Jake Gyllenhaal video update - plus Viola Davis joins Prisoners

Tonight is Bonfire Night - I therefore want to apologise in advance for any typoes caused by me leaping out of my skin when the neighbours let off yet another rocket. Time for a quick message from our sponsor...

Prisoners is growing by the week. This week it was revealed that Viola Davis - fresh from appearing in Won't Back Down with Maggie Gyllenhaal - is joining Jake, Hugh Jackman, Melissa Leo and Paul Dano. Good to also hear that plans are afoot to sell the movie to international distributors this week.

Meanwhile If There Is... continues to grab attention. The play is in full swing again after Hurricane Sandy with Jake back to handing out hugs. Yesterday Jake and co-star Brian O'Byrne spoke with NY1 about the play. Thanks to IHJ for the link.



Jake's latest movie End of Watch has yet to reach many of us and so the buzz is still buzzing. In this article, Jake and Michael Pena chat about director David Ayer's manner of praise and Michael marvels at Jake's intense appreciation for yoghurt.

'"His response to liking something is, 'That didn't suck,'" Jake laughed. Michael added: "'That sucked less.' Or, 'Do some other sh*t.' In rehearsals too, he was really rough."' The two actors added they nicknamed the script talks with David 'Poison Meetings' as he was always so open with them. He was never afraid to pull them up on things which weren't quite right, with both men admitting the movie is better for it. '"They really worked. They got you motivated," Michael said. "They'd usually come after sparring, after we'd gone home and showered quickly or whatever."'

[Jake introducing End of Watch to UK audiences]

'Michael worked hard to stay in shape for the movie. Jake didn't have to work out quite so much and wasn't always thoughtful when it came to his co-star's diet. "Remember dude, with your [frozen yoghurt] when you were like, 'Mmmm! Oh my God, it's so good! Mike, you want some?’" Michael laughed. Jake giggled: "Then I said, 'You wanna go for a run later?'"'

And finally...

A reminder of sunnier, warmer, less beardy days...

*Updated to add video* Jake Gyllenhaal cooks and is cooked for (you can be there too!)

Jake Gyllenhaal's culinary skills are legendary. One can barely think of such foodstuffs as pickled onions, starbursts, strawberries, cilantro, risotto, iPads and meatballs without thinking of Jake. In fact, he is one of the few people in the public eye who would be able to construct a plate of food and a piece of garden furniture from the same ingredients. This week, Jake appeared on The Chew, cooking alongside old friend and TV cooking partner Mario Batali. If you live in the US you can watch the clip here. Wouldn't it be great if internet files could be freed from borders?



Update! As you can see, there is now a version for us all. Thanks so much to Stephanie!

Thank heavens for IHJ. Looks like Jake's beard is coming on a treat. Anyone with a beard like that who eats spaghetti is a brave man (or woman, I don't want to be sexist).

Jake appeared on the Leonard Lopate radio show this week with fellow If There Is... cast member Brian F O'Byrne. I'm delighted to say that the interview is now available to listen to.

And finally...

Jake's charity work for New Eyes for the Needy (as well as his love of food) is being recognised on 29 October by a celebratory dining event that you can go to as well if you live near NYC and have $500. Not only does the money go to a good cause, but you can also see Jake, as well as Peter, Maggie and Top Brit Scout Bear Grylls, and, one hopes, get some good nosh too. Details are all here.

If any of you go, please remember to bag me some pudding.

There is also another one of those famous Jake auctions.

Thanks very much, IHJ!

Jake Gyllenhaal gets some cast mates for his Off Broadway debut, ping pong and Maggie continues to shine for Hysteria

If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet, Jake Gyllenhaal's imminent Off Broadway debut, is getting nearer! Previews start on 24 August before opening night on 20 September. It's quite possible that the butterflies are starting to flutter. But, unlike An Enemy in which Jake plays both the lead and the co-star, there are other people in the play and yesterday Variety announced a couple of them:

'Brian F. O'Byrne and Michelle Gomez will join Jake Gyllenhaal in the Off Broadway play "If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet." O'Byrne ("Brotherhood," NBC's "Prime Suspect"), who won a Tony for his role in 2004 outing "Frozen," will play the environmentalist father of an overweight teen girl who befriends her drifter uncle, played by Gyllenhaal in his Off Broadway debut. Gomez, who appeared in "Boeing Boeing" on the West End, stars at the teen girl's mother. The role of the daughter has yet to be cast.

Design team includes Beowulf Borritt (sets), Susan Hilferty (costumes), Natasha Katz (lights) and Obadiah Eaves (music and sound).'

Michelle Gomez is a Scottish actress, possibly best known in the UK for Green Room a few years back, while Brian F O'Byrne, an Irish actor, is a regular in Prime Suspect and also featured in the US series Flashforward. Could be quite a mix of accents here with the only English one coming out of Jake...

Jake will no doubt be rehearsing soon as only an actor about to have his NYC Off Broadway debut can. But, at the moment, Jake continues to film An Enemy and move between Toronto and NYC. The most memorable recent sighting is the one of Jake 'Playin' ping pong like a madman' at Spin Toronto on Friday night. I'm sure I'm not the only one to be reminded of Jake's near miss with a ping pong tournament back in January 2010.

Maggie, meanwhile, continues to make TV appearances to publicise Hysteria. Last week she was on the Daily Show with Jon Stewart. If you're in the US, you can watch it here. Unfortunately, I haven't yet found a link that works on this side of the pond. Maggie did cause a stir looking rather wonderful outside the studio. I do like this retro glamorous actress look of hers.