Jake Gyllenhaal is here to entertain you!

There's nothing for it - here is Jake Gyllenhaal singing 'Hedgehog Doing Karate: The American Idol Song' with Jimmy Fallon - in bright yellow. As I understand it, American Idol is a docudrama about a group of youngsters who crash land on a Pacific Island With No Name, who have to sing their way out of trouble while avoiding the indigenous polar bears and Simon Cowell and Lord Andrew Lloyd Weber.


Do not attempt to watch this clip without sunglasses, ear plugs and a strong constitution. Whatever would Nizam think?



Jake later recounted his traumatic experience in Century City where, just because he was firing some weapon, he was carted off in handcuffs. It is not known if this was before or after the Stealing the Speedo Incident at the Beverly Center. Jake was banned for life from Century City mall. If he goes anywhere near the place now, he is almost instantly surrounded by security and large crowds. Fortunately, I can attest myself that Jake managed to cause no lasting damage to London's Westfield Centre the other week.



This is another of those days when the GyllenGoodies hurtle thick and fast, tumbling down that Disney Mountain of PoP in an avalanche of golden treasures. With Prince of Persia now just hours away from the screens of North America, it's little surprise that PoP Thursday is every bit as jampacked as PoP Wednesday. So, not knowing where to begin, let's continue with Jake Gyllenhaal on the cover and in the pages of London's free weekly magazine, ShortList - more than enough to brighten up the morning commute.


This is such an interesting and varied interview - you can read it online here or click on these scans. 'Yeah, that’s like my favourite thing ever: the many mispronunciations of the name Gyllenhaal. Gill-en-hale, Gyle-en-hall, Gyle-en-hale… Does it bother you? No, I forgive them. It’s an absurd last name. It’s Swedish.'


'Lance Armstrong said to me, “Just break a sweat once a day.” Break a sweat once a day — and not out of stress — and you’ll stay healthy for the rest of your life. And I think that’s really true. Find something to get your heart-rate up, that’s what I did with this. But it’s good also to get paid to do it. That really helps. '


'[They say you’re a dab hand at woodwork. Is that nonsense?] That is kind of nonsense... I’m going to just set the record straight now. I don’t think I’m that good at woodwork. I do like doing woodwork. But I don’t necessarily think I’m good at it. It’s really hard. [What’s the last thing you made?] The last thing I think I made was a big outdoor dining table for my house. I made one for my mom that’s really great, made from salvaged wood. [Do you put your initials in it so she knows it’s from you?] No, no... My genius is anonymity. [That’s beautiful.] I know, it’s beautiful. You may be eating dinner at a table I made and not know it. I could have made this [taps the table in front of us]…'


'Well, he [Paul Newman] was just the guy who made salad dressings to me. But if he hadn’t been this extraordinary actor, this huge movie star, he still would have been this incredible person. Do you know what I mean? He always exuded that. As a kid, I could feel that. But I don’t think I knew how amazing he was until later on. And he became a real guide.'


On testing for Batman Begins: 'That was the beginning of me going after things that I think that people didn’t assume that I could play. Something like testing for the role of Batman, nobody wanted to see me for that.' [Was it a close-run thing?] I got pretty close. I just pushed and pushed and pushed and tried as hard as I could to get it, because I thought, “Maybe I could do it.” That was me saying, “I’m going to do things that people don’t expect.” The Batman thing was the beginning of that. [Are there any other big movies you missed out on?] These are horrible stories. So many, man. I’ve been acting for 15 years, since I was pretty young, so there have been tons of different things. My flummoxed audition for Dude, Where’s My Car? [You really auditioned for that?] Oh man, I gave such a good audition. Such a bummer. It was so good.'



'[Be serious, because we’re going to print this… I’m serious. Totally serious. I came in and they were like, “We don’t want it to be like Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, we want it to be different.” I was like, “I got it. I got it.” I’d worked on it. I knew exactly what I was going to do. And I was like [puts on dorky accent], “Dude, where’s my car?” That was the character. That was who I was going to be. And they were like, “That’s great, um, can we try it again, without the accent?” And I was like, “That’s all I’ve got... That was what I’ve got for it.” That was a movie I would have loved to have done.'


World Cup: '[England play USA in their first game. You’ll definitely be watching it?] Yes, I’m going to watch it. I’m thinking I may go to South Africa. Maybe. [Your next movie is called Nailed. Other than the fact it’s about a woman with a nail stuck in her head, can you tell us why we should watch it?] Yeah, there’s a pretty raucous sex scene with me and Jessica Biel. It’s so brilliantly shot, crazy camera moves and a lot of choreography on our parts. That was all from the mind of [Three Kings director] David O Russell. I think it took maybe 40 tries to get right. [Not a bad day in the office...] Say no more.' Much more here, including more bewildering and impenetrable consideration of the Donnie Darko plot.


Another fine interview (conducted at the Dorchester in London) can be found today in Australia's Herald Sun. All of these interviews demonstrate what absolute fun Jake had making Prince of Persia and how its publicity has been a joy (the contrast to Rendition strikes me constantly). 'But when I saw the Lego, well. Most of the kids in my life, they would be like, 'There is a Lego Prince of Persia? This movie is gonna be awesome!' That really made me excited. Some may say an Academy Award nomination is a massive achievement, but I would say my own Prince of Persia Lego man (is bigger)... They had to totally redo the classic Lego mullet to accommodate my hairdo and make a new mould.'


'Normally I'm sitting on a set doing scenes and not being able to move and all I want to do is jump up and run around... So it was as fun to do as it is to watch. That was the movie -- we all went to the desert as a huge group of people and we had a whole lot of fun.'

'Everyone takes things so seriously and I've learnt that the world is a pretty rough place. I think if you have the opportunity to take things less seriously for a moment, well, do it... I'm doing something different not just for my career but for my life. I had the honour of meeting President Obama a little while ago and he said to me, 'It's your job as an entertainer to entertain and make people feel good because we're going through a rough time'. I really took those words of advice to heart. I was like, 'All right, many people do much more important jobs than me, but in terms of my job, that's what I do'. I happen to be at an age where I've taken myself so seriously and I don't really want to take myself as seriously any more. So I decided this film was going to be the jump off point for me. I just want to have fun and see what happens creatively... Now, if someone says to me 'You're going to do what?' I will be, 'I'm going to do it'.'


'The heart of this movie is someone coming to terms with someone who didn't want to get close to people... They don't want to open their heart but in the end they have no choice. These are two people fighting that, as every great love story is about that. But for me, it was about: you don't settle for anything, in life, in a love relationship.'


'Can I just say I love Australians? I have to say that right now. I don't want to group you as 'all Australians' but you're pretty rad. I just worked with (American actor) Michelle Monaghan and her husband (Queenslander Peter White) is Australian. Every Australian that comes in and out of my life is just so great.' I like that.

Game Reviews - E3 2010 - Movies and TV

INTERMISSION - go and put the kettle on or pour yourself another drink. Imagine incidental music - maybe something nice on a harp...

... Jake conducted several interviews in Canada (you can watch another one here) on Tuesday and this article sets the scene a little: 'My abs make me who I am. That and the hair," he laughs wryly before reporters at Toronto's Windsor Arm's hotel. Gyllenhaal jokes. He plays. He talks mischievously about his bad eyesight and downing Gummy Bears (a training no-no) while shooting Disney's sprawling new epic, "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time." You watch. You listen. And then you ask, "Is this the same guy from "Brokeback Mountain?" Yes, and no.'


'Contrary to popular belief, I like to have a good time... We were out to make a movie where people have a good time... That was our intention. To make a fun, lighthearted movie that was a throwback to the films of Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn but modern at the same time... When I was a kid I loved movies like ‘Indiana Jones.' I think ‘Prince of Persia' can give a whole new generation of kids the same kind of thrill.'



I'm sure we all remember WonderCon, the event that kicked off this Prince of Persia Adventure - today an interview from there has been released: 'here he is, the star of solemn dramas such as "Donnie Darko" and "Brokeback Mountain," in one of the back conference rooms of the Moscone Center looking oddly inconspicuous in a black sweatshirt and blue jeans and feeling a little frustrated that his handlers won't let him out to mingle with the thousands of costumed revelers on the floor. "I've always heard about these events, and I've always wondered what they were like," the 29-year-old Los Angeles native says, sipping a cup of green tea. "This feels like home. This is what it was like every Sunday at the Gyllenhaal house."'


'"I don't ostracize myself from the rest of the world in terms of how much I'm entertained by large-scale movies and how much I love them," he says. "So I thought, you know, I got a lot of attention from the other roles I played. It gave me the opportunity to look around."'

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'"But you've got to trust your instincts. Lives and careers are made out of great successes and great failures and taking risks. I feel like, if you try to sit there listening to what everybody thinks you should do and you're not listening to your own heart, then you're bound not to be living life. So I just went, 'I'm going to go for it.'?"' Read more here.


I do want to congratulate Sir Ben Kingsley for his Hollywood Star unveiled today, in the presence of Jerry Bruckheimer.


In another London interview (Reuters) just released, Jake talks some more about his choice of roles: 'I think it was about time I stopped taking myself so seriously, and I think to learn as an actor and as any artist that there are different facets to what you do.'


'I have been told often that I have a good sense of humor and the slew of movies that I've done, starting with this movie to the movie I just did with Anne Hathaway ("Love and Other Drugs") and then a movie I just did with Duncan Jones ("Source Code") all have incorporated that sense of humor and a sense of fun, and I think a sense of real entertainment. Those were the movies that I loved always when I was a kid. I loved Indiana Jones. There were movies I remember that were told for children or the child-like part of ourselves. Some of them are really dark, some of them are light, I consider this (Prince of Persia) as sort of lighter, but that's what I wanted to do, I wanted to tell a story and be in a story that was great fun.'


'When I was a little younger, and I did start (acting) so young, I think you tend to try and be a little bit more of what you think other people might want or what people might consider to be interesting. And then I think I found that I've just decided to do what I find interesting. That doesn't mean I'm not going to do films that are darker later on.'


'These games haven't been given the respect they deserve in the movie world and I think (producer) Gerry (Bruckheimer) has done that. They (gamers) are tough, and I appreciate that. I come from a tough family. I don't mind tough critics.'


And finally...

Jake Gyllenhaal appeared on ETalk in Toronto in Tuesday. You can see a taster here. As yet, this show hasn't made it online, but stay tuned to WDW because, in the next day or two, there will be an astonishing (and dareIsay 'rad') report by a WDW Correspondent and Adventurer! It is going to be Super Dope!



A reminder that if you want to go and heckle Rob on MovieBrit for his guest review of Prince of Persia, please do! I'm off to do that now myself...

Many thanks to Winterbird for treating me to the ShortList! And thanks to IHJ for continuing their incredible job of keeping us well-fed with videos and pictures.

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'At the end of the day, it's Jake' - another incredible Prince of Persia day on the trail of Jake Gyllenhaal

Are you ready?! PoP Tuesday ranks high in my list of memorable days, but all that is as sand compared to the gold dust that is PoP Wednesday, so intense and overflowing it is in all the wonders that make up Jake Gyllenhaal, Prince of Persia. Normally, I advise readers to settle down with some refreshments for a whopper post, but tonight I need them, so hand them over. Without any more ado (except for the ado in the next paragraph), please may I present you with my favourite interview to date from the PoP Season.


This interview by Bonnie Laufer, who has interviewed Jake many times over the years, has it all - wit, charm, an extraordinarily handsome and big-eyed Jake, ostrich talk and a discussion of my favourite programme, The Amazing Race. Speaking as someone who goes through life saying 'You'd make a lousy Amazing Race partner' or 'You'd make a brilliant Amazing Race partner' while simply conducting everyday tasks (it's my measuring stick), it made my heart pound to hear Jake discuss who would be his TAR partner. I've always thought that Jake Gyllenhaal would not necessarily make a good Amazing Race partner, but now I feel that maybe I have been over hasty. Jake also talks about one of my favourite movies in recent years, Beowulf.



I'm not that familiar with American TV talk shows - I'm not that familiar with British talk shows - but this morning Jake appeared on Regis and Kelly, which always puzzles me every time Jake is on it. Admittedly I have only ever seen it when Jake is on it, but I am always left bewildered. Neverthless, great to see Jake on TV and thanks to IHJ for capturing it for us!




Jake spent yesterday in Canada - expect more from that in the coming days due to some very exciting happenings in the WDW camp - and amongst the goodies are a teaser from The Hour and a radio interview with Ryan Seacrest. You can listen to that here. The post is full of pictures from this incredible day when Jake Gyllenhaal did appear on 9 out of 10 Canadian TV and radio programmes, notably eTalk. You can see another interview with Jake on CTV here. Jake describes the great comfort he received from Mike Newell about The Accent 'If you sound like a fool, we'll just nod our heads.' There are other interviews scattered throughout this post.



USA Today - the accent: '"Because of the intimidation factor of working with Sir Ben (Kingsley) and Alfred Molina and a cast of British actors, I just buckled down pretty intensely three months before we began and did the most ridiculous exercises with one of the best dialect coaches, Barbara Berkery, who worked with Renee Zellweger on Bridget Jones and Gwyneth (Paltrow) on Sliding Doors... I was awful," he says. "Well, maybe not awful. But any slight variation of a British accent is awful. I started embarrassing myself in front of everybody. I would say to the cast, 'If there's something that sounds strange, just stop me and tell me.'" Taking him at his word, he heard frequently from co-star Gemma Arterton, who plays the feisty Princess Tamina, whose kingdom is conquered by the army of Prince Dastan (Gyllenhaal). "My relationship with Gemma in the movie is very similar to ours in real life," he says. "So, sure enough, she would stop me every five seconds: 'It's horrible. Do it like this.'"


'He opted for full linguistic immersion. "I decided to speak with a British accent from the moment I got out of the car in the morning throughout the entire day until the moment I got back in the car." Not usually a Method actor, Gyllenhaal says the initial adjustment was awkward. "It felt weird," he says. "But the thing with anything is getting over the embarrassment of it. Probably if you walked around naked enough, it wouldn't be embarrassing. That's what it felt like for a while... We had so many different regions represented by our crew, my accent would change depending on who I talked to," Gyllenhaal says. "I'd talk to a camera guy from South London, then speak on camera and Mike (Newell) would say: 'Where are you from? You've drifted south!'" But, in time, Gyllenhaal's transformation was complete. "When we were in London for the premiere a couple weeks ago, people were like 'Stop talking in that weird American accent' because they were used to how I talked on set," he says.'


New Zealand Close Up talks to Jake here. You can also see some of PoP pop Jordan Mechner's drawings from Moscow on his blog. Really interesting to see and some fun insights into what the trip to Russia was like and how hard it can be capturing the likeness of beautiful and animated people such as Jake Gyllenhaal and Gemma Arterton.


Prince of Persia - Exclusive Jake Gyllenhaal Interview - The funniest movie is here. Find it

A great interview in the UK Metro today. Some tasty snippets... 'I believe food is health. I believe food can be medicine and how we eat and grow our food is a direct reflection of our culture and at the same time can also heal us. My best friend is a farmer and I have grown up eating food that is farmed near to me. So, naturally, cooking became something that I did. My family always cooked and I just sort of took it up and found a real meditation and grace to it. It’s a way of expressing, in my opinion, love. And so, any way that I can do that, I try and get really good at.'


'I couldn’t tell you how much I respect the British accent and how much I know you British respect the British accent, and I recognise all the wonderful qualities and politeness that is the British culture. I know Brits can be tough on that too in all seriousness. So it was a challenge and it was something that had stopped me doing other roles in the past because I thought: ‘I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t know if I can pull it off’. [Did you pick up any British expressions?] Oh my God yes. ‘You know what? You f***ing know what?’ That’s my favourite.' I love how Jake recognises and likes Brit culture, especially our politeness which, I think, you can detect in Jake's favourite Brit expression.


'As I get a little older I definitely believe in destiny. I said to someone the other day: ‘Before in my life I could really only look forward. Now I’m a little older I have perspective forwards and backwards’. And with the perspective of looking backwards really comes the foundation of the idea that we really do have some kind of destiny.'


'[Are you worried about being so much more exposed after Prince Of Persia?] I don’t know but it’s all done now. The thing is when you’re making a movie you’re making a movie and then all of a sudden the choices have some resonance outside of it. To me, whatever happens happens. I really am proud of this movie.'

'[Calvin Klein designer Kevin Carrigan says the whole autumn 2010 men’s collection was designed with you in mind.] I’ve never even been to a Calvin Klein fashion show. I’m not normally a vain person but I do like the clothes I wear. I think that stuff is important. [Are you good enough at kung fu to be your own bodyguard?] Not yet but I’m getting there. [What is romantic to you?] Anything can be romantic if you’re with the right person, I guess. I’m kind of shy you know.' Read more here.


Jake is also in the Canadian Metro: 'I really liked it. I’ve just done two movies smaller in size and that was a wonderful thing to do for me after this one, because I did need to feed other aspects of my skill set. It’s a kind of drug, when you’re jumping over things, fighting people, looking like a badass ... it’s hard not to want to do it again.'


'[Were you expecting so much buzz on your buffing up?] Well ... it wasn’t made on vanity. It was on a functionality, to try to make all those stunts. There’s been some curious approaches like: “Oh, you did those stunts, cool. But how do you look like that!?” Someone asked me: “How did that make you feel?” I was like: “I pretty much felt the same inside, you know!” (laughs) My strength, inside, the most important, comes from a lot of other different pain. [Would you like to direct?] Yeah. I’m almost 30, so ... it is becoming less presumptuous.'



In another article in USA Today: 'I was most scared about the big jumps," he says. "As we got farther and deeper into shooting, five months into shooting, we were trying stuff. There's a jump I do where there's like a 20-foot gap between two buildings and a pretty significant drop, like 35 feet, which terrified even the stunt guys... The scariest scene in the movie is when Alfred Molina kisses an ostrich," he says. "They are terrifying animals. Anything with a brain the size of a pea and claws that can tear your face apart is really scary... I've worked with wolves in movies (on The Day After Tomorrow), and on this set they treated ostriches like wolves," he says. "They literally told us they've been known to rip off people's faces. So when Fred kisses the ostrich, to me that performance is braver than Robert De Niro in Raging Bull."'


'"It was incredibly technical, down to the crowds and sword fighting," he says. "I did the sword fights thousands of times. I was a complete idiot at the beginning. I had no previous experience, and in fact I have two left feet, so the balance of being able to fight with two swords took a long time to learn." But Newell says that Gyllenhaal was not only the film's muscle, but its emotional core. "With video (game adaptations), you're always looking for the human equivalent," Newell says. "You need an actor who can almost breathe emotion. I knew from Brokeback Mountain (Gyllenhaal) could do that. And it didn't hurt that he could build that kind of physique and look good on a horse."' Much more here.



Jake Gyllenhaal has charmed the socks off interviewers globally during these fantastic weeks leading up to the release of Prince of Persia and, time upon time, journalists habve reported how Jake won them over. Many of us have enjoyed Jake's effortless and eminently likeable charm for years, but now, thanks to the world of Disney, we can see others learn for themselves what a delight Jake is. This interview is an example.


'[Is it hard to be a movie star?] God, man - it is so hard! You think about jobs and it's probably right up with the hardest ones around! I can read that in print now ... So please, insert the irony that's needed in that. How hard is this job? It's a great job. You could catch me on days where I'm like, "Urgh", but most days, it's good. [Your family is in show business. Was there an option not be an actor?] No, actually. There was never an option! Help me! [What movie made you want to be an actor?] There isn't a movie. I told you, I came out acting at birth. There were no movies in the womb. I was born in the atrium of a film agency. The agents pulled me out themselves! "We've got him! Ten per cent!" The agents know how to search wombs to find for talent.'


'[What went through your mind when Jerry Bruckheimer called you to do this movie?] I asked him what it was going to be like, and he said: "You're going to have a lot of say in who your character is and what he's like." And I said I wanted to have long hair and he said: "Have you seen Nicolas Cage in all my movies?" No, he was open to our ideas. And I think that's what made him successful. He follows what he believes is exciting. And it's not always the obvious choice. I believe that's cool ... It's pretty ballsy of him. [Were there any Spinal Tap moments making the movie?] You mean, just primarily because of my hair? Well, this isn't quite Spinal Tap, but there was a moment when I hit the cinematographer by mistake. He had a hand-held camera and I was fighting in the scene and he was like: "Get in real close." And I got too close and smacked him in the face - with a rubber sword. [Did you whistle the Indiana Jones theme?] Yeah! A couple of times! I can't really tell the difference between Indiana Jones and the Star Wars theme, though.'


'[Would you prefer doing more action movies now?] What I prefer more and more now is a little more humour and taking myself less seriously. But I do believe life is full of different things and variety is the spice of life, so I would love to do both kinds of movies. With Brokeback Mountain, I read the script and ... I was weeping when I read the end of that script. And when a script can illicit that kind of emotion ... I will not stop following whatever I am moved by. For this movie, I read the first scene and there was this whole sense of great fun: Swinging of things, lighting stuff on fire ... All the time I kept thinking, this is so cool and so fun! I can't believe this!'


And more here, about the Joe Namath project...

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

Pictures from links and IHJ with thanks.

Jake Gyllenhaal on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Last night, Jake Gyllenhaal was on Jimmy Kimmel (not quite) Live and, as always when Jake's on this show, you're gonna have a big laugh. But to be serious for a moment... please, please don't let your Mini Lego Jake see this interview - it'll give him serious inadequacy issues and he'll sulk for weeks. Many thanks to IHJ for having this ready for us this morning as we wake up to Jake!




I will be back later as PoP Wednesday continues - there is lots more to come!

The thinking woman's action hero Jake Gyllenhaal - making destiny a reality

I've started this evening's post about twenty times and each time I've deleted it because, to be honest, this is a rare day. There are so many good interviews - both serious and fun - with Jake Gyllenhaal today that I hardly know where to begin. This is a good day.


But grabbing the bull by the horns, in a manner of speaking, I may as well start with Jake's adamant declaration that he does not wear a loincloth in Prince of Persia, he wears pants. I've gotta say that in Britain pants don't provide a lot more coverage than a loincloth and may attract even more looks than a 'man's girdle'. And those aren't buckles on those badass boots either, by the way - oh no, they're wraps.



Next we have MTV where Jake rightly declares, and I believe speaks for many of us in doing so, that he is a thinking woman's action hero. This is despite Mike Newell's assertion about Jake: '"He's got a sort of cheeky, devil-may-care light in his eye, and at the same time, he has a sensitivity, delicacy and thinness of skin," the Brit director explained. "He is glorious-looking, but you wanted more than that. You wanted women to be interested in him not just as a piece of eye candy."' Fortunately, women are multi-taskers and therefore we can appreciate, and be interested in, Jake's many facets all at the same time. You can ogle at Jake in the video below and also enjoy him taking the piss out of Mike Newell with a rather attractive Anglofornian accent.

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

ComingSoon has published its interviews with the Prince of Persia cast and I have to say how much I am enjoying listening to Sir Ben Kingsley in these interviews. Here, Sir Ben talks about the double layer of acting that he has to do with Nizam - the trickery. Acting as trickery - discuss. Fascinating topic.



There are a couple of potentially very memorable interviews with 'film snob' Jake today - and here is one, from Moviefone: 'I feel like what's exciting about it is just how much fun it is. It's fun, and it has twists and turns that are totally unexpected, and this is coming from a film snob.' 'Another fun part was being so theatrical, acting-wise; it was suspending belief as far as we did with this movie, and actually trying to bring it to some kind of reality. I think making movies is fun no matter what, even if it's tough dramatically or the story-telling is darker. But it was a nice respite from serious stories.'


'[Q: When the first pictures from the set hit, everybody was buzzing about the "jacked-up Jake." Have you ever felt so objectified in your life?] [Laughs] The answer's yes. That's the nature because a picture is just a physical thing, so you can project whatever you want onto a picture. The amount of work we're doing is not necessarily there, except in physical form. I expect nothing else; people aren't going to be like, "Wow look at him, he has his shirt off, what an incredible performance, he must be giving a great performance." [Laughs] That was a natural aspect of that ... I think that's the big part of the movie. The physicality of it.'

'[Q: What was the hardest part of packing on all that weight?] There was nothing hard about it. I was paid to get in shape. [Laughs] Why is that hard? There is nothing hard about that. Most people go to work, and then they force themselves to go to the gym, and I had to go to the gym for work. The hardest thing I think was being able to get flexible, because acrobatics and stuff like that take a real flexibility. Along with being big enough to fight people and seem like you could fight people. There were a lot of times it was inhibiting because normally, if you're a gymnast, you wouldn't have huge, big arms. But there was nothing really that hard about it, it was pretty much fun.'


'[Q: Do you listen to the criticism people have when they complain about casting white people to play Persians?] No. It's funny that people have asked me that in interviews and I've been like, "... huh." I've never been asked, "Do you have a problem with someone saying you couldn't play a cowboy?" I feel like a character is a character. It's hard for anybody to say anything until they've really seen the movie. Like I said, everything is just an idea until it becomes a reality.'



The British accent: 'If my instinct had said that was a weird thing, I would have spoken up. But the first thing Jerry [Bruckheimer] said to me was, "I just want you to know, I think you're all going to have British accents." I said, "Oh, that works." Particularly because everybody in the cast is British. I think there is something about it that is more classical. When you have a proper British accent, just by its nature -- Shakespeare and classical works -- [it] always sort of sounds correct.'

'[Q: Jerry Bruckheimer movies are often criticized as over-the-top. Do you ever pay attention to the divide between critics and audiences, and how they respond to movies?] No, I don't pay attention to that. I don't mean to be punny here, but that's a critical mistake. For someone like me, it's like looking at something in playback. Since the advent of playback, you have the tendency to want to go and see if something is believable. But you'll know when something is believable, if you feel it. You don't always [feel it] as an actor, but you should be working with someone who you have faith in, who would. And I think it really frees you up. It's the same thing with any type of criticism; I think you lose a sense of yourself or a sense of the character you're playing, and I have learned -- a little harshly -- not to put my hand on that hot kettle.'


Brokeback Mountain changed lives and so 'award or no award, it doesn't matter'.

'[Q: It seems like everybody looks at "'Brokeback Mountain' vs. 'Crash'" as one of the biggest Oscar upsets. Do you ever get flustered over that, or do you feel like those events are out of your control?] The irony is we made that movie for 12 million dollars. And I know that's a lot of money, but in the world of making movies, compared to something like 'Prince of Persia,' it's very small. And it had this massive success financially [and] critically. To me -- and I really don't mean to seem like a cliché -- but I have people come up to me on the street daily who say that a movie like 'Brokeback Mountain' changed their life. Award or no award, it doesn't matter. What matters is an audience has seen it and has been moved. Yeah, I think there's a want in everybody to say, "I want to win this, or do this." But I think in the end, we won so many times with that movie, it's amazing. That experience I know will be with me for the rest of my life, in so many ways.'


And in Movieweb, Jake was asked about Sir Ben's opinion that the relationship between Dastan and Nizam is Shakespearean in many ways. 'Well I think there are definitely issues that they share. I mean the main issue is betrayal. Being loved deeply by someone, putting your trust in someone and then realizing that they are someone that you never expected. I think of those are in terms of broad strokes. I never really looked at it like that. I guess looking back on it now my take was never Shakespearian. I think Sir Ben, obviously his history is in Shakespeare so as a result that is definitely his go to. For me I looked at it like, the scenes were kind of like reading a children's book. When you read a book to a child you're like, "Then the guy jumped off the thing and THE BAD GUY CAME!" There's kind of theatricality to the way we act in the movie, which I think is in telling a storyline that is very important. I never really, nor do I think it is appropriate for me to presume that I know much about Shakespeare. I'll leave that up to Sir Ben.'


Jake also tells us a little more about Source Code and the experience of working with the hugely talented Duncan Jones: 'The story is really complicated to explain but essentially it deals with different time realities and the issue of one person getting stuck in different time continuums. Ultimately it's kind of like the way The Usual Suspects works, everything kind of comes together in this immaculately perfect way at the end that kind of blows your mind. Working with Duncan was extraordinary. I think he is the next generation of director. He is like an incredible talent and I hope to make many more movies with him because he is amazing. It is true that he is from great artistic stock but he's his own thing and was an incredible collaborator, as well an incredible leader. I can't say enough nice things about him. I feel like I'm totally kissing his ass, which I am but I loved working with him. I think he is going to make a sick, sick movie. I think we've made an incredible film.' There is much more here.


But there's more - an excellent interview with Buzzine. Definitely one to savour. Here are some extracts:

'There were a lot of movies that I read, and there were movies that I was offered that I really liked, but it was all in the characters to me. To me, the movie is great. I chose the movie because of the character. It was all about that — about the relationship between Princess Tomina and Prince Dastan, and about family. But ultimately, he was wry and did cool stuff, and always had a fun, great thing to say that wasn’t too “winky winky” at the audience, but he felt like a great character. It felt like this classic kind of character.'

'EI: You have to look at, historically, when actors have made choices. It does change the dynamic of what they’re offered after that and how they become more popular… JG: For instance, I made Brokeback Mountain, and there was all this great attention. Then you get offered all these movies, and the weird tendency is that most of the movies you get shown by your agent/manager…it’s like, “Do this one; do that one,” because that’s what the next step is. You’ve got to satisfy an audience. When I really look at what I love to do, and when I think about the puzzle of making movies, and when you’re discussing what works and what doesn’t work, or why would you do this or let me try this, it’s all about satisfying your audience. That’s how I look at it, and I have fun doing it because, if I walked over there and did this, maybe that would be great. And then they would laugh, and I felt like I wanted to do a movie that was greatly fun and satisfying.'


'EI: That was a very good choice. If you could go back, would you do it again? JG: Who’s to say? Yeah, because I usually make choices based on filmmakers and definitely story, but no matter how good the story is, if you don’t have faith in a filmmaker, it’s hard to deliver and give your heart. Ang Lee was like a no-brainer, and I can say it because I lived it, whether it’s a totally obscure movie about two sheepherders who end up falling in love in Wyoming or whether it’s a movie like this. It’s the people involved that give you the confidence to do, hopefully, your best work. That’s how I feel.'

'EI: What do you want to do after this one? Do you want to do a romantic comedy? JG: I did look at that. I’ve already done it. It’s done and it’s really good too. I just finished a movie with Anne Hathaway [Love and Other Drugs]. She and I did this movie with Ed Zwick. We did that right after I did this. We just finished a few months ago. At some point, I’m going to try a musical. I would like that, if given the opportunity, and we’ll see. We’ll just take one step at a time.'


'EI: Do you keep some goals to achieve for your career? JG: I know I’m young, but I have been doing this for enough time that I know it will just change with every moment I experience in my life. If the script comes to my door, or if I chase after something because I am moved by it or, whatever happens. I know it is a direct extension of what is happening in my life. I have made strategic moves in what I’ve done, but there’s always a feeling that it’s not coming from someplace that I believe. So, to me, my life just influences that.'

'Jerry would comment while I was working out and say, “Nope, bigger bicep, please.” And I was like, “Yes, no problem.”'



Filming in Morocco: 'We did have some things that happened. When you have thousands and thousands of people in the thousands of extras and 1,000 crew members, as any large group of people are traveling throughout the desert, something is going to happen. We had so much dehydration, it was ridiculous. It was like a soup bowl there. People were walking around with Gatorade and spraying it in people’s mouths between takes. Being from Los Angeles, I am just going to say more of the British cast members were a little bothered. They would be like, “My God, it’s so hot here. This is like LA in the summertime.” Filming in the desert, it gets hot. It’s strange because I had to have a lot of layers on, and it ended up helping me. I was in the appropriate garb for the desert, and everybody else was in their shorts and T-shirts.'


'EI: Did you ever feel like your destiny was laid in front of you? JG: You always approach every movie thinking it’s going to be a success. Just as you would say, “I am going to be an actor and I’m going to be a successful actor.” If you didn’t believe that, how could you do it? Was it predestined? You don’t know me very well, but I can go way too deep and then we would both be crying. I worked with boys in juvenile hall. The difference between what happened with their lives and what happened with my life is…I guess it makes me believe in some kind of destiny. It makes people believe in the order of things. What are the lessons we learned and why? My parents were in the movie business, so I got involved and said that I am going to do it. But you have to have something else besides that.'


Producing in the future: 'In my opinion, to watch someone like Jerry work, to be around someone like him…if you’re anybody who’s interested in anything, you say, “I love how I was just manipulated.” I admire it and I think it’s amazing, and it’s great fun as long as you are in the process and you’re not like, “Wait a second. That was…wow.” I have great respect for that. I literally did work out more because he said so. I love movies. I think with all this talk this year of all the movies that have come out, I’ve been asked those questions about how big movies are going to change because of Avatar, and I keep going back to the same thing, which is the reason Avatar is so good is because the story is good. Yes, the visuals are extraordinary and they go beyond anything we have ever seen before ever, but the story is good. It works; it moves us; people are moved. That’s why. That’s really essentially why.'



'There was one stunt my first jump, that was like a 35-foot jump, and I was really pretending I wasn’t nervous about it. I was going to be all good with it, and I was pretty terrified about it. It’s in the trailer of the movie. I run and then I basically jump, and I looked over 100 times, and I remember saying, “Screw it. I have to trust these guys and do it,” and I did it.'


'EI: When did you look at yourself in the mirror? Did you feel different? JG: Sexy. More sexy. When I have to do my accent, and particularly doing humor… Humor is so different when you have a British accent. You have to do very little, and dry humor particularly. It’s so great. And then I had exercise and I was ready to go. And that prowess — that feeling of being able to defend myself and being able to actually sort of fight. It was the most technical role I have ever done, and I learned so much from it in terms of what I brought to the movie.'

'EI: Did you feel more aggressive and more powerful as a man? JG: Because I was bigger and had more muscles? More women flirted with me when I shaved my head as a Marine than they did when I got big muscles and had long hair. There’s just something about the mystique of the military and being in war. I actually was injured more. There were just too many muscles.' What a great interview - read more here.


In interviews such as these, Jake demonstrates that Prince of Persia does not stand out on its own in his career - it is part of a process, just like each of his other films. As well as it being a challenge, in terms of physicality and scope, Jake confronted his fears and grasped the project with both hands and did everything he could to make Dastan true. Dastan has heart - a characteristic of so many of Jake's roles. And you also sense that while Jake realised he was one of many involved in the process of breathing life into Dastan, it empowered him. A valuable step in the process.


A good day! Jake is in Canada today doing shows there - good luck to him and all those who grab the chance to see him!

Many thanks to Disney and IHJ and here for the pics.

Jake Gyllenhaal on the Late Show with David Letterman

With huge thanks to IHJ for what must have been a very late night, we too can enjoy images of Jake Gyllenhaal in Red Square with Homer Simpson! We can also watch Jake on the Late Show with David Letterman... in that suit...




Back later with a full post! A big thanks to Steph, especially from those of us on this side of the pond *)

[Updated] Jake Gyllenhaal arrives for the Late Show with David Letterman - and the heatwave gets hotter

It's not often Jake Gyllenhaal leaves me speechless, quite the contrary - he is my inspiration. But tonight you'll get no sense from me. All because of these pictures of Jake at the Ed Sullivan Theater in NYC where he is recording the Late Show with David Letterman. In an hour or two, if I've not come to my senses, please throw a virtual (emphasis on the virtual, in case Mr WDW is reading) bucket of water over me. Now that is how to wear a three-piece! No wonder that guy can't keep his mouth closed...

This post is now updated, with many thanks to IHJ for some more wonderful pictures. You can find lots more there!













Pictures from here and IHJ.