Jake Gyllenhaal, born Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal, is an American actor known for his diverse and intense portrayals on screen and stage. Born into a family of filmmakers, he has been active in the industry for over thirty years, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards for his performances.
Main Milestones
Birth
December 19, 1980
Jake Gyllenhaal was born in Los Angeles, California, to film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and is the younger brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Film Debut
1991
Gyllenhaal made his film debut at the age of 11 in the comedy "City Slickers", directed by Ron Underwood.
Early Career
1993-1998
He continued to act in films directed by his father, including "A Dangerous Woman" (1993) and "Homegrown" (1998), and appeared in an episode of "Homicide: Life on the Street" (1994) also directed by his father.
Breakthrough Role
1999
Gyllenhaal's breakthrough role came in the biopic "October Sky", where he played Homer Hickam, a teenager who overcomes poverty to become an engineer at NASA.
Critical Acclaim
2001
He received critical acclaim for his performance in "Donnie Darko", a thriller about a teenager plagued by visions of a man in a large rabbit suit.
BAFTA Award and Academy Award Nomination
2005
Gyllenhaal won a BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award for his portrayal of Jack Twist in Ang Lee's romantic drama "Brokeback Mountain".
Thriller Roles
2007
He starred in the thriller "Zodiac", directed by David Fincher, and continued to explore complex roles in films like "Prisoners" (2013) and "Nightcrawler" (2014).
Marvel Cinematic Universe
2019
Gyllenhaal portrayed Mysterio in the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film "Spider-Man: Far From Home", his highest-grossing release to date.
Recent Projects
2024
He starred in the action film "Road House" and the series "Presumed Innocent", based on Scott Turow’s novel about a deputy prosecutor accused of murder.
