Jake Gyllenhaal at the Lucille Lortel Awards and out and about in NYC. Plus a WDW Spring Interlude

Last night (5 May), the Lucille Lortel Awards took place at New York University's Skirball Center. Jake Gyllenhaal had a nomination for his role in If There Is.... but although he didn't win, the next best thing happened. Jake presented an award to his young co-star in the play, Annie Funke, who was hailed as best featured access for her role. Details here. One suspects Jake was very proud indeed.

Meanwhile, Jake has been seen out and about across NYC over the last few days. He was spotted out for a walk on 2 May with End of Watch co-star America Ferrera, who was also at the Lucille Lortel Awards, before later catching up with Marcus Mumford (photos here).America also attended the Lucille Lortel Awards. Later that evening, Jake attended The Great Gatsby after party with its leading lady Carey Mulligan (and wife of Marcus). Good to hear that also sitting at the same table was another co-star of Jake's, Tobey Maguire. This was the place to be. What a shame I live in Oxford and couldn't make it...

On 3 May, Jake was seen out for a walk with his mum Naomi.

Not all potential new movie news is good news. It turns out that we (and I would argue Jake) had a lucky escape. We hear this week that Jake was considered for a role in The Hangover, as was Lindsay Lohan. Takes a deep breath and exhales in relief. It was not meant to be.

Thanks very much to IHJ for the pics! There are plenty more there.

WDW Interlude

Finally, after the most horrible summer and winter on record, Spring has arrived in the UK! We've had two weeks of warm sunshine now and while more snow should not be ruled out it has meant that I've been escaping the four walls of work and home for the glorious, hay fevery countryside. Time for an interlude...

The Rollright Stones

The Roman villa hidden in the woods of Gloucestershire

Spring at the Cotswold Wildlife Park

 

May Day in Oxford

Spring in Avebury

Now you see me...

And now you don't.

With a day to go til his NYC stage debut, Jake Gyllenhaal talks about acting, directing and surprising his fans

I am delighted to say that I am back! No longer are the walls around me canvas; the little flickering candles and lanterns are now bona fide lights, and instead of moths and mosquitoes I have a fridge full of beer (admittedly it has no food in it) for company. I also have a lot of catching up to do. I thought I'd get things started with the most obvious bits and pieces from the last few days, with thanks to everyone for the emails and tweets - especially BBMISwear, Susan and Mermon.

With If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet kicking off this Friday, it's not surprising that it's attracting attention. There is 'A conversation' with Jake in BroadwayWorld. I was interested to see that Jake mentions again the influence of Danny Kaye on his acting ambitions. Jake also talks about his character Terry: 'I love the way he talks, how he moves through the world. He is desperate to pull the truth out of everyone around him, but he is unable to face his own. He is a constant contradiction and like this broken, beating heart with legs.'

Especially intriguing are Jake's comments about his relationships with directors: 'If I have an idea, I will always share it – I’m not shy. I don’t believe in a dictatorship, but in the end it’s the director’s decision as to what will be suitable to their production. I like a director who has a clear and simple sense of what they want to say.' And, then, how about this? 'Variation keeps me inspired. I always like finding roles that are different from the one I played before. And I love playing intentions in scenes differently every night on stage and in every take on a movie. I always try and challenge myself and surprise my fans. It makes it fun for everyone.' It really does.

Do read the rest here.


Jake is also featured large in today's New York Times, which also includes a photo of Jake in rehearsal for the play. The interview shows how Jake has been reflecting on his career's direction, something so many of us do around these key birthdays: '“Around the time I hit 30, I asked myself if I was respecting acting as a craft,” he continued, frequently brushing his fingers through his thick hair, free of its black-on-black Yankees cap, “and if I was doing the right projects that deserved my attention and where I’m learning in a way that you might not feel at 15. So now it’s like I look at acting more as building little delicate cricket cages, with care and more thought.”'

Jake's young co-star in the play, Annie Funke, also talks a little about what it was like to work with Jake: '"I just reached a breaking point because I hadn’t quite realized before, until Jake was poking me, what it felt like to be picked on and bullied and how all of that must make Anna feel,” Ms. Funke said. “I was just completely overwhelmed. And Jake grabbed me and hugged me, and we finished the scene. He has looked out for me completely.”'



This post includes two video features on Jake from the Hollywood Reporter. If you're unable to see the videos, try here and here. There are also photos from the screening of End of Watch in the Hamptons last Sunday with Gwyneth Paltrow and the Seinfelds (with thanks to IHJ).

An Enemy in the can? Comic-Con still on? A shaven Jake Gyllenhaal in NYC and Annie Funke cast in If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet

Jake the Sasquatch is no more! Again! Proving true the ancient adage: 'You can always tell when Jake Gyllenhaal has finished filming because he shaves' - an adage that can be reversed: 'You can always tell when Jake Gyllenhaal has started filming because he shaves' - Jake was espied in a restaurant in NYC without the beard. Jake will now have to store excess food in his napkin like most other people.

There are further new images of Jake not only shorn on his face but also on his head. While we'll have to wait for tomorrow (or Sunday UK time) to learn if Jake does make it to San Diego's Comic-Con as the programme lists, we can still enjoy the images. Incidentally, the media has been a little surprised at the inclusion of End of Watch at this Comic-Con Superhero/Sparkly Antihero/Alien fest. There's this from E! and more from Hollywood.com. The verdict seems to be that Jake puts bums on seats - reason enough! Let's hope the absence of his name in this tweet was an oversight.

UPDATE: Jake didn't attend Comic-Con. Instead his message was presented as a video. Details to come in the next post.

Meanwhile, the actress to play Anna, the teenager in Jake's imminent play If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet has been cast. She is conveniently called Annie (Funke).

My review of Seeking a Friend for the End of the World is now on MovieBrit.