Updated: Jake Gyllenhaal makes British TV interviewers go giddy, and Jake is the 'John McEnroe of Action Films'

You know how it is, Jake Gyllenhaal is on your TV set (clashing with Gemma Arterton rather unfortunately), you have lots of posting to do on your blog, and so what should happen? The big mast for Oxford goes up in flames like a huge Roman candle - result: no TV and, for a while, no internet. The good news is, I didn't have to resort to reading or actually communicating with speech, the internet is back, one channel came back allowing me to see Jake on Studio 5, but otherwise the box in the corner is mere ornamentation on which to display PoP lego and my favourite stuffed albatross.


Never one to get technical hitches get in the way, on with the post! We've had two interviews today on British TV, both recorded last week. The first was a mumsy affair on GMTV with mumsy Lorraine who made a fatal error... When Jake asked her if she was offering, when she wondered if he is single, she said 'If I were 20 years younger...' Surely an answer no Gyllenhaalic could ever muster. She focused on children and did speak to Jake about how significant it is that he's Matilda's godfather (very nice to hear that raised in an interview) and that he is also proud of his little niece. You can see that interview here on the GMTV website. I think you'll like it.



This evening's interview on Live at Studio Five was a different kettle of fish. The interview was surrounded by a quite considerable amount of squeeing and fanning of faces. Giddy is the word. They marvelled at how fellow presenter, rather nicely called Kate, could manage to get any words out when faced with such a vision. The male presenter said that she would have simpered away even if Jake had told her there was a rabid gorilla right behind her (I may have added the 'rabid' bit).


The interiew, which if it doesn't appear online I will get online for you in some fashion, having called on the cavalry (ie Ruby) to record it because I have no idea how to work a video recorder since moving into the 21st century, was fun. Jake said that he and Maggie were 'born British' and in their most recent roles - Prince of Persia and Maggie McPhee - they simply returned to their childhood. Jake also talked about hoved he is here, and what a great experience working on the stage in England was. He also agreed that he leads a strange life. He's also hot (I've added that bit, too).



We have more bits and pieces today - I did have other bits and pieces (including my own blasted pictures) but again my longer report from Sunday will have to wait. Maybe when Jake's on a plane, I can catch up a bit.

A very fun interview with Herald Scotland has been published. Here are snippets, interspersed with some new pictures and videos (and scans from the Sun's coverage the day after the premiere. 'I had gotten into a state of mind where I felt like earlier on, when I was younger, I think I took myself a little too seriously. This was the first time where I felt, ‘You know what? I like having fun. I think I’ll try my hand at having fun in a movie’.'

'When you start off very young in a business you are very aware of yourself and what people are going to think of you... You worry about the response, and so you want to portray yourself a certain way. People still do it, but I’m beginning to let that go.'



'I loved Indiana Jones, The Goonies, ET, Robin Hood. Prince of Persia brought all these things together for me. Every day we were shooting I felt like I was an eight-year-old kid again. Not when I was kissing Gemma Arterton, but definitely when I was jumping off a building.'

''What really mattered to me was my life, and that I needed to start defining myself through my relationships and connections with the people I love dearly. Making a movie can be like a family but it isn’t your family. The camaraderie, the closeness, the connection you have with those people is a certain type of family, but ultimately I didn’t want to mistake that for my real one. I wanted to live my life and be with the people who wouldn’t care if all this went away.' One of those people is his sister Maggie, the Oscar-nominated star of Crazy Heart. Watching her continued success is “the coolest thing ever” says the proud younger brother who was with her on Oscars day, “fetching whatever she needed”.'



'First comes the joke about doing an Arnie and running for governor of California. “I’ve always thought that every actor should try their hand at that.” And then comes the semi serious answer from a young actor rediscovering the joy of fun. “I have a lot of interests which maybe I’ll follow, or somehow incorporate into acting. Just see how it goes, know what I mean?”'

Alfred Molina on Jake and his own ostrich-loving role: '"Jake brings all the qualities the part needs: he’s goodlooking and talented, has a very attractive personality and is very bright," said Molina. "I’m also really impressed by his willingness to just jump in. It can be very easy for an actor in his position to sit back a little bit and play the star and let someone else carry the weight. He has never done that."'


'Molina’s own role is that of a vicious villain, who controls huge parts of the deadly desert. "(Sheik Amar), he's a lovable rogue I’d say! Or at least he’s a baddie who ends up as a reluctant ally of the hero," said Molina. "He starts off and he’s venal and self-centred and he describes himself as an entrepreneur and businessman, but he’s really a con-man and a small-time gangster with a capacity for violence. So he’s not sweet and cuddly, but he’s cheeky and a good talker and has a bit of an edge and some charm to him, and there’s also a part of him that deep down wants to do the right thing."'




Jerry Bruckheimer on Jake: 'But I’ve always wanted to work with Jake. He’s an amazing actor, he’s very handsome and athletic, and what was perfect about him playing the prince was this great combination of intensity and humour that he has. Jake is also very hardworking. He put in months of training just to get as physically fit as he needed to be for this role. He also had to do a lot of preparation for all the sword fighting and riding.'

Updated to add another video in which Jake talks about his Vampire Weekend 'How to play tennis while a tad tipsy' video. '"Well, that's the only way anyone's going to beat me, if I'm that wasted," he joked. "They call me, like, the John McEnroe of action films."' Sounds like quite a roadtrip down to LA. Jake reveals that RZA won't sit next to him at dinner as Jake always nicks his food. I thought all men did that?

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Thanks to IHJ for the London pics! Includes WDW scans.