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Born December 19th, 1980. Jake Benjahmin Gyllenhaal is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal (Losing Isaiah) and writer Naomi Foner. Jake graduated High
School from the posh Harvard-Westlake High School in north Hollywood. He not only acts, but he previously attended Columbia University in New York dropping out only to pursue an acting career. He had his
own band "Hole Shot" and while they broke up in 1998, he continues writing and playing music.
Brown-haired with beautiful blue eyes and fresh-faced good looks, he made his debut in
1991's "City Slickers" with a small role that earned acclaim from screen dad Billy Crystal. His parents would not allow him to take a role in Disney's successful hockey comedy "The
Mighty Ducks" (1992) as it was a two-month long location shoot. Gyllenhaal next appeared in the little-seen children's adventure "Josh and S.A.M." (1993), playing a mean stepbrother to
the title characters. The young actor was also featured in two of his father's films, "A Dangerous Woman" (1993, also scripted by his mom) and "Homegrown"
(1998).
Gyllenhaal made his starring debut and was the recipient of very positive reviews for his heartwarming performance in the Universal film, October Sky, directed by Joe Johnston. The film
tells the triumphant story of Homer Hickman, Jr. (Gyllenhaal), a a boy interested in rocket science whose brilliant mind and unfailing dedication, even in the face of a non-supportive father, wrote him a
ticket out of his dead-end mining town. The film also starred Chris Owen, William Lee Scott, Chad Lindberg and Laura Dern. Featured in nearly every scene, he exhibited a highly watchable screen presence,
giving a most compelling and sincere performance.
Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for best actor in the critically acclaimed Donnie Darko. A favorite at the Sundance Film
Festival, the movie combines elements of fantasy and science fiction with teenage romance.
Gyllenhaal starred in another Sundance favorite in 2002, The Good Girl. In this dark comedy, he portrays a
young man who falls in love and has a torid love affair with a married woman (played by Jennifer Aniston.)
Gyllenhaal also starred in the Touchstone film, Moonlight Mile, written and
directed by Brad Silberling. This is the offbeat love story revolving around a young man who finds himself drawn to the family home of his fiancee, after her untimely death. While grieving with her
parents, played by Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon, he becomes involved in legal issues with a district attorney (Holly Hunter) seeking justice for the family, and finds himself falling in love with
another woman against his own wishes. Marking his theater debut, Gyllenhaal appeared on the London stage with a starring role in Kenneth Lonergan's revival of This Is Our Youth.
Subsequent
film performances have made Gyllenhaal a hot property and this talented young actor is on the road to stardom.
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