Jake Gyllenhaal biography, girlfriend, wife, net worth, sister, height 2025

Jake Gyllenhaal Biography

Jake Gyllenhaal, the star of "Donnie Darko," "Brokeback Mountain," "Zodiac," "Prince of Persia," and "Nightcrawler," is a completely unique actor. He's handsome, charismatic, and extraordinarily talented.

Childhood and Family

Jake Gyllenhaal was born in December 1980 into a family of filmmakers. From early childhood, he was inseparably connected to cinema. "From the moment I took my first breath, I became part of the film business," he says.

His father Stephen Gyllenhaal is one of the directors of the cult series "Twin Peaks" and creator of several well-known series, including "The Mentalist," "Billions," "Cold Case."

Jake's mother, Naomi Foner, is credited as screenwriter on feature films "A Dangerous Profession," "Bee Season," and "Running on Empty."

As Jake recalled, his parents had different approaches to storytelling: his mom always carefully constructed narrative logic, while his father, when putting Jake and his older sister Maggie to bed, would improvise incredible stories that left the boy convinced for years that chewing gum grew on trees.

Jake Gyllenhaal and His Sister Maggie Have Always Been Close

Jake's sister Maggie Gyllenhaal is an actress and Oscar nominee for her role in "Crazy Heart." She appeared in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" and dramas like "The Honorable Woman," "Sherrybaby," and "Secretary." Jake considers Maggie his best friend and, while admitting he suffered plenty from his big sister growing up, calls her an endless source of inspiration.

Jake Gyllenhaal's Family: Parents and Older Sister

His great-grandparents on his mother's side were Jewish immigrants who came to the US from the Russian Empire, though the actor never met them personally. On his father's side, Gyllenhaal's lineage includes Swedish aristocrats, and the actor is actually listed in Sweden's official registry of nobles.

The Gyllenhaal house was always filled with free-thinking creative types. Jake's father rented out a room, and for a while director Steven Soderbergh lived there, followed by Ethan Hawke. Jake's godfather is actor and director Paul Newman, and his godmother is actress Jamie Lee Curtis, star of "True Lies." Jake and Maggie went to school with future actor Jason Segel and other children of famous movie stars.

Born into such a family, the actor simply couldn't stay away from cinema even if he wanted to. Jake played his first role at 11, appearing in an episode of "City Slickers" alongside Billy Crystal. He also performed in his school's theater group.

Jake Gyllenhaal in 'City Slickers'

Jake says he was inspired to pursue acting by Federico Fellini's film "La Strada" (1954) – the same movie that once inspired Stephen Gyllenhaal to become a director.

Next came roles in "A Dangerous Woman," where his sister Maggie also appeared, a small part in the comedy "Josh and Sam," and in his high school graduation year, Gyllenhaal played a supporting character in his father's film about the dangers of the marijuana business, the comedy thriller "Homegrown."

Beyond the connections that proved invaluable to Jake early in his career, growing up in that environment had another major advantage. He understood early on that Hollywood is essentially a big small town with its own web of schemes and intrigues, so he never developed any reverence for show business, didn't catch "star fever," and became pretty level-headed about the concept of "success."

Don't think little Jake Gyllenhaal was fortune's favorite child. To build masculine character and a work ethic in his son, Stephen would wake him at 4:30 AM and send him out for a run. The boy with poor eyesight who wore thick-lensed glasses was forced to play football, which he absolutely hated.

There were periods when Stephen and Naomi were out of work. They wanted their son to understand the value of money and insisted he earn his own living. Before turning 18, young Gyllenhaal had already worked as a beach lifeguard and dishwasher at a restaurant.

At 15, he was supposed to undergo the Jewish Bar Mitzvah ceremony since his mother is Jewish, but he did it in a pretty unusual way – he spent an entire day with his parents at a homeless shelter, demonstrating that heritage meant nothing to him, and threw them a party at the end of the evening.

His parents insisted that Jake and Maggie absolutely get a college education, and not one related to acting. After graduating high school in 1998, Jake enrolled at the prestigious Columbia University, but academics didn't hold his attention, and after two years the young man abandoned his studies (unlike his sister, who became a literature major) and got serious about his acting career.

Acting Career

Jake Gyllenhaal landed his first major film role from director Joe Johnston in "October Sky" (1999), which also starred Laura Dern and Chris Cooper. Based on true events, this drama tells the story of a miner's son who witnesses the launch of the first satellite, becomes obsessed with space, and starts building his own rocket in the backyard. But his strict father is determined to crush his son's dreams at any cost. The film earned $32 million worldwide, and Jake proved he'd made it into the big leagues through hard work, not connections.

Gyllenhaal's first serious role (October Sky, 1999)

Then came a major setback: Jake was up for the role of Frodo Baggins in "The Lord of the Rings" and not only bombed his audition by failing to realize he should read the lines with a British accent, but became the worst of all the actors who auditioned (as the casting director bluntly told him).

Jake Gyllenhaal truly made his mark after the premiere of the mystical thriller "Donnie Darko" (2001). The film centers on Donnie, an ordinary high schooler who becomes the focal point of a chain of strange events inevitably leading to the apocalypse.

Jake Gyllenhaal in the controversial film Donnie Darko

In 2001, this surreal film was a box office disaster. With a $6 million budget, it barely broke even. Audiences simply didn't get it, dismissing it as "the directorial efforts of a teenager who'd taken too much LSD." The fact that the film's chain of strange events begins with a plane crash didn't help, coming so soon after the shocking tragedy of September 11th.

Donnie Darko - TRAILER

But three years later, "Donnie Darko" director Richard Kelly re-released the film, adding 20 minutes of previously cut footage to the runtime. This time around, the film received a much warmer reception and soon achieved cult status. Jake Gyllenhaal got his share of the glory too.

However, the 2000s became a golden era for the young actor even without the success of "Donnie Darko." In 2001, he landed the lead role in the comedy "Bubble Boy," and in the drama "Highway" that same year, he worked alongside Jared Leto.

"Moonlight Mile," "Proof," the cult disaster film "The Day After Tomorrow" – interesting projects kept coming one after another.

A shot from the movie The Day After Tomorrow

2005 brought Jake a role in the romantic drama "Brokeback Mountain," which told the story of a relationship between two gay men, masterfully portrayed by Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger. After the premiere, the army of female fans who already adored the actor was joined by some men as well. For his role as the "gay cowboy," the actor received his first Oscar nomination but lost the statuette to George Clooney for "Syriana."

In Brokeback Mountain, Gyllenhaal and Ledger played lovers

Jake didn't fully understand the impact the film had on audiences until a fan meeting just three weeks after "Brokeback Mountain's" premiere, when a man in the audience stood up and declared: "I've watched this movie 17 times already, and it changed my life." But there's a flip side: sometimes random strangers still approach him and angrily shout that they'll never watch "Brokeback Mountain." Which only emphasizes the iconic status of Jack Twist's role in Gyllenhaal's filmography.

That same year, the world saw the profound war drama "Jarhead," which presented viewers with an eternal dilemma – is it worth going against your principles while fighting for ephemeral values imposed by the state?

In 2007, David Fincher's detective thriller "Zodiac" was released, marking a turning point in Gyllenhaal's filmography. The actor transformed into a downtrodden newspaper cartoonist who stubbornly investigated the case of a serial killer nicknamed Zodiac, while no one took his work seriously.

After this, Jake briefly disappeared from the radar. In early 2008, his close friend, actor Heath Ledger, died from a drug overdose. The news completely devastated Gyllenhaal. He decided he would leave cinema, at least mainstream films he might be ashamed of, and instead focus more on theater.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger were not only colleagues but also close friends

In 2009, the actor's parents divorced after 31 years of marriage due to Stephen's infidelity. Although Jake and Maggie were already grown, established adults, this event seriously affected their emotional state. Their mother moved to New York, where Jake decided to relocate as well, while their father remarried. The divorce also caused serious financial problems for the family, but brought the siblings even closer together.

That's when Jake realized he needed to be honest with himself: "The truth led to divorce and caused tremendous pain to many members of my family. But truth inspires." The actor rethought his views on life, which were perfectly expressed in the 2009 drama "Brothers" (though it was shot back in 2007).

Jake's character, ex-convict Tommy, gets out of prison and moves in with his older brother, Air Force officer Sam (Tobey Maguire), his wife Grace, and their children. Sam deploys to Afghanistan and goes missing, after which Tommy, convinced his brother is dead, grows closer to his wife.

Top 10 Performances By Jake Gyllenhaal

2010 brought the blockbuster "Prince of Persia," followed by "Source Code" in 2011. Both films earned high marks from audiences and critics, but since then Gyllenhaal has tried to avoid big-budget, heavily promoted projects, focusing instead on compelling scripts and deep, diverse characters.

Nobody remembers movies that made huge box office years ago anymore. Commercial success almost never guarantees a film will be remembered.

In 2012, at the wedding of his friend and "Brothers" co-star Carey Mulligan, Jake met actor Paul Dano, with whom he soon formed not just a friendship but a fruitful creative partnership.

The psychological thriller "Prisoners" deserves special mention – a magnificent trio of Hugh Jackman (a father whose daughter is kidnapped), Gyllenhaal (the detective investigating the girl's disappearance), and Paul Dano (the prime suspect). This brutal film got people talking about Jake again after a brief lull.

2013 saw the release of "Enemy" – about how obsession drives a young man to madness – and "Nightcrawler," in which Gyllenhaal perhaps for the first time in his career had to transform into an openly unpleasant character.

For Nightcrawler, Jake Gyllenhaal lost 22 pounds

2015 was memorable for Jake's fans with two compelling performances: the sports drama "Southpaw" and the disaster film "Everest." Though he'd sworn off mainstream cinema, "Everest" intrigued him with its extreme filming conditions. Jake got hypothermia, nearly lost his hearing, but was thrilled like a kid. Once again, he proved his professionalism to directors.

He prepared seriously for "Southpaw" too – taking boxing lessons. And when his roles include dialogue in other languages, he doesn't just memorize the necessary phrases but studies the basics of the language and perfects his pronunciation.

In 2016, Jake Gyllenhaal starred in the very intimate film by designer-director Tom Ford "Nocturnal Animals," playing two roles – a young writer and the hero of his book, whose wife and daughter are kidnapped by a gang of rednecks.

In 2017, the film Life premiered – a classic sci-fi thriller about a revolutionary discovery made by researchers aboard the ISS. Alongside Gyllenhaal, the roles of pioneering astronauts were played by Ryan Reynolds and Rebecca Ferguson; Russian actress Olga Dihovichnaya also appeared in the film.

Life - Official Trailer

In 2018, audiences saw Gyllenhaal in several major projects, including the American-Korean adventure drama Okja and the drama Wildlife. In the former, Jake once again worked alongside Paul Dano, while in Wildlife he worked under Dano's direction.

Wildlife marked the directorial debut of Dano and his wife Zoe Kazan. Jake plays the father of a well-off family that begins to fall apart after he loses his job. Though his character appears on screen for maybe fifteen minutes at most, he's one of the story's central figures.

Also during this period came Stronger, which lifted the veil on the tragic events at the Boston Marathon. In it, Gyllenhaal transformed into a disabled man who lost both legs in the bombing.

2019 saw the premiere of Spider-Man: Far From Home, another Marvel comics adaptation where Gyllenhaal played one of the main villains – Mysterio.

Jake Gyllenhaal became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe

An interesting experience for the actor was filming the horror movie Velvet Buzzsaw, where he transformed into a bohemian art critic who unfortunately decides to sell artworks he discovered in a murdered artist's apartment.

Career in the 2020s

The new decade found Gyllenhaal at a creative crossroads. In 2020, the actor took a necessary break from screen work and devoted time to himself, admitting that his career had long taken first place in his life.

In 2021, Gyllenhaal threw himself back into work with renewed energy, choosing projects that allowed him to explore new facets of his talent. He starred in Antoine Fuqua's thriller "The Guilty," where he appeared as an emergency dispatcher caught in a psychological trap. The film was produced by his own company Nine Stories and became one of Netflix's most-watched projects that year.

Jake Gyllenhaal wearing headphones with microphone sits with eyes closed, hands behind his head — Jake Gyllenhaal in "The Guilty"

In 2022, Gyllenhaal played criminal Danny Sharp in Michael Bay's action film "Ambulance," where his character participates in a heist and subsequent chase through Los Angeles. That same year gave him the opportunity to voice Searcher Clade, the main character in Disney's animated film "Strange World."

Gyllenhaal then starred in Guy Ritchie's military thriller "The Covenant" as Sergeant John Kinley, fighting to save his Afghan interpreter. The film received high praise from critics and audiences and showed that Jake still had the capacity for deeply meaningful and emotionally rich roles.

Jake Gyllenhaal in military uniform and cap with glasses on the visor sits looking to the side with a serious expression — Still from "The Covenant"

A notable 2024 role was in the "Road House" remake. Jake played Dalton, a former MMA fighter turned bouncer at a roadside bar. Of course, avoiding comparisons with Patrick Swayze's take on the same character was impossible, but Gyllenhaal brought fresh dimensions to the portrait. The new "Road House" was watched by 50 million people in its first two weeks, making it Amazon MGM Studios' most popular film of all time.

Opening Fight Scene | ROAD HOUSE (2024) Jake Gyllenhaal

The success of "Road House" prompted Jake's production company Nine Stories to sign a three-year deal with Amazon MGM Studios. The studio secured first-look rights to all future company projects – both theatrical and streaming. They've already begun filming a "Road House" sequel, with Russian director Ilya Naishuller taking the helm.

In 2024, he starred in the Apple TV+ miniseries "Presumed Innocent," based on Scott Turow's novel. As Chicago prosecutor Rusty Sabich, accused of murdering a colleague and lover, Gyllenhaal portrayed an enigmatic man whose sincerity and innocence remain in question throughout the series. The show became Apple TV+'s most popular drama and earned four Emmy nominations.

Jake Gyllenhaal's Personal Life

Thanks to his striking looks and natural charm, the actor has always found it easy to connect with the opposite sex.

He's been a favorite with girls since childhood

Gyllenhaal's romantic roster over the years has included some pretty notable names. He's had relationships with actresses Kirsten Dunst and Reese Witherspoon. The press constantly linked him with Witherspoon, but the star couple called it quits in November 2009. Gyllenhaal took the breakup with his former love really hard and even stepped back from work for a while.

Jake Gyllenhaal had a hard time breaking up with Reese Witherspoon

A brief romance with Natalie Portman, his co-star in "Brothers," became something of a lifeline for our leading man. According to those close to the actor, she breathed new life into him.

Gyllenhaal and Portman at the premiere of Brothers

In October 2010, Jake started dating country singer Taylor Swift, but the romance didn't even last three months. Still, he made a huge impact on the singer.

Gyllenhaal and Taylor Swift's romance was short-lived

During summer 2013, Gyllenhaal was frequently spotted with model Alyssa Miller. The pair even vacationed at the famous Martha's Vineyard resort in Massachusetts.

In 2014, the actor was seen at a ski resort with stunning blonde Margot Robbie, and in 2015 he was linked to Ruth Wilson.

Jake Gyllenhaal shares a special bond with Anne Hathaway. Despite multiple intimate scenes together (on the sets of "Brokeback Mountain" and later "Love and Other Drugs") and a nude photo shoot for Entertainment Weekly, they chose not to complicate their lives with a romantic relationship that, knowing Gyllenhaal's track record, would inevitably end in heartbreak. Instead, they remained good friends.

In 2018, he started dating French model Jeanne Cadieu. She's 15 years younger than him. The actor isn't married, but in late 2010s interviews he admitted that while he used to enjoy being single, he's now ready to settle down once he meets the right woman. Maybe Jeanne is exactly that reason for his change of heart.

The 2020 coronavirus pandemic brought the couple even closer together. They spent lockdown together at Jamie Lee Curtis's guest house - Curtis being Gyllenhaal's godmother. It was during this period that the actor began openly talking about how relationships had become more important to him than his career. In a 2022 interview, he shared:

In many ways, we are family. I'm in a relationship that's full of love and support. I feel so at peace.

2021 became a turning point for their relationship going public. In September, the couple made their red carpet debut at the premiere of "The Lost Daughter," directed by Gyllenhaal's sister, Maggie. The actor later admitted this appearance wasn't planned – Maggie simply grabbed Jeanne and pulled her onto the red carpet. That same year, Gyllenhaal made a significant confession on Howard Stern's show:

All I want is to be a good husband and father... That's really what I want

Jeanne works as a model, collaborating with brands like Tom Ford, Saint Laurent, Victoria Beckham, and Michael Kors. She was educated at Columbia University.

According to Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jake is an amazing uncle who's adored by her and her husband Peter Sarsgaard's daughters.

Jake loves spending time with his nieces

The actor now practices Buddhism, which he began studying in college under the guidance of Uma Thurman's father, the first Hollywood star to receive permission for a visit from the Dalai Lama.

Jake Gyllenhaal Now

Teaming up with Henry Cavill, Jake landed a starring role in Guy Ritchie's action thriller "The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare." The film follows two extraction specialists who must plan an escape route for a high-ranking female negotiator.

Filming took place in fall 2023 on Tenerife. Originally slated for a January 17, 2025 release, the project's fate became murky. In November 2024, Lionsgate pulled the film from its release schedule since post-production still wasn't complete, despite principal photography wrapping over a year ago. The delays might stem from Guy Ritchie's packed schedule as he juggled multiple projects simultaneously.

Much clearer was the fate of "Bride," an ambitious project from Gyllenhaal's sister. This film presents a modern take on the classic "Frankenstein," transplanting the action to 1930s Chicago. Frankenstein's monster asks Dr. Euphronius to create him a companion by bringing a murdered woman back to life.

Another highly anticipated Gyllenhaal project is "Francis and The Godfather," a film about the making of the legendary "The Godfather." Gyllenhaal snagged the role of studio boss Robert Evans. Francis Ford Coppola himself gave the project his blessing, stating: "Any film Barry Levinson makes will be interesting and worthwhile!" The project has been in development since 2020, with no concrete filming dates yet announced.

Also intriguing is M. Night Shyamalan's upcoming project – the romantic thriller "Stay." Created in collaboration with writer Nicholas Sparks, it hits theaters October 23, 2026. Gyllenhaal plays New York architect Tate Donovan, who comes to work on Cape Cod after treatment at a psychiatric facility for severe depression. He meets a woman (Phoebe Dynevor) who forces him to reconsider his rational beliefs.

Jake Gyllenhaal looks into equipment with mirrors and lenses, his face reflected in the optical surfaces — Jake Gyllenhaal on the set of "Stay"

In February 2025, Jake returned to Broadway: he began rehearsals for "Othello." He played the scheming Iago, while Othello himself was portrayed by Denzel Washington. Critics noted that Gyllenhaal literally radiated malevolent energy on stage and perfectly captured the character of one of Shakespeare's greatest villains. The production shattered all Broadway box office records for dramatic plays, pulling in $2.8 million across eight preview performances.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington in a black and white portrait: one is speaking while the other looks down with a thoughtful expression — Jake Gyllenhaal and Denzel Washington

Jake Gyllenhaal: latest news and articles

What the film adaptation of the story "Black Code" starring Jake Gyllenhaal will be about
17 Jun 2025

Blake Jack Garcia

I didn`t know that Jake was also playing in horror movies so I`ll watch in a few days Velvet Buzzsaw.

2021-05-14 11:28:06
Eric Griffin

Southpaw is a nice movie, there he has the role of a fighter with a big heart.

2021-05-06 09:15:46
Robert Yates

The coolest role of Gyllenhaal is in the movie Nocturnal Animals and this movie is also very good.

2021-04-04 14:20:58
Charles Joseph Cook

End of Watch is not a bad movie with Gyllenhaal and Prince of Persia also okay.

2021-03-11 14:32:04
Caleb Jack Perry

Gyllenhaal is a cool actor. He has charisma, charm, and incredible talent. And most importantly, he is always different. Now I learned a little about his life, I wonder, thanks

2021-02-18 08:09:23

Photos: Jake Gyllenhaal