Finding a home for Jake Gyllenhaal, and more tips from Jake on how to beat the summer heat (and run fast)

These days it seems like movies are made anywhere but Los Angeles. Which may be a nusiance for movie stars because that's where many of them live. But, take a film out of a studio set, and it makes for all sorts of exciting adventures for fans (as we've seen on WDW more than once over the last few years) while also giving Jake Gyllenhaal a deep insight into tagines and fish 'n' chips. For a long shoot, hotels won't do. Stars want to feel more at home and that often means being given someone else's home.



In this article, a real estate agent from Pittsburgh talks about how they go about creating a home from home for the stars who visit the city, including Jake Gyllenhaal who filmed Love and Other Drugs in Pittsburgh last year.


And while some stars may want luxuriant splendour, access to main roads and airports, Jake is somewhat different: '"He wanted to be where he could walk around, be close to stores," she said. "He wanted to be where he could go to Whole Foods." Ms. Neiman found a private home in Shadyside -- she lives close by and volunteered to walk his dog every day -- but the homeowner got cold feet about relocating. So Mr. Gyllenhaal ended up staying in a vacant unit at the Beechwood Commons townhouse development in Squirrel Hill.'


'Vacant unit' conjures up images of Jake having to sleep on a mattress on the floor of a bare apartment with paint still drying on the walls, while Atticus could run and play on a square piece of newly-seeded grass with tree saplings in cages every few feet.


Obviously, next time Jake is filming in Oxford I would be more than happy to let him and Atticus have full use of my flat. We may not have a Whole Foods but we do have a Tesco and a coffee shop. I'd have to spend some time explaining how to operate the washing machine and the microwave is dysfunctional but apart from that it'd be ideal. However, it may be better if Jake moves into my neighbour's flat instead.


And finally...

So far it's been a hot summer for many of us in the Northern Hemisphere (although admittedly it's a little more sporadic over here in southern England), which means that we can empathise with those hot medieval Persian warriors and Hassansins having to do battle and fight wrongs and do wrongs in very high temperatures. I think that the Hassansins must have had a particularly hard time due to all those elaborate head wrappings and studs. And then there's the ostrich that had to wear a woolly hat.


In one of Jake's Prince of Persia interviews, Jake had some fine advice when asked what's the best way to keep cool in the desert (you may want to get a notebook and pen ready): 'Water, water, water!' And wear lots of layers (although if the layers include padded jackets and goretex, this might not be so effective).

'I learned a great trick: like the Berber I wore a lot of layers - and I wasn't as hot as the people who ran around in shorts and T-shirts!' Not as hot? I will beg to differ with Jake on that one...


To continue the clothes talk: 'As a boy I dreamed of slipping into the shoes of Indiana Jones and Robin Hood.' I'm trying to imagine Robin Hood wearing shoes and not little felt boots with feathers at the top.

'A couple of my crazy stunts did happen, which were incorporated into the film. I was very proud - until I was hanging upside down two hours later on a wire.'


'I was in the gym every day for months before we started filming. Later, I trained to do the stunts and fights in particular. That was like a boot camp. I really went to my limits!'

More on those poor innocent ostriches: 'They are really nasty! They can kill you with their beaks, and, because they're so huge, they can trample you easily. In one scene, I stumble into a race and ! was pursued by eight animals. No kidding: I ran because I literally ran for my life.' More here.


So, we end on another handy tip from Jake: If you want to run fast you can do worse than be chased by 8 ostriches.


Includes pictures from IHJ and JJ.

This is Jake Gyllenhaal, star of Prince of Persia, on the air!

Last night, Jake Gyllenhaal took over the airwaves of Radio Disney, where he answered phone-in fan questions and introduced Hannah Montana records for a full 2 hours. Apparently, Jake did start down the pathway of telling The Jellyfish Story, but the subject was changed once it was established that spit was not the right answer... Although we couldn't hear the broadcast in the UK, many thanks to Stephanie and IHJ for some video highlights and for talking me through it. Oh yes, never kiss an ostrich next to Jake, he doesn't like it.



Stephanie also tells me that a caller asked Jake what his favorite Disney show is and he said Hannah Montana. He'd had to have lots TiVod due to his busy work schedule. And that is why they played a Hannah Montana song at the end. Jake, tell me this isn't so!!







I will be back later with much more but I thought DJ Jake Gyllenhaal deserved a post of his own. Have a good Sunday [Updated to add that I do indeed know it's Saturday - it was a test - ahemm]!

Jake Gyllenhaal takes on ostriches, crocs and celebrity dining. And a WDW Interlude

Those Disney Movie Surfers have been chasing Jake Gyllenhaal around Morocco again. But before we get to the video I have to warn you. The scenes you are about to see contain images so shocking and so disturbing, I want you to think seriously about whether it's in your best interests to watch them. This video - worryingly unrated - contains - completely gratuitously, I'm sure you'll agree - Ostrich Peril.




Jake Gyllenhaal is on record for calling ostriches 'sweet' but obviously he said that in all innocence of what lay before him in the filming of this movie. Consider yourself warned.



Thanks to IHJ for their brave work in bringing this to light.

Not surprisingly, Jake Gyllenhaal is now taking it easy back in Los Angeles, where he is filling his time by catching up with his famous pals before heading off to answer lots of questions about what it's like turning a videogame into a movie and did he do his own stunts. Yesterday Jake was seen at Mozza eating pizza (possibly) with Gwyneth Paltrow and Adam Levine. I have no doubt whatsoever that, yet again, Gwyneth was having to bear the brunt of Jake's 'There once was a movie called Proof' limericks.


Jake was also seen having breakfast with Anne Hathaway yesterday at Blu Jam Cafe on Melrose. I'm not going to comment on this because of what it does to my wish fulfilment fantasies. The 'best breakfast in Los Angeles' tag though may be worth remembering.


Before Jake left Montreal, he did manage to give us another glimpse of himself as Colter - complete with fatigues and Atticus. However, I'm sure like me, two things have not escaped your attention - as if the ostriches aren't enough shock for one evening.

1. Jake is wearing (and I can hardly stand to say the word) crocs. Crocs! Duncan Jones, what have you done to him?!

2. Jake is wearing his earphones the wrong way round. I can hardly believe it either...




Updated to add a couple of pictures from Punkd of Jake leaving Montreal on Friday. Can someone recognise the hoodie?



A WDW Interlude

As threatened yesterday, here is a WDW Interlude, courtesy of a fine spring day and a fuel-guzzling, bumpy motorbike with no panniers. This time we went west which, after some miles, can only mean one thing in England - Wales. So after Gloucester, we found ourselves at Chepstow Castle in the Welsh borders...




...before making our way to Tintern Abbey, a place that photos can never approach with justice. Other photos show the view from Symonds Yat (peregrines were nesting there but all I saw was a plastic one and a chaffinch) and Goodrich Castle, which was carved out of red rock. If I could also share with you the pain of sitting on a motorbike for an entire day, I willingly would.





Pictures from links, IHJ and WDW.

'Please do not touch the ostrich on set today' - Gemma on JR, Jake Gyllenhaal in action, PoP US premiere and a WDW interlude

Gemma Arterton was on the Jonathan Ross show on Friday night, giving UK TV audiences their first proper look at Jake Gyllenhaal as the Prince of Persia. At last! The trailer on a primetime TV programme, accompanied by some appreciative comments about Jake from the host himself. Here are two videos from Friday's show, which hopefully you can all see. Thanks to Monica for the heads up! Prince of Persia is also getting some attention from the British news network ITN.





Talking of videos... we have our first glimpse of Source Code in action! In this video, you can actually watch the fight sequence that we saw in still pictures the other day. And Jake is such a gentleman - he takes the time to help the guy to his feet after beating him up.



Some fun facts about Prince of Persia have been released and among them:

'Morocco offered 100+-degree Fahrenheit temps during production. Massive, air-conditioned tents were erected at the Lycee Hassan II school in Marrakesh. One, which was the size of a football field, housed wardrobe, hair and makeup for the film's background players. And adjoining tent was built just for washing and drying. It was a mind-blowing 124 degrees on the last day of Moroccan filming (Merzouga Sand Dunes outside of Erfoud). According to Morocco Facilities Manager Gregoire Mouveau, during filming in that country the "Prince of Persia" company consumed 1,114,894 bottles of water.'


'Typical warnings on call sheets in Morocco: 'PLEASE DO NOT TOUCH THE OSTRICH ON SET TODAY' or 'BEWARE – SNAKES & SCORPIONS CAN BE FOUND AT THIS LOCATION UNDER AND AROUND THE ROCKS. BE CAUTIOUS.'

'A local Moroccan was hired to clear the shooting areas in the desert of a vipers and scorpions. Donning a t-shirt emblazoned with "Snake Dude," he was easy to spot.'


'Some 20 different versions of the Dagger which holds the Sands of Time were fabricated for the film — from the "hero" version, made of steel, to latex versions, created for stunt sequences.'

'The moment in which Alfred Molina, as Sheikh Amar, kisses his favorite ostrich on the neck was completely unscripted. "I thought I would either get my eye poked out," notes Molina, "or that I would get away with a funny moment."'



'The exterior set of Alamut, designed by Wolf Kroeger, was constructed around the actual 700-year-old walls of the village of Tamesloht, 20 kilometers southwest of Marrakesh. It required 30 miles of scaffold tubing and 400 tons of plaster, with 350 members of the construction crew. The colorful frescoes and mural paintings which adorn the set were painted in seven weeks. The Alamut Eastern Gate set built at Pinewood Studios' "007 Stage," also designed by Wolf Kroeger, required 3,000 eight-by-four-foot sheets of wood, 70,000 feet of three-by-one inch timber, and 40 tons of casting plaster for moldings. It was constructed in a relatively brief 14 weeks.'


'The character who has the most wardrobe changes is not Tamina, played by the beautiful Gemma Arterton, but Nizam, portrayed by Sir Ben Kingsley.'


You can read more fun facts at Filmgecko. Am I the only one to find a tear in my eye at the thought of the tender relationship between Alfred Molina and his favourite ostrich?


As you can see from the poster below, the US premiere of Prince of Persia now has a time and a place.


A WDW interlude

Good morning to you all! Time to go out and sweep my own share of Icelandic volcano off my car and head out into another beautiful warm, sunny day. Yesterday was the Oxford Folk Festival and Ruby and I took advantage of the sunrays to see more Morris Dancers than anyone should be allowed to see on one day (if I hear any more bells...) before taking a look around some of Oxford's beautiful college gardens.



My Flip got a test ahead of any potential events that may be coming up in May...



We even spotted an ostrich? What on earth is that?


Pictures from links, Disney via IHJ, and Ruby and WDW.

Brothers DVD out today! And a first verdict on PoP - we have love chemistry, wiggling ostriches, fridge magnets

It's 23 March and that can mean only one thing: Jake Gyllenhaal has the perfect gift for his Source Code co-star Michelle Monaghan who celebrates her birthday today - the Brothers DVD, now in your shops! Or, if you're not in America, available to order from a bunch of places. If you prefer to wait for the R2 version, that is out on 7 June. However, it's worth pointing out you may be in the cinema on that day...


To mark the occasion, I Heart Jake and Lionsgate Home Entertainment are running a competition in which two people - from anywhere on the planet with a multi-region player - can each win a Brothers DVD. Visit IHJ for details and good luck.

As for The Other Film, we've had some more details from the top secret ShoWest screening of Prince of Persia in Vegas last week. It's very spoilery and so I will quote very little but you can read the full account at IGN and it's a goodie.


Here's a non-spoilery description of one scene: 'The scene is overrun with special effects -- high-flying acrobatics off walls, swordplay of all kinds, cinematic bow & arrow near-misses, fires, explosions and more. It's fairly epic and well-choreographed. It's clear from the start that the movie comes from Disney and director Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire), not Uwe Boll.'


The love interest: 'Dastan believes Tamina is a pampered princess who has never suffered a day in her life and she thinks he's a corrupted brute who lacks proper morales. Their on-screen chemistry works. Indeed, the admittedly predictable hate-turn-love story is just as interesting as some of the awe-inspiring special effects scenes because the chemistry is so tangible.'


Ostrich racing: 'Comic relief is supplied by the always-reliable Alfred Molina [see below] (Spider-Man 2), who plays a money-hungry tradesman whose first love is ostrich-racing. And yeah, you even get to see some dudes riding atop wiggling ostriches as they race awkwardly over dirt roads.'


Verdict: 'The action is big. The effects bigger. And the storyline just interesting enough to keep you watching. Gyllenhaal -- probably not anybody's first choice for the Prince of Persia; although, to be fair, he's a hard character to cast -- serves the role just fine. And Arterton has sex appeal to spare. This movie will surely be compared to Pirates of the Caribbean series and it shares much in common. Perhaps the only thing missing is the equivalent of Captain Jack Sparrow -- Johnny Depp's ludicrous, but unforgettable antihero. By comparison, Dastan and Tamina are straighter and side-players like Kingsley and Molina unremarkable. But the movie is well-produced and sparkling with polish from beginning to end, and we doubt any potential shortcomings will stop moviegoers from seeing it and doing their part in adding another notch to Bruckheimer's already-considerable blockbuster belt.'


Actually, referring to the verdict above, Jake Gyllenhaal was somebody's first choice for the role - Mike Newell's. (And also mine, but I don't think I pull as much weight with Jerry Bruckheimer.)

In other Prince of Persia news, we have fridge magnets - oh yes we do...


Wanted to finish today with a lovely picture from last weekend when NYC wallowed in a taster of spring.


Includes pictures from links and here and the coolest website in the world. Thanks to Monica for additional ostriches. Happy birthday Michelle!

PoP Art and Mike Newell on Jake Gyllenhaal: 'a really wonderful, subtle, sensitive actor with terrific emotional range'

I don't know why it is, but everytime I hear the word ShoWest I feel the need to add an exclamation mark while listening to a certain Village People song. However... today Prince of Persia screens before the critics at Bally's and Paris in Las Vegas (around 4pm their time). After the screening, Jerry Bruckheimer will receive his lifetime achievement award.


As threatened yesterday, this gives me the perfect excuse to post a couple of pictures from my trips to Las Vegas. Fortunately, I am sparing you my detailed photographic catalogue of the Star Trek Experience, although I was quite tempted by the picture of the blue barmaid with stalky things on her head serving in Quark's bar.



This billboard was spotted (quite possibly from a very great distance) at Westwood, LA, reminding me of those giant LA Zodiac billboards back in the day. Jake Gyllenhaal - BIG!


IHJ has wonderfully posted gorgeous pictures from the Visual Guide to PoP. I realise that not only do I have this book on order, I also have sticker books coming, 3D poster books, various behind the scenes books (aimed at every age possible), jigsaws, figurines - everything but the Prince himself. We're gonna need a bigger house.

Obviously one thing about these new pictures caught my attention straight away.


The second thing that caught my attention - apart from the gobsmacking beauty and virility of Jake Gyllenhaal in these pictures (promising such wonders for the film - think IMAX) is the extraordinary headgear that we will see in Prince of Persia. Therefore, that is the focus this evening. The words around the pictures come from an interview with Mike Newell.


'I was very anxious to give it a kind of modern-epic edge, so I knew I had to reference all of those George Lucas and Steven Spielberg films, particularly the Indiana Jones series. But I also hoped to take the audience further than that, further into an ancient world, and to try and make them believe what the people in that ancient world believed. The movie's story depends on that trick. It's all about myth made reality, which is so fascinating in a tale like this. And audiences these days are cynical; they know you can do almost anything with CGI. So you have to make them forget about all that and believe absolutely in the world and the characters that they're seeing onscreen. One of the things Jerry and I always agreed upon was that we wanted to take the audience somewhere they've never been before.'


'FJI: Did the videogame serve as a point of reference as well? Newell: It did. I'm not a gamer, but I played the game and I made sure that I understood the game. I was hopeless at it, of course. [laughs] I got to be very close with the guy who created the videogame, Jordan Mechner. He would explain where certain things in the game came from and I would say, "I think we need to make the weaponry look more savage and dangerous than it does in the game." But we never said, "We can't do that because the game doesn't" or "We must do that because the game does." We wanted to use it as a point of reference but not be slavish to it. Then again, we knew that the gamers are a very important part of the audience and we tried to keep the spirit of the game. That was our primary goal—finding the spirit of the game and respecting it.'


'FJI: How did you come to cast Jake Gyllenhaal as the titular prince and Gemma Arterton as his love interest, Tamina? Newell: I know Jake's parents, so I've known him since he was a small child and I've watched him grow up to become a really wonderful, subtle, sensitive actor with terrific emotional range. That's what I wanted for this character, but at the same time I had to have an action hero. So I took a bet! Jake's a strong guy and he's immensely hard-working, so I knew that one of the things that would set him on his mettle was actually performing these stunts. A lot of the fighting in the movie is Jake and a fight routine has to be learned to the inch or people get hurt. What you have is this tremendously energetic and youthful man of action who also has a wonderful sensitive side under the surface.'


'I saw a lot of girls for the female lead; I looked at Iranian actresses, Israeli actresses and was about to go to India to look at Bollywood actresses. But Jerry kept pushing me towards English actresses because he had had such luck with Keira Knightley in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. As soon as Gemma walked in, I fell for her. She's very energetic and very feisty and very intelligent and she's wonderful at being the tough girl who can stand up to Jake's character.'


'FJI: Most of the exteriors were shot on location in Morocco. Did you enjoy your time there? Newell: When you're making a modest film, you scout lots of streets and lots of houses. The wonderful thing about making a film like this is that you get to scout lots of different countries. We looked at a number of places, including Jordan and Spain, but I kept coming back to Morocco, because it has a wonderful, epic look to it that isn't like anywhere else. It has deserts with huge sand dunes, it has rocky deserts, it has the Atlas Mountains and it has wonderful, ancient cities. There's such variety there. One of the things that all the guidebooks say is "Don't go anywhere near Morocco during the months of July and August." And, of course, that's exactly when we shot the film! So there were difficulties that came with that. But when it was done, we all felt like we had done our time in the desert—that we had fought our own battle and won.'


'FJI: Speaking of battles, Prince of Persia marks your first experience directing large-scale battle sequences. Was that one of the more challenging aspects of this assignment? Newell: Well, yes, because before this film, nobody had ever given me 400 cavalry and 100 camels and said, "Now stage a battle." Fortunately I had a brilliant first assistant director and a marvelous second unit director. I had a very clear idea of how I wanted the sequences to look and they helped me achieve it. I'm eternally grateful to them for that.' Read more here.

Some great news today - my Brothers DVD arrived! Thank you PlayUSA...


Includes pictures from IHJ and WDW.