Catherine Keener - the woman who made Jake Gyllenhaal feel sexy - and a Nailed catchup

I've always had a big liking for Catherine Keener, ever since I saw her making out in the car with the younger Jake Gyllenhaal back in 2001's Lovely & Amazing. Can't imagine why... Anyway, today I saw her in Cyrus, a movie I do recommend and also featuring another familiar name, John C Reilly, from The Good Girl. And so it seems right to do a post for Catherine who has featured in more than one of Jake's films. I'm hoping that one of these days we will get to see her on the screen in Nailed, in which she plays one of Jake's nemeses. This gives me the perfect excuse to repost some of my all time favourite pictures from Nailed - gorgeous, adorable, humorous and handsome I'm sure you'll agree, and Jake's not bad either. And these days, just as furry.



Parker the Monkey was a visitor to the Nailed set from Sam's Path Petting Zoo back in the spring of 2008. Catherine even shared her toothbrush with the cheeky monkey.


Catherine spoke about what it was like to play the older lover of toyboy Jake in Lovely & Amazing: 'I had a blast with him. People have asked was it weird because he was so much younger. I guess I was so in the mindset of Michelle and the story and she is so immature it seemed sort of an appropriate guy for her [laughter]. It wasn't freakish at all to me. And so therefore if it's going to be a guy who's only seventeen why not Jake Gyllenhaal ! It was fantastic! He's adorable, fun, enthusiastic. We were laughing all the time. It was three o'clock in the morning the first night we're working and we are kissing in the back of the car, freezing it was just silly. It wasn't like one of those standard uncomfortable love scenes were you feel weird enough. We had no time, no money and no time. He's so gifted and a really nice guy. Everybody was. This movie was really a great time everyone was unbelievable.'


When The Day After Tomorrow came out, Jake reflected on how much he had enjoyed Lovely & Amazing: 'I probably would say there are pieces of every performance that I like, not one performance that is great. But I do like the movie "Lovely & Amazing".' Because of... 'A comfort, a real sense of camaraderie on the set which made me feel comfortable. I was a young actor not having the experience that so many other actors have who have been in the business for a long time. Building up a defense and figuring out ways of bringing things up even when you're not supported, is something I don't have. Whenever I feel like I falter, it's because I don't feel like I'm completely supported. In that movie, I walked into rehearsals with Catherine Keener and she immediately made me feel sexy and I remember Nicole Holofcenter, the director was like, 'Do you want some coffee?' and I'm 'Yeah, I'll have some coffee.' She's like [Catherine] 'I'll have anything he has.' And I was like, 'Okay, cool!' You don't get that from other actors. Usually you walk on and you're like, 'Can I have a coffee?' And they're like 'oh, you want coffee.' And I'm like, 'what? What's wrong with coffee?' So I like that film because I just felt relaxed and myself, and honest, and happy.'



Nailed catch up

To find out more about Catherine's role in Nailed, do check out a set visit report from WDW reader Nicole who even got a part as an extra. Even more reason for us to want to see this film. You can read about Nicole's time on set here. Another reader, Lisa, also wrote for WDW about her experience on the set where her daughter also had a role as an extra. You can read Lisa's account of the nightime shoots here. Not to forget The Excellent Adventure of Ted and Lisa (a different Lisa - our very own BBMISWear) when they spent an incredible day with Jake. If you've not read the detailed and very funny account, you can find out how here and see some photos.



Another actor in Nailed, David Ramsey, reflects about the project at the end of this interview.

Includes pictures from IHJ, Nicole and a scan from WDW.

You can read what I thought of Cyrus over at MovieBrit.

A Saturday with Jake and a taste of style

This last weekend, Jake Gyllenhaal proved himself to be not only bendy but speedy and a bit of a handful, requiring three posts on Sunday. As we hadn't seen Jake for three weeks and because there is no such thing as too much Jake, I'm not complaining, but it does mean that some people may have missed something. Therefore, here is a brief recap.


On Saturday, Jake and Reese were seen leaving a private yoga class in Santa Monica. It was observed that Jake wore socks with his sandals and drank from his bottle without using his hands. There has been speculation by people who were not there that Jake did the Sun Salutation and the Tree, both of which can be performed on the Wii.



Also on Saturday, Jake surprised us all by contrarily dressing himself up while removing his socks in order to see an early screening of Brothers in a Hollywood studio. This time, the spatter on his left shoulder indicated that Jake had not perfected his drinking from the bottle without hands technique.


Meanwhile, pictures came to light from periods in which Nailed actually was filming, which showed the cast getting to grips with Parkour the Monkey. I realise that the speed of events yesterday meant that not everybody had the chance to recount their own monkey story. Please feel free for this post.


Despite the general discomfort and unease felt amongst the fandom at Jake's apparent disregard for the rules governing sock use, there is some room for comfort.


Continuing the animal motif, an article in the LA Times this week took a look at some of the ugly ducklings who have now become Hollywood's swans. There on the list is Jake. Admittedly, their choice of picture of Jake (from the 2001 Sundance Festival), or 'Video game dork' as they call him, is not one of his best. It does, however, show that Jake took his training for the Prince of Persia very seriously and was well on the way to level 5. I do not advise anyone to look at the picture of George Clooney.


Nevertheless, today Jake is regarded as one of the most stylish young men in Hollywood, with praise heaped on his tuxedoed shoulders at the 2006 Oscars for the way in which he can wear a suit. As this article in the aftermath of the Oscars says: 'The temptation for young stars is to stand out from the crowd by trying something new. But Jake Gyllenhaal, at the 2006 awards as a nominee for Best Supporting Actor for Brokeback Mountain, won raves for his classic tux designed by Ralph Lauren, with bow tie and a white pocket square.'



Jake has also, of course, not only been interviewed in glossy magazines such as Vogue and Vanity Fair - he has modelled for them. Jake's 'simple and understated look' has been the subject of fashion commentators who have suggested how we too can develop that relaxed style, whether going down the Peruvian knit cap path or not. Jake takes his choice of clothing seriously.




Includes pictures from IHJ, Vogue, GQ, Interview, links and Sam's Path Petting Zoo

Jake Gyllenhaal meets Parker the Monkey- Brothers' first screening is 'excellent'

There have been other visitors to the set of Nailed and not all them have had two legs and some are more in need of a shave than others. I hope you will forgive a second post today but I saw this picture and couldn't resist. What a cutie - and the monkey's not bad either. Jake Gyllenhaal meets Parker the spider monkey and, apparently but not surprisingly, it was love at first sight.


When Sam's Path Mobile Petting Zoo came to Columbia and the set of Nailed, Parker the spider monkey got the full tour, even being seemingly inappropriate with Jessica Biel. Catherine Keener, by contrast, shared her toothbrush with him, making that important step in a new relationship.




And whatever this is, I like it. Looks like it could be useful for cleaning cobwebs off high ceilings.


Screening of Brothers

All may have been quiet with Brothers but that's probably because, unlike a certain other film starring Jake, it's been behaving and going as planned. Even though the release date is still some five and a bit months off (but drawing nearer), Brothers is now at the stage of early screenings. Thanks to Monica, here is some information about this, which includes a report that the film is 'excellent' and that it may get an R rating (that will be because of the naked shaving scene we spent such a long time discussing last Christmas).



I am thrilled to hear that Brothers has progressed this far and it gives me hope that Brothers will be a feature of one, if not more, Film Festivals this Autumn. Can't wait to see it and it's great to have an excuse to repost one of my favourite pictures of Jake from 2007.


And a repost of the new picture of Jake from yesterday because I'm not ready to stop looking at it yet.


Wonderful pictures from Sam's Path Petting Zoo and IHJ.