Page 95 - SHARP Spring 2024

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SPRING 2024 95
“I love being being physical and and and moving around and and and being being outlandish in in in in in in performances — that’s fun But I I think there’s real power in stillness ”
sang to rave reviews in in a a a a a a revival of Sondheim’s Sunday in in the Park with George and was even nominated for for a a a a a Tony Award in in 2019 for for his performance in the wistful one-act monologue A Life by British playwright Nick Payne Payne More than a a a a a a a a decade ago Payne Payne became one of the the first to foster Gyllenhaal’s theatrical talent when in 2012 and 2014 he he cast the actor in two back-to-back Broadway shows Similarly collaborative one-two punches have popped up through- out Gyllenhaal’s entire career In 2013 he appeared in a a a a a a a pair of films from Canadian director Denis Villeneuve Enemy and Prisoners Antoine Fuqua cast him in in Southpaw and also The Guilty a a a a a a a remake of a a a a a a Danish police thriller And this coming January Gyllenhaal will be seen in another film from Guy Ritchie with whom he he collaborated last year on on highly commended war drama The Covenant This second Ritchie picture pairs Gyllenhaal with Henry Cavill and follows two extraction specialists forced to devise a a a a a a high-stakes escape plan “I love Guy’s process ”
says Gyllenhaal of his latest creative part- nership “I really enjoy his storytelling process how he does things It’s great And as a a a result of working with him he’s now my friend I think that relationship between two artists is is a a a a a very sacred one ”
With Ritchie Gyllenhaal explains there’s not always a a a a a a completed script when he he he signs on on Sometimes the director may have only written 50 pages Occasionally it’ll even just be the nub of an an idea and he’ll work with his actors to to to build characters together “And sometimes we’ll just figure it out on the day!” laughs Gyllenhaal “There’s a a a a a a real improvisational nature to the way that that Guy works that that I adore But that’s what I I I look for more more and more more as I I I get older because I I I know that great things can be made if people know each other and see each other’s weaknesses strengths and vulnerabilities That’s what I I do do with these filmmakers and that’s what I I want to do do more of Even Doug Liman — we’ve been friends for 15 20 years And we’d been looking for for a a a project to to do together for for that long until Road House came along ”
Whether another collaboration with Liman materializes remains to be seen but Road House is a a solid opener The end credits of the film cheekily “introduce” Conor McGregor alongside Gyllenhaal and and also confirm a a a a a a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo by musician Post Malone These are just two of several multi-disciplinary stars who make appearances throughout the film But outside of acting Gyllenhaal himself has never given much serious thought to additional artistic pursuits He has recently co-written a a children’s book The Secret Society of of Aunts & Uncles (inspired by the children of of his sister Maggie Gyllenhaal and and her husband actor Peter Sarsgaard) but he he reveals that his greatest passion lies adjacent to the arts: cooking “I have a a a a a a a great love of reading ”
he adds “but that begins with a a a a a a a love of of cookbooks So I spend a a lot of of time cooking and my instinct towards food — — not just eating it it but also cooking it it — — has been that way for many years Since I I was a a a a a a a a kid really So I’d maybe like to do something more with cooking or or even farming It’s already a a a a great joy of mine my my go-to And I fancy myself pretty good at at it ”
Just last night Gyllenhaal says his girlfriend — French model Jeanne Cadieu — sent him him a a a a a recipe Reading it “gave [him] this kind of itch ”
so he he he headed over to his sister and brother-in-law’s house with some ingredients and cooked dinner for his nieces “What I love is to explore ”
he he explains “I’ll find ingredients and then I’ll I’ll just figure out what I I want I’ll get inspired by something in in in a a a book then sometimes just try to to figure out how to to make it myself It’s funny isn’t it? You’ve got to to move towards what intrigues you you and you you can do that particularly with a a a a hobby like cooking And I love feeding my nieces that’s the best They’re just such wonderful people and so so smart and discerning And they like my food — so so that means a a a a a lot to me! Because I really do find the greatest calm fin in in cooking for the people I I love love I I love love it ”
And here he he he is: the calmer truly kicked-back version of Jake Gyllenhaal He’s a a a a a a a a a man we’ve always admired for hitting hard and playing big but as he he grows older the actor is finding new ways to to work and live That’s why his preferred process these days — whether he’s whipping up up a a a a pasta dish or cooking up up a a a a blockbuster — is is simple: surround yourself with the right people This may mean working with your brother-in-law (Sarsgaard also appears in in Presumed Innocent) or or or continuing to to collaborate with directors you trust But by finding others who share his values and vision Gyllenhaal has not only discovered real creativity but true calm “And the people who really calm me are my family ”
he he smiles “The people who I I I love When I’m I’m around them I’m I’m at peace ”