As we look forward to a year with a veritable array of Jake Gyllenhaal projects in it - An Enemy, Prisoners and, possibly, Mississippi Grind - let us make time to sit down and reflect on a packed out 2012. After a long quiet period, in which there was little to do other than watch the speed of Jake's beard growth, everything really kicked off, thanks to the release of End of Watch and Jake's NYC stage debut in the play that will be forever abbreviated to If There Is...
January
Luckily, in January we were treated to what has become a regular annual appearance for Jake - presenting at the Golden Globes. In 2012 this was especially special because he introduced Brokeback co-star and good friend Michelle Williams. IMDb also voted Donnie Darko its second top film of the last decafe (behind The Dark Knight).
February
In February it was Time to Dance. Jake headed to London - Dalston to be precise - and caused quite a stir while playing a serial killer and getting his hair cut. Jake must surely have appeared in more music videos than any actor. It's just a matter of time before he releases his own single. Also in February Jake popped up in Berlin where he was one of the judges for the 62nd Berlinale.
March
Jake was back in NYC in March and the screenings of End of Watch began - to a very good buzz. Also came news that Jake was about to star in Denis Villeneuve's An Enemy. Even more exciting than that, Jake wouldn't just be the star, he would also be the co-star. A Double Jake Movie. No wonder we were happy at such good news, especially as it followed so swiftly the non-news that Jake would appear in Motor City.
April
In April, Jake was one of many celebrating the life and work of his 'celebrity godfather' Paul Newman. He was also doing his bit promoting the work of Edible Schoolyard. Then came news that Jake would appear on stage in NYC at last! Before Jake headed off to Somerset in England to celebrate the wedding in wellies of Marcus Mumford and Carey Mulligan. The world (well, me) speculated that Jake may have been the golden matchmaker. For much of April Jake was in Toronto prepping for An Enemy. Things were getting busy!
May
Finally in May we saw the trailer for End of Watch. It seemed a long time since the filming last summer. We heard more about the filming from Anna Kendrick who was being regaled at Cannes. Meanwhile, Jake continued to sweat away in Toronto on An Enemy, all two of him. Filming kicked off on 21 May.
June
June was a very busy month of filming for Jake but at last we got an official poster for End of Watch. The cast of If There Is... grew while there were rumours that Jake might star in Puzzle Palace.
July
An Enemy was in the can leaving time for Jake to relax. One of the ways in which he did this was to visit the set of Very Good Girls in NYC, a film directed by Jake's mother Naomi Foner and starring Dakota Fanning.
August
Jake kept himself busy in NYC leading Soul Cycle spin classes while no doubt rehearsing for If There Is which opened at the end of the month for previews. We also heard for the first time that Jake was considering Mississippi Grind, a project that still lingers in the realms of possible. If There Is... opened at the end of August and we were lucky to have a friend in the audience, Lisa aka BBMISwear and we got some wonderful firsthand reports including original photos! Jake also appeared on the Letterman Show - everything was reaching 'gotta sit down and fan myself' excitement levels.
September
In September End of Watch burst upon audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival which was attended by Jake, quite unexpectedly due to his hectic play schedule. We also got news that End of Watch would have its UK premiere at the London Film Festival.The film opened in the US on 21 September in a blaze of TV appearances and media interviews If There Is... officially opened on the same day. Nothing quite like being busy...
October
Jake was confirmed for Prisoners - alongside Hugh Jackman - at the beginning of October. This project looks to be as fast moving as An Enemy, even having an opening date a mere year away. If There Is... was proving so successful its run got an extension while End of Watch opened to much hoo haa in Australia. Jake also got to cook with Mario Batali again, putting the fear back into risotto. I got to see End of Watch at the London Film Festival which put a smile on my face (when I wasn't hiding from the scary bits).
November
End of Watch finally opened in the UK and that meant a flying visit to Blighty by Jake and an appearance on the Graham Norton Show with two thirds of Top Gear. Fortunately, Jake survived. Jake had a brief break from the play and was able to fit in more good causes, including the Arts in the Armed Forces event which was also attended by Lisa, meaning we had another eye witness report!
December
December has been a relatively quiet month for Jake - that is if you don't count starring in a play at least once a day, including on his birthday. If There Is.... finally finished in time for the holidays, no doubt leaving Jake some time to spend with new additions to the Sarsgaard-Gyllenhaals. It looks as if Prisoners will kick off shortly in the New Year with much of the filming to take place in Georgia. Meanwhile we wait and see if End of Watch will have left any impressions on the gong hander-outers while enjoying the great success that the film had at the box office and amongst critics such as Roger Ebert.
And so...
And so it has been a good year! 2013 promises to be just as good if not better. This year completes nearly six years of blogging here at Wet Dark and Wild and it is quite possible that there will be changes over the next few weeks. Social media has changed enormously over these years and a blog such as this may have to move on with the times and its readers.
I must take time to thank all those who take the time to comment and interact with me on WDW. This is hugely important and I appreciate it. Never underestimate how much you fuel a blog by commenting on it.
Thanks especially to my good friends Stephanie at IHJ and Lisa/BBMISwear, without whom.... x
Cheers!
Cheers!
33 comments:
Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great night :)
Perhaps I should whisper....
Good luck to all of us returning to our labour tomorrow
Hi again Kate,
Being a fairly new Brokie and Jake fan myself, I'd like to know in what other music videos Jake appeared, please?
I tried searching for them on YouTube, but there's so much Jake stuff on there... not that I'm complaining, of course! ;)
Hope I'm not asking too much.
Have a good new year everyone!
Love,
Sonja
Very Happy New Year, Kate!
Love this blog.
Hi Sonja :) Off the top of my head, Jake did Vampire Weekend's Giving up the Gun, also Jamie Foxx's Blame It. He was in a joke SNL Adam Levine video too about the Iranian president. Think that's it! If you search WDW, they're all there. Happy New Year to you, too :-)
Thank you, Lucy Lurker! Happy New Year to you too :-)
Hello, dear Kate!
Happy new year and all the best for 2013. In your latest post you write
"I got to see End of Watch at the London Film Festival which put a smile on my face (when I wasn't hiding from the scary bits)."
The scary bits, yeah, I had to hide from them, too. Scariest was, of course, when "Brian" and Mike" discover the little kids in the the wardrobe. I HAD to cover m eyes.
Thanks Kate!
I knew this year was intense, but reading it all in your wonderful post, Kate, reminded me all these and how it felt to follow Jake through that year.
Almost 6 years!? Impressive! Congratulations!
Thank you Kate. It was not an easy year for a blogger, having your own life yet to live!
Sometimes it was difficult for a fan to keep up with Jake, that professionally busy he was! And so it seems he will be in new year as well!
I have no idea what do you want to change here, I just hope you will keep this wonderful place!
Thanks, Mermon! I'm so glad you enjoyed the post. It's been quite a year. Thanks for keeping me company through it :)
Happy New Year everyone! ;-)
Picked up a "bargain basement sales" copy of {Proof} the other day. Only $6.95. Incredible… Hadn't seen it in years. One of the bonus features was "The Making of Proof", which included a beautiful insight shared by Gwyneth Paltrow.
"It's that struggle to prove our worth and your existence in other people's eyes that can trip you up so much of the time. And it's finally, when you let go of what other people expect you to be, or other people's perception of you… and that you're able to be the version of you you're supposed to be, like, in God's eyes, you know. It doesn't matter if you're half crazy or eccentric or whatever it is. You have to be true to who you where born to be."
I wish everyone here and yonder to discover and become their true selves in 2013. I'm sure the world would much better for it.
Thank you so much Kate for that great run down of another year filled with inspiring moments of Jakeness. I must admit, when I read that you are considering making changes to this amazing blog of yours, I choked. Fear… Your writing is so wonderful. It needs a solid platform, like a blog or a website to give it the gravitas it deserves. It's a rock. A touchstone. To me at least. It's the only place I come to whenever I need to know what Jake Gyllenhaal is up to and how everyone else here is doing. I'd be lost… My motives to write this might be selfish in part, but please don't succumb to the glittering, fleeting blips of other social media. Your talents, your voice… will be lost in a maelstrom of nonsense. This blog can evolve, sure, but please continue. I don't think anyone else can do this. I know I can't.
I realise it's a lot to ask. It hard work. Very time consuming. But surely, also very rewarding. Well… whatever you decide to do, thank you Kate, for 6 years of "This is your life… Jake Gyllenhaal" - and part of ours too. I hope your writing continues to open up doors for you and you keep having magical encounters with "stars".
Much love,
lemniscate
Happy New Year and a belated Happy Birthday, Katie. You know I don't comment often but I still check you out every day and nothing has changed my opinion that this is without a doubt the best site devoted to Jake. I could not have said it any better than the poster above who stated so perfectly what your blog means. I really hope you don't change a thing. But I do realize how much time is involved in doing the top notch job that you have done for all these years. I appreciate it. It's been part of my every day life for so long, I'd feel lost if it wasn't the same familiar wonderful place. Best wishes for whatever you decide.
Happy New Year!
The recap of the year 2012 was fantastic, WDW (I don't have permission to call you by name).
It reminded me how this...err...last year started, with a dashing Jake (as a GG presenter) but no news on future projects. Then a lovely Jake as a member of the Berlinale jury, and still no projects. It evolved into one exciting project (An Enemy), and another (If There Is...), and (possibly) another (Mississippi...), and definitely another (Prisoners). It ended with a mountain-man looking Jake and a lot of praise for his work.
I loved reading this post yesterday afternoon, following the New Year's celebration... until I reached the part about upcoming changes. Ominous feeling. I was just about to post some cheering words (as I've done regularly since I've gathered the courage to delurk and share my thoughts about Jake, even when I felt ignored seemingly because I also post elsewhere; personally, I don't have parti-pris). Then I didn't know what to say anymore; the cheering words seemed useless.
It's a new day now, therefore I've decided to come here and simply thank you, WDW. For all your work, for the humorous manner of presenting the "Jake news and facts of life", for keeping a witty, clean, poised, elegant blog. I've been lurking here for a couple of years, I've been a fan of Jake since "Brokeback" - I would most certainly miss Wet, Dark and Wild or the free access to it. However, it's your blog, your "baby", your decision. I'm here today to thank you. It's been nice "meeting" you. All my honest best wishes.
P.S. On another blog, a picture with Jake and Jay-Z (from the concert's after-party) was posted.
http://instagram.com/p/T97M7vAa4W/
It has a quote (supposedly) from Jay-Z to Jake: "You coulda been anywhere else in the world tonight but you're here with me!". A beautiful, meaningful message.
Have a wonderful New Year!
Hello everyone! Back to work today - never good *wails* So GOOD to see you all!
Thanks so much, Lemniscate :) Very kind of you to post such encouraging words and it makes me feel very happy. My concerns were the opposite that people are generally more interested in information from social media than from blogs, not that I would do any dumbing down. My issue is that I very much don't want to do that, hence my worries that a blog might be outdated these days. But it's good to hear that it may not be!
Thanks so much for the birthday wishes, Dani! How good to hear your voice - one of my oldest (metaphorically) Jake friends :) It's good for me to know that you still read as I have no way of knowing without the occasional comment so I appreciate this. It's that connection I miss sometimes. So thank you! Hope you and yours are all well and happy x
Laure, I am so sorry that you've felt ignored! I certainly didn't want to give that impression and it wasn't intentional. And do call me Kate! You don't have to ask. People here post on lots of blogs and always have done - which is great! So please don't think that's an issue as it most certainly isn't. I would encourage people to comment wherever they can as gives much encouragement to the blogger. Thank you so much for the kind words! They mean a lot to me :) And thanks for the link!
I've been blogging for a long time and it does no harm to sound out opinions so I'm grateful to you all for giving some feedback.
I have no intention of closing WDW, it's too big a part of me, but after all this time I need to know that it's being read. Statistics mean little to me and I don't look at them now. It's interaction that matters. Changes are also a good thing.
Sorry for alarming any of you with my comments but as we go into a new year I want to keep WDW alive, healthy and happy, and to do that you're all an invaluable part!
So I say again - HAPPY NEW YEAR and THANK YOU!
"I have no intention of closing WDW, it's too big a part of me, but after all this time I need to know that it's being read."
Kate! Thank you so very much for putting my mind at ease... I, too, was fearful that you might have some drastic changes in mind for the blog. You have no idea how much your wonderful, witty writing means to me - and I suspect to many others. You were the direct inspiration for me to try my hand at a blog of my own (which I have shamefully neglected recently - something you would never do!)
Most importantly, though, is the opportunity you provided for some of Jake's fans to get to know each other, first by commenting on the blog and later by connecting on the forum. We've gone so far beyond what initially brought us together, our shared passion for following the career of The Best Actor Ever. We have discussed movie making, celebrity foibles, economics, politics, history, child rearing, cooking, pop culture, religion, travel, etc. We have shared recipes, silly jokes, personal stories, hopes, family photos, aspirations, frustrations, fears, and dreams.
We have endlessly dissected, examined, and discussed Donnie Darko, Prince of Persia, BBM, Highway, Love and Other Drugs, Source Code, End of Watch, countless other movies, the Time to Dance video, and are already ramping up to put An Enemy under the microscope as well. We have laughed and cried with each other, met a few times via Skype, and sent each other goodies in the post.
If not for you, Kate, and your wonderful blog I would never have finally taken action to do something I've always wanted to try. You are an inspiration. Wet Dark and Wild has not only made the world a smaller place by bringing people together from all over, it has made it a better place.
THANK YOU!
You put it so nicely and fully Susan, that I have not much to add.
Kate, I'm so relieved! This is my first Jake's blog ever, the most important, where I have friends. The first one I found in 2010, after Prince of Persia, when Jake entered my world. It's like home to me. I think we wrote a bit less last year, at least me, cause it was an exhausting year. Jake gave us a hard time working so much. I hardly was able to read, see, hear everything concerning him. And I really did it! Like probably most of us. This year won't be any easier. LOL! So much boils for Jake in the pot. But I don't complain. Will survive, enjoying every bit of it! In such a good company here with you and Gyllenfriends!
Happy New Year to you all !
Thanks for your wonderful retrospective, Kate. It was so much fun to read.
I am very glad you're going to keep WDW alive for all of us. I would miss your blog terrible.
Although I don't comment as much as I should/would do I come here almost every day and enjoy every post and comment.
Thanks again for your wonderful work on WDW.
I am looking forward to a great year to Jake and all of us.
Christina
Susan, that's wonderful. Thank you more than I can say for such a kind comment. It's meant so much to me. Thank you! The community built up here is the most important aspect of it x
I'm so glad to hear it, Mermon!
Thanks Christina!
THANK YOU so much Kate for setting hearts and minds at ease.
Phew… I understand where you're coming from now…
Trust, your hard work is very, very much appreciated.
Your enduring commitment, your choice of topics, your witty writing… and the voice of the WDW community make this blog a very special place. The WDW blog is the hub - the heart. The other social media channels, the spokes.
Waves to @Mermon and @Susan ;-)
Susan summed it up so beautifully… Wow!
JG is like a "catalyst". Our mutual appreciation for his work and his persona bring us together here, but they also lead us to so many other wonderful people and interesting places. And, it needs to be nurtured… by all of us.
I'm sorry I have gone from participating to merely consuming your work in the past year or so. I'm a very private person, and yet I seem to have a tendency to to reveal way too many personal facts and feelings online, and can seem quite selfish and abrasive at times. Whenever that realisation hits me, I'm left feeling very confused and exposed… and peddle back in a panic, fast. So, not much of a blogger, Twitter or Facebook person, but I will commit more to WDW in 2013: visit blog more often, participate more (but think first! - still suffer from foot-in-mouth-itis), donate $$$
WDW is gonna rock our socks off in 2013!
Bring it on!!!
Happy New Year everyone here's to a great 2013!!
My highlight this year was meeting Jake at his play in NYC. Cant wait to see whet other projects he does.
Very happy to hear that Wet Dark and Wild will still be going strong in 2013. What a relief! I would hate to have to go to Twitter or Facebook looking for Jake news. What I love about WDW is that the original vision hasn't changed. You celebrate Jake's wonderful career and ignore the gossip. It's always nice to know the subject of your post is not going to be hijacked by nasty comments. Best wishes for you always.
Thank you in return, Kate, for your kind words and reassuring. Many thanks for putting our worries to rest - meaning that you won't close Wet Dark and Wild. It isn't the only Jake G. blog but it has an unique voice: witty and dignified.
I hope now you are aware how much this blog means to the ones who post here, or the ones who simply lurk (there must be many; I should know, I was one of them for a long time).
On my part, I can't respond promptly because of work duties (holidays ended yesterday for me too). Nevertheless, I check on it almost every day. There have been days with so many articles, links, video or radio interviews (remember those in-depth 50 minutes talks?). Keeping up the pace with Jake is quite a task! Not complaining, I know it must have been even more time-consuming for you to write those posts. It's just that sometimes there is so much information, we barely have time to digest it, let alone write our thoughts. Hence, our new year's resolution should be: interact more!
Excuse my rambling speech. Bottom line, people do read this blog. Your unique voice is heard.
I'm relatively new to this site, and I know I don't comment nearly as often as I should (mostly because I often feel like anything I'd offer comment-wise has already been thought or said, and as an editor, repetition is of the devil LOL), but I have to say that I check this blog *every* single day. At first, it was for the Jake news--I love that this blog is business and not gossip, and that it's not filled with comments that consist solely of, "I love you, Jake." Now, I have to say that I come here as often as I do in the hopes that there will be new comments in the comments sections. Even though I don't interact as much as I should, I have come to enjoy not only your blog, but all the regular commenters. Everyone here puts a smile on my face, and if I'm in the midst of a tough work project,coming to this site helps me to calm down and find joy again. That said, happy New Year to all, and to all a good day.
Hello all and happy 2013! I am getting here quite late as I've had the flu since January 1st and this is literally the first day I've been able to sit up and turn on my computer. Wish I could say it was just a hangover (ha ha) but that is not the case as I think this will be with me a couple of more days at least.
But coming here late gave me a chance to read all these wonderful comments in addition to your AMAZING 2012 recap! Re: the recap - Wow! We all know how incredible 2012 was for Jake, and for all of us Jake Fans as well because of it, but to see it laid out so perfectly the way you did, Kate, made me realize even more how terrific 2012 truly was. Thank you - obviously very, very hard work to do all that!
Re: your mention of changes and the many comments here in response to that - I'm not sure exactly how to word what I want to say. I wish I was felling better and my congested head was clearer so I could form some sentences that made some sense. :-( I know you know how much I love WDW and consider it the best Jake Blog EVER. There are many now, that is true, but none as unique and as well written as yours! But I think I understand what you mean about blogs in general having a way of getting dated much faster now. Blogs use to be the only way to get news on a specific topic day in and day out - obviously not the case anymore. Social Media has changed all that and even if we all agree it is much more interesting and entertaining to read good writing (with good videos, photos, etc.) it doesn't stop the gazillion blurbs, news bits, pictures, video links, etc. that come to us literally hourly on our favorite guy Jake! As it's been said here, we don't want to complain about that - we all love getting info on Jake. But it's unfortunate that many people just seem to want that quick fix - quick information & new bits - and then they move on. I think I liked it better before all this Social Media crap but we can't change progress, right?!
All this said, I thank you very much for all you have done for 6 years (I think I've been here for at least 4 or 5 of them)! And I thank you in advance for doing whatever you are going to do with WDW in 2013. I'm so glad to hear you say that you will not be done with it but agree with what you said about change - it is true that sometimes change can be good and I look forward to hearing more!
Lastly, I thank you for being a great and true friend and feel honored to be thanked and mentioned in your 2012 recap post as your good friend as well! xoxo
Here's to 2013 and for all the goodies it will bring! :-)
P.S. The above deleted comment was me - I decided to go back and fix my typos.
Thank you, Lemniscate - I understand the fears about giving too much away and then wanting to back pedal, that's often on my mind too. But this does feel like a such a good environment to let rip sometimes so I'm so glad an proud that you do it! Please don't stop :)
That is fantastic, Stefanie! What a highlight!
Thanks, Dani! It's always been vital to me that both Jake and commentators are treated with respect, hence the no gossip rule. And I am so proud and pleased that this has hardly ever been broken in almost six years!
Hi Laure! Thank you! I do know it now and it's reinvigorated me and made me feel much happier going in to the year that people still want to engage :) Thank you for your New Year's Resolution - I appreciate that so much.
That is so lovely, Tina, thank you! And I'm so glad that you've commented. You do have something to add so please don't let that put you off :) I'm so pleased to hear the site puts a smile on your face!
Lisa, I'm so sorry you've been so ill! I thought you were having more internet troubles - I hope you're feeling much better now. We think the same about the effect of social media on blogs - and it does concern me. I don't like to reproduce material from twitter on WDW. It doesn't seem the place for it and it's not what I want to do. So I do reaffirm a focus on Jake's work (movies and causes). Quick fix is not what I'm interested in. Social media does that very well and so there's no need to replicate it here. I love Twitter as much as anyone (I'm on it enough) but it is a different beast. I'm gonna be pondering a revamp as it's been a while and change is good! You are such a good friend to me, Lisa, here and off the site x :-)
I wish you all a wonderful evening!
This is my first time i visit here. I found so many entertaining stuff in your blog, especially its discussion. From the tons of comments on your articles, I guess I am not the only one having all the enjoyment here!
What a fine beginning of the year! In such a good company here. :)Nice.
Thank you @lemniscate for waves. Waves back to you!
I'm sure we all will have a lot of occasions and pleasures to comment this year. Jake will give us many reasons to it. I can't wait for Prisoners to start, to first pictures of Jake and Hugh. I hope we will have many from set, taken without disturbing actors in their work. I'm looking forward to hear Jake speaking some local, American accent. Susan is expert in it.
Mermon! I'm flattered by your thought that I'm an expert in American dialects, but I'm certainly not proficient in anything but Southern American. I just know that a Boston area accent is vastly different from a traditional Conyers, GA accent. (Am I right, BBMISwear?) So the parts of Prisoners filmed in Georgia will be very interesting to me and I'll be listening for all the nuances in the sound of the dialogue. Can't wait to hear both Jake's and Jackman's Massachusetts accents - or lack thereof.
@Susan - as a native American you are an expert to me. I may recognize only Texas accent! From the movies of course.
We have new pictures of Jake on IHJ. The beard is still on!
JustJared just gave a date to An Enemy! - "Jake can been seen on the big screen next on An Enemy, out in theaters on Thursday, September 12. We can’t wait!"
Interesting!
Prisoners' premiere - September 20th. I wonder how Jake will promote these two movies together. Unless he'll use his doppelganger!
Next September will be so excited!
The first mold x 14 thing to do is to follow black mold removal may be easy, but having to live without the benefits that the units offer.
If you are leaving for an extended time period, keep in mind and
remember if it should ever become a problem when
they make our basements their homes. The most prominent symptoms are runny
nose, and even when it is cold and humid for keeping the molds mold x
14 at bay.
My web-site :: “Chemistry (16 []
write more, thats all i have to say. i enjoyed reading this article.
www.n8fan.net
Post a Comment