I hope you're all enjoying the holidays and - if you're in Blighty - that you haven't been swept away to sea in the floods and - if you're in NE USA - that you haven't frozen to your snow shovel. As one (ie, me) continues to work one's way through an inexhaustible mountain of cheese, I thought I'd aid your digestion with a quick post. This is merited because a) I've been missing you and b) Roger Ebert voted End of Watch his fourth favourite movie of 2012!
'Here is one of the best police movies in recent years, a virtuoso joining of performances and often-startling action. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña as Taylor and Zavala, two Los Angeles street cops who bend a few rules but must be acknowledged as heroes. After too many police movies about officers who essentially use their badges as licenses to run wild, it's inspiring to realize these men take their mission -- to serve and protect -- with such seriousness they're willing to risk their lives.'
Meanwhile, a video interview from Extra in which Jake Gyllenhaal talks about being tasered (not for the first time and possibly not for the last) and New Eyes for the Needy.
Thanks to IHJ for the fab new pic from the set of Time to Dance.
Now that we've survived the Apocalypse, I feel that I can safely wish you Happy Holidays without fear of spreading some dreaded Mayan pestilence. And so, whatever you celebrate, however you celebrate it, and even if you celebrate nothing at all, have a wonderful few days doing what you like to do the most before having to do a lot more of what you like to do a lot less.
Jake Gyllenhaal is about ready - one hopes - to shave off the shaggy Face Pet once and for all, putting it to one side with the end of the hugely successful If There Is.... run. Who knows, Jake may have shaved it off already. He may even have shaved it off into some elaborate pattern. We must wait and see what the next photos reveal. Maybe it'll be even longer. This might be time to open a betting book. Of course, he may wait until after Christmas because with the beard he is a ready made Father Christmas for the Gyllenhaal-Sarsgaard Clan. All the beard needs is a bit of flour or icing sugar.
With the play out of the way, and while we wait for the release of An Enemy, it's time to look ahead to the filming of Prisoners. The release date of 20 September has now been confirmed along with more details of the story, also confirming that Jake will play Detective Loki:
'In the rural New England town of Brockton, Massachusetts, neighbors and friends the Dovers and the Birches gather for Thanksgiving dinner, but by the end of the night, their celebration turns to panic when the families' two youngest daughters go missing. As the hours pass and the girls don't turn up, it becomes terrifyingly apparent they've been kidnapped. After the cops fail to find them, Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) decides to take the law into his own hands, running up against dedicated Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal). But even as Loki is diligently working against the clock to solve the case, Keller will stop at nothing to get their prime suspect to talk before it's too late.'
Thanks very much to IHJ for the scan from Spires Oxford and to BBMISwear for the scan from Entertainment Weekly's review of the year!
WDW Tuscan Interlude
Last week I got back from a fantastic break in Tuscany, a place that perfectly combines beautiful countryside, ancient towns (often on hills), art and architecture, tasty food and luxuriant wines. Florence and Pisa might be ridiculously off season at this time of year but in December the towns of Tuscany are quiet, Christmassy and spectacularly atmospheric, with the most incredible light. Not being one to spare you an Interlude or two, I thought I'd inflict some photos* on you. (* The photos are best viewed while imbibing a hearty chianti.)
Pisa
Siena
Certaldo
Florence
** Have a wonderful time over the holidays - see you on the other side! **
Doesn't time fly?! It seems barely one month let alone 24 since Jake Gyllenhaal was talking about diving with walruses to celebrate his 30th birthday. But, as sure as night follows day and holidays in Italy are followed by excessive credit card bills and an expanded waistline, every year along comes another birthday - the 32nd. So, altogether now, with one voice: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JAKE! If the world's due to end on Friday, you might as well get a birthday in before it.
As someone born 6 days the other side of Christmas, please can I make a plea that you don't wrap Jake's presents in Christmas wrapping paper.
While I was away, Jake appeared on the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief, which took place in Madison Square Gardens and was watched by over 19 million Americans. As well as raising a huge amount of money, it also gave most of Britain's rockers a break from fog. Unfortunately, it's believed that some of them may have come back again. You can watch Jake's contribution above, with huge thanks to IHJ! If you were one of the lucky ones who placed a call and got Jake at the other end of the line, you may relive that moment below:
Jake Gyllenhaal is back in NYC, hard at work on If There Is.... to earn enough to buy all his fans a big pressie for Christmas, and so this is perfect timing to bid adieu for the week. I'm off to Italy - Tuscany, to be more specific - tomorrow and will return in a few days, hopefully to find Jake nominated for countless numbers of shiny gongs. It's begun with the Critics' Choice Movie Awards, for which Jake is nominated for Actor in an Action Movie award.
Thanks to IHJ for the lovely pic of Jake taking a walk in NYC on 7 December. See you in a few days!
It's Friday! That can mean only one thing - it's time to put your feet up, pour a glass of something red while nibbling chocolate fancies and catching up on another busy week in Jakedom. Jake Gyllenhaal resumes his stage career tomorrow, 8 December, as If There Is.... kicks off again for the last couple of weeks before Christmas. But there has been little time for Jake to put his feet up. Below is a fascinating interview Jake recorded in London at the end of last week.
Before returning to the US from London, Jake did another of his famous Jetlag Interviews - this time with GQ. Apart from talking about End of Watc, Jake took the opportunity to give us some advice: 'In work, never have any regrets and always leave everything on the field. And in life…at times, my grandfather would say to me, "This too shall pass". That's excellent advice.' Very George Harrison, if you don't mind me saying so.
Back in the US, Jake has been getting on using his stardom in a way that is clearly important to him - supporting charity. On Wednesday, Jake took part in ICAP's charity day which this year raised £11 million for those who need it. You can find more details here as well as photos here.
The lineup has just been announced for a Hurricane Sandy charity gala event called 12.12.12 which, coincidentally, will take place on 12.12.12. The concert will be broadcast around the world and so hopefully we will get to see a little of what Jake gets up to - obviously, if it doesn't involve performing with the Rolling Stones I'll be disappointed. Lots of details here. I must say how good it is to see all these events getting done before the end of the world on 21 December.
Talking of charity, photos have come to light of the Arts in the Armed Forces event that Jake took part in last month. Thanks to BBMISwear for the link! BBMISwear may be spottable on one of the photos at the site so take a look!
And finally...
If you've got some time on your hands this Sunday and you happen to live near Conyers in Georgia, then why not pop down to the Rockdale Career Academy to audition for a role in Prisoners? The instructions for those interested in appearing in a film called Prisoners that isn't about Prisons: 'Extras are needed to portray middle class men and women with suburban and rural community looks; police precinct men and women, such as detectives police officers and precinct staff; and hospital and emergency room staff types, such as nurses, doctors, orderlies, etc. Extras are encouraged to come dressed as the type of character they want to portray. They should also bring photos, a photo ID and be legal to work in the U.S. Those with acting resumes should bring them as several featured extras are expected to be used in the film.'
My distance from Georgia rules me out, which is a shame because I'm sure I could brush up my rural community look.
Jake Gyllenhaal has now left these shores - leaving behind a country seduced by one of the most impressive beards to appear on the nation's chat shows in recent times. At the moment, one can just speculate whether Jake will be returning to Europe shortly for other End of Watch release dates but even though it was brief, the visit was a great success.
In addition to the Graham Norton Show and the Radio 1 Breakfast Show (see below), Jake also appeared on Channel 4's T4 show on Saturday morning talking to Jameela. Let us hope that video of this appears. An interview with Jake was also broadcast on the XFM Breakfast Show with Danny Wallace. Hopefully, you can listen to that here.
A brief recap of some of the other most significant appearances (ie, the ones we have a record of).
From overseas comes the news that End of Watch will be re-released in the US this month - surely a sign that the Oscar buzz is increasing in volume.
Meanwhile, this week Hitfix has published a wonderful interview with Jake in which he looks back over a career working with some extraordinary directors. This is just the sort of stuff I want to hear and Jake does not disappoint. Do read it, it's full an revealing. I was intrigued to hear Jake say this, for instance, about Sam Mendes 'he was the best acting director and coach that I've ever worked with. The things I learned about acting from him I've taken with me everywhere I've gone.'
There is much more about Ang Lee, David Fincher, David O'Russell, Jim Sheridan and Ed Zwick, as well as David Ayer. I wonder how many other directors Jake will work with during his long career that will also be called David...
In Hitfix's other full interview with Jake, David Ayer also reveals a little about why Jake was so keen to take on the End of Watch role - and that he was actually sick of his life. Clearly, here was another of those roles, as with Jarhead, that he fought for and he needed: 'Gyllenhaal was looking for something new in his life and, according to Ayer, chased the project down. "I think he was just frustrated," Ayer said by telephone. "He wanted to act. He wanted to just sink his teeth into a role and act and not be distracted by the sort of big business side of things. He wanted to lose himself and he wanted to be reinvented…He's just like, 'Look, I'm sick of everything. I'm sick of my life and I want to change it. I want change.' And that's all I heard, is that he's ready to transform. His heart was really open at that time and he was really receptive to doing something totally different and giving me the total commitment that I needed for this movie to work…I told him, 'Look, if this works out, you're going to come out of this a different person.' And I think that happened."'
The photo is from Jake's BAFTA End of Watch Screening on Friday evening (thanks to IHJ).
UPDATE! Jake Gyllenhaal on The Graham Norton Show:
Thanks to Mermon for finding the link!
On with the post...
Jake Gyllenhaal is in London, not only that he has brought the sunshine with him. All fears that Jake would have to don waders or snorkel to his media appointments have been put to rest. Today has been a busy day and it is not yet done. With the Graham Norton Show still to come (10.30pm tonight on BBC 1 - 8 December on BBC America), today began bright an early with an appearance on Radio 1's Breakfast Show with Nick Grimshaw.
The Radio
You can listen to the show here and here for the next 7 days (I suspect only in the UK unfortunately).
The show tweeted: 'We've all fallen a little bit in love with Jake Gyllenhaal. Even the guys on the team. What a guy :D' I think we know why.
Jake was happy to be photographed outside the studio - maybe the extra hair and beard means that Jake doesn't have to wear a coat in today's subzero temperatures.
The webchat
Next, at 10am, was the MSN webchat - you can read all of that (backwards) here, including insight into Jake's opinions on ribena, teacakes, books, movies, flowers and a whole lot more, including his belief that Michael Pena deserves an Oscar for his role in End of Watch. Also, when asked why he's not on Twitter, Jake replies that he's a 'Luddite'. My favourite moments:
'I just want to take this last moment to say thank you all for joining us, I can't see any of you but I really appreciate you taking your time out of the day to ask me these questions. I hope that you all keep giving me the opportunity to do what I love and hope you have a wonderful afternoon. Stay warm if it's cold where you are.'
'I would love to work with Jean Jacques Audiard or Paul Thomas Anderson, and there are some, I would love one day maybe to play Jo Namath, famous football star, but to me a movie is all about relationships and the reality of those relationships and how honest they are. So very rarely is it about a character or a person, it's more about the heart of the script and the heart of the director telling that story.'
On forgetting his lines: 'Yes, but I've recovered pretty quickly. It happens not that often but when it does happen that's what makes you a professional actor is your recovery.'
'I've never really found anythng a fan said to me strange. People definitely have a lot to say and there are many different opinons and they express them to me. What I think is wonderful about being public with your career, is that people are allowed to express themselves. Nothing strange though, I've been doing it long enough not to find anybody strange, everybody is unique.'
'My fave thing about travelling is how each culture expresses themselves stylistically and culinarily, i love food, so it's wonderful to explore that side of any culture. Some of my closest friends live in and around London and that's what i love the most about London. A handful of my closest friends are British.'
On being an early bird or a night owl: 'Personally i like being up during the day, but it depends on what i'm working on too. At this point doing a show in NY, i tend to be up very late bec we finish the show and you have to come down from the show. But normally i like to be up during the day so i guess you could say i'm an early bird. I'm more of a bird than an early bird.'
'I believe deeply in everyone knowing where their food comes from, I grew up around farmers and with my family growing some of their own food in a veg garden. But gardening is a broad term, I love flowers but i'm not growing any!'
On The Shave: 'After the run of my play, which ends Dec 23rd, I start shooting another movie a few weeks later, so depending on the external trappings that character will have, this beard is for the play i'm doing now.'
'The last movie that I shot which was yet to come out called An Enemy where I play a history professor and an actor, technically playing two different roles and also acting with myself. Also the weirdness of the world it's the strangest movie I've made so far in my career. It was a real journey making it, it was an experience even in the process of making it.'
The podcast
Next up was the Empire podcast with Chris Hewitt (of who, I am a big fan) and Stephen Woolley. The podcast is embedded below but you can also download and listen to it here. Chris: 'He was immensely dreamy, with a lovely beard.'
Tonight
Jake will be on the Graham Norton Show tonight with most of Top Gear and Joan Rivers. How this will pan out we have yet to see but the GN Show tweeted earlier: 'Great show record with Jake Gyllenhaal, @Joan_Rivers,@jcrclarksonesq, @mrjamesmay. See the broadcastable bits tonight BBC1 10:35 #thegnshow'
I also hope we'll get to hear something about the BAFTA Q and A today.
All of which means, there will be more, so stay tuned!
Joan Rivers stealing Jake's Goodie Bag from the Graham Norton Show
UPDATE! Tomorrow morning at 10am Brit Time, Jake will be answering fans' questions on MSN. So, in the meantime tweet your questions to @msnents using #msnjake or follow this link to the webpage where you can also leave a question. Jake appears on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show tomorrow and on th Graham Norton Show on the BBC at 10.30pm. Thanks to Gyllencrazy for the info that this will be broadcast on BBC America on 8 December. So, if you're in London as of now, keep your eyes open! On with the post! A couple of weeks ago, I was able to share a fabulous report by Lisa and Ted from their NYC trip to see Jake Gyllenhaal at the Armed Forces event. If you see Jake at one event in a weekend then you can consider yourself truly fortunate, but two?! Earlier the same day - 11 November - Lisa and Ted attended a performance of If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet which was followed by a Q and A in which the full cast, including Jake, participated. Lisa even asked the first question. So, with no further ado, here is Lisa's full and brilliant report:
'On Sunday, November 11thI attended If There Is I Haven’t Found It Yet for the sixth time and enjoyed it just as much as I did all the other times! The performances are tighter than ever and Enid Graham is a great addition to the cast playing Anna’s mother, Fiona. This performance was extra special because Ted, who has been on a couple of other adventures with me :-), was able to join me in the states and we had tickets in the orchestra front row center. It was amazing to be sitting that close and looking straight on like that and, yes, we did get splashed a few times!! This performance included a Q&A and this time the full cast participated. Jake looked great in the mustard colored pants he had on in the recent ‘walking about NYC pictures’ with a brown button down shirt and no hat (boy, that head of hair is getting full – lookin’ good)!
When the cast first got seated Jake looked around the audience a lot - he seemed to scan each and every person. He looked quite relaxed throughout, slumped down a bit with legs stretched out in front of him when other cast members spoke, sometimes with a distant look as if really concentrating on what they were saying. He would nod in agreement from time to time as they spoke and would sit right up when he was asked a question as he readied to answer. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to ask the first question which I directed to Jake (of course)! I noted that he played a lot of different characters over his career and that Terry is quite a unique one and I asked if he could tell us what he liked and disliked about playing this character. He said that he first wanted to say that it was the writing that attracted him to the play and he went on to say similar things that we’ve heard him say before about the story (i.e. the messy family situation, etc.) but I’ll be honest that when he was answering this question he was looking directly at me (he was doing that a lot – looking at the person who asked the question while giving his answer instead of looking at the audience as a whole) so there are definitely bits that went in one ear and out the other!
He said that when he read the script that parts were written like poetry and he liked that Terry’s sentences were often unfinished and he had to finish them himself mentally. He said it was funny how when you looked at the lines all of Terry’s were just on the left hand side of the page because they just stopped (he chuckled as he explained that). He continued that he felt Terry is just trying to be understood and has such a hard time expressing himself but he is dedicated to the truth of it. He thinks that that’s where a lot of Terry’s anger comes from – not being able to verbalize it and that’s what he loved about it. He added that if you’re going to do something eight times a week you want it be something you really want to be a part of and he felt that this was an opportunity he might not get to play again.
Needless to say I just nodded and smiled throughout his answer because, wow, it’s really hard to concentrate when those eyes are looking straight at you! So hard, in fact, that I didn’t notice until much later that he didn’t mention what he disliked about playing the character of Terry – maybe there isn’t anything he dislikes about it? Jake seemed happy to answer any questions that came his way as well as jump in and add to some of the things being asked of the other cast members. When Annie was asked about the relationship between Anna and Terry and if she even realized it was leaning toward a sexual nature she said that she and Jake talked a lot about that and both felt that this girl needed some type of positive attention – any type of attention – as she was so overlooked and being a 15 year old girl it’s not a surprise that she confused her feelings at times. Jake took the microphone from her when she was done and wanted to add that it seems that people often confuse intimacy and sexuality and that you can have one without the other and that the way Anna and Terry are toward each other is just how these two people express themselves.
There was a question that’s been brought up before regarding this play about the two brothers speaking so differently and Jake grabbed the microphone right away and laughed as he said “well George is A LOT older” which got a laugh out of everyone (especially Brian who plays George)! He went on to say that George had a lot of schooling, did a lot of studying and seemed to identify with that while Terry was closer to home and stayed closer to his mom. He said he also thought that Terry wants to hold on to somewhat of a street-smart kid attitude so kind of talks in a certain way to portray that.
Link for the above video interview There was a question for Annie and Enid about the mother and daughter relationship which they both spoke a little about and then a couple of comments that made people shake their heads a bit (but that always seems to happen at a Q&A)! One was from an older woman who wanted to tell anyone who would listen that the British accents didn’t sound right and caused her to not understand one thing that was said and she thought someone should make note of that – this caused a combination of discomfort and a few chuckles from the audience and cast members alike! Another older woman mentioned a photo of Jake that she saw in the NY Times as part of a review and that he had a red beard and she wondered what happened to it which caused Jake to grab the microphone and say “I think you got a bad copy of the NY times” which got quite a roar of laughter from everyone!
All and all it was a very interesting and entertaining Q&A and it was wonderful to hear Jake talk about this project which is obviously very dear to him. I do have to thank a group of friends who joined Ted and I after the play and helped me write a thorough recap of the Q&A as it was a lot to remember but we wanted to get it all written down so we could share!' Thank you, Lisa!
Carey Mulligan on Jake Gyllenhaal in End of Watch
This - a presentation for SAG - is very special. Carey's words on the performance of her friend Jake in End of Watch:
'I remember so vividly Jake's demeanor when he was preparing for "End of Watch." I have known him and regarded him as a dear friend for several years, and during that time I was very struck by some fundamental change in him. He was energized, he was completely present and he told me with such excitement about the work that he was doing to get ready for his next movie. A large part of the work involved was observing protocol on the midnight shift with the LAPD. Both he and Michael Pena witnessed pretty tragic, unpleasant scenes that affected them both. His descriptions of the ride-alongs were charged not with voyeurism but with a profound respect for the policemen and women whom they were observing. His reinvigorated sense of perspective and humility was palpable. I sensed just how deep he had already gone, and that the experience was filling him in some new way. Not that Jake had ever taken work lightly -- quite the opposite -- but what was so distinct on this occasion was that this work was releasing him. He seemed more free, more alive and more comfortable in his skin than I had ever known him.'
'Watching Jake in "End of Watch," I saw all of that joyous freedom on the screen. His complete ease in scenes with the brilliant Michael Pena makes those moments wrap around you in all their infectious warmth, and pulls you into the car with them. Their comraderie is the most beautiful portrayal of friendship in the truest sense: absolute trust, love and unflinching loyalty. It is a love story that broke my heart and Jake's work is fearless. He is not daunted by the intimacy of their relationship, the lightening fast emotional changes, the dichotomy of bravado and honesty or even a meticulously choreographed first dance at his wedding. When he stood to speak at the closing of the movie, with such quiet grace, I realized I hadn't thought once of the Jake I know as my friend but only as the character he embodies in this wonderfully special movie.'
Speaking of awards, Michael Pena has been nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Spirit Award although Jake and David Ayer were not nominated - mixed news there.
End of Watch and the UK
Jake is set to arrive in the UK imminently for his flying promotional trip. Tomorrow night Jake's appearance on the Graham Norton Show is recorded (before airing late on Friday night), during which he will be surrounded by Jeremy Clarkson and James May of Top Gear as well as Joan Rivers. Getting a word in will prove quite a feat but I'm sure Jake will manage it. Also, unlike other chat shows, if Jake is first on the show he'll be there on the sofa throughout. If he's last on, he'll be fighting for airtime with Clarkson - could be interesting. Could be controversial. Could be petrolheady. Not having Top Gear's Richard The Hamster Hammond and Jake on the show is a missed opportunity that Norton may rue til the end of his days - or at least til the end of the series.
Also on Friday, Jake is taking part in a BAFTA screening and Q and A in London.
On Friday morning, Jake is due to appear on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show - not something I'd wish on many people but hopefully it will go well and Jake won't be overshadowed by the announcement of flood warnings. No doubt, there will be more! Especially as End of Watch has been causing such a great buzz over the UK since its release last Friday.
End of Watch finally reaches the cinemas of Britain today! 23 November has come around and now many more of us will get to see this fine film which is stirring up rave reviews left, right and centre. Talking of reviews, here's mine. Of course, End of Watch came out a couple of months ago in the US and it already has an American DVD/blu ray release date - 22 January. You can see details of the extras here. The missed opportunity, though, is no commentary with Jake and Michael.
As you can imagine on End of Watch release day there is a lot going on and it's only going to get busier as Jake Gyllenhaal himself will be in the UK to promote the film next weekend. And so, ahead of the Part 2 WDW Exclusive with Ted, Lisa and Jake in the next post, here's a look at some highlights from this busy week.
Jake was all over the cover of the London free magazine Shortlist this week in a big piece of advertising for the film. In an interview with the magazine there are some comments in which Jake addresses the constantly recurring rumours that Jake could be picked to play a Rebooted Batman of Spider-Man. I wish I ha a pound for every time we've heard this over the years.
'At a certain point you realise there's always someone more interesting, talented and ready to do a role than you are - and you won't get every role you go for. All I want right now is to hone my skills and become a better actor, not dream about wearing a cape. But you never know.'
The potential for embarrassment does persist, however many hours of screentime an actors has clocked up: 'Do you think there is one person on Earth impervious to embarrassment? And do you think it would be me? That’s a rhetorical question, and I’ll leave you with that.'
Jake is also interviewed in the London paper, Metro, and interestingly Nailed is one of the subjects that pops up: '‘It’s weird that a movie you make doesn’t come out,’ sighs Gyllenhaal. ‘But I’m just an actor. It’s other people’s jobs to put the movie together and sell it. I did my job and maybe one day somebody else will put that movie out. Unlikely, though.’'
There is also a little bit about An Enemy. 'Gyllenhaal is next appearing in An Enemy, an adaptation of a José Saramago novel, in which he plays dual roles as a man seeking out his doppleganger after spotting him in a film. It will be, he promises, ‘a real head-f***’. It may not have required five months’ of immersion in LA copland but Gyllenhaal insists it fits into his new ethos of immersing himself in reality. ‘What we do in this profession can often be absurd,’ he says. ‘So now I’m much more interested in learning about real people’s stories and trying to portray those.’'
In an interview with the Scotsman, Jake makes it plain that he's not going to waste any more time answering questions about movie adaptations of Fifty Shades, thank heavens, before talking in some detail about the End of Watch shoot.
The riches continue with a video interview with Jake, Michael and David Ayer courtesy of the Guardian.
Digital Spy has been picking Jake's Top 5 Films. Take a look and see if you agree. Female First has also been using the opportunity to reassess Jake's career.
With its original plans scuppered by Hurricane Sandy, this week New Eyes for the Needy finally managed to honour Jake for his work promoting the charity at its 80th anniversary gala. Jake's co-stars from If There Is... were among the crowd supporting Jake.
Thanks very much to IHJ for the pictures! Including this one below from GQ Korea which has a certain something...
