks of Jake's dry British sense of humour. I sense that Jake was able to give as good as he could get. Possibly. Jake also has some nice words to say about his feisty foe and Persian partner.

Never one to be tied to just two or three countries alone, Jake also has - I fear this isn't news - a Swedish connection. In this interview (thanks to Herman for the link), Jake says that he is keen to visit Sweden with his sister, not having visited before, but that he is no stranger to Sweden in the kitchen. But I get ahead of myself... the interviewer had first spoken to Jake ten years before, in those October Sky days when the interviewer had paid the bill for lunch.


'I remember the interview... You asked in particular about what my favorite group was from Sweden.' And in 2010 Jake has to make a sorry admission - he no longer drives a Volvo: "'No, now I drive an Audi', he says, and my German colleague cheers.' 'I'm very interested in cooking. As soon as I arrive in a new city I like to visit the local market. I buy lots of cookbooks, too, including several different Swedish cookbooks... I love meatballs.'


And it just so happens Jake has donated his Swedish meatball recipe to the world:

'I made these to be added to tomato sauce to be served over pasta. You can also make these in smaller sized meatballs to be served as an appetizer.

1 1/2 lb ground beef vegetarian mince
2 slices white bread, crust removed
1/2 C pecorino romano
2 or 3 garlic cloves minced
1 tbs fresh parsley chopped
1 tbs fresh basil chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
2 eggs beaten


Preheat oven 375F. Gently mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly, but don't crush it all together. You do not want to compact the mixture. Make about 12 meatballs. They will be around 2 inches in diameter. Place on an oiled baking pan and and bake for 15 minutes (20 if you are not going to add them to sauce). Add to tomato sauce and simmer a few minutes before serving.' There's lots to chew over here, not least the mysteries of the American measuring system for cooking. I think I need Jake to pop round to explain it to me.


In this same French interview, apart from saying that he blushes like a virgin when he talks about love (deep breathes... take a moment... continue...), Jake does state 'I have no favorite dish. People who choose a particular dish are not as good a cook as they say. They should be able to create an exquisite dish, whatever the recipe.' I feel that once Jake experiences my kedgeree he may change his mind on that one. As for the love comment... 'When I speak of love, I blush like a virgin. But I'm convinced that a relationship can be sustainable if it's with the right person. But in the meantime, I continue to live, work and play sports. (Laughter.)' Sounds good to me!


In this interview, Jake also talks about his Moroccan Prince of Persia diet and - again, I fear this might not be news - it's chicken and vegetable tagines or, to mix it up a bit, vegetable and chicken tagines. 'On the set in Morocco, I continued to lift weights. I ran back to my hotel every night, and I created a diet composed mostly of tagines of chicken and vegetables. I love it. (Laughter.)' There's that British sense of humour again.


Pictures from Disney, via IHJ.