Jake Gyllenhaal was born in Los Angeles, California, to film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner.

Gyllenhaal made his film debut in the comedy-drama "City Slickers".

He appeared in "A Dangerous Woman", directed by his father, and "Josh and S.A.M.".

Gyllenhaal graduated from Harvard-Westlake School and began attending Columbia University.