Although Jake Gyllenhaal rose to fame as an actor, he has been making headlines lately for his past relationships. After Taylor Swift released a ten-minute song about him, everyone wanted to know what really happened during their three-month relationship that made her so angry and what his previous girlfriends thought about it.
Despite the recent heat, Gyllenhaal has tried to focus on his current relationship and acting career. He has remained private throughout his life in the spotlight, but his personal life is being exposed to the public. From his famous family to award-winning performances, see how Gyllenhaal got to this point.
Famous Family
Born in sunny California, Jake Gyllenhaal came from a famous family. Showbiz was in his genes because his mom was a producer and screenwriter, and his father was a director. He was around famous actors and actresses from his earliest memories, but Gyllenhaal’s parents wouldn’t let him act until he was 11.
Gyllenhaal made his acting debut in 1991, playing Billy Crystal’s son in City Slickers. Although he got an early start, his parents wanted to give him a sense of gratitude for his privileged lifestyle. They encouraged Gyllenhaal to volunteer at a homeless shelter instead of having a bar mitzvah party.
Education Over Everything
We almost saw a young Gyllenhaal in 1992’s Mighty Ducks, but his parents wouldn’t let him take the role. It would have required him to leave home for two months, making him miss too much school. Gyllenhaal said he remembers crying at the kitchen counter over their decision.
They wanted him to focus on school. Gyllenhaal was allowed to attend auditions regularly, but his parents usually made him turn down the roles he received. However, Gyllenhaal’s parents gave him permission to appear in his father’s films throughout the ‘90s. They didn’t want him to be uneducated.
Like a Regular Kid
Gyllenhaal might have come from a Hollywood family, but that doesn’t mean he didn’t have to work for his money. During the summers, his parents insisted that he have a job to support himself. Gyllenhaal worked as a lifeguard and as a busboy at a restaurant owned by a family friend.
As a lifeguard, Gyllenhaal had to help someone who was stung by a jellyfish by peeing on that person’s leg to help the sting. That person probably tells everyone Jake Gyllenhaal once peed on their leg. Having a job gave him a sense of independence, and he learned to work hard.
A College Dropout
After high school, Gyllenhaal attended Columbia University, his mom’s alma mater. He had the full college experience by living in the dorms. He studied eastern religions and philosophy for two years before dropping out to pursue a career in acting. Gyllenhaal has expressed a desire to finish his degree someday.
Although his parents wanted him to finish his degree like his sister did, Gyllenhaal’s parents encouraged his career. It didn’t take long for him to get his first post-college acting role in Joe Johnston’s 1999 adaptation of the Homer Hickman autobiography, Rocket Boys. It was his breakout performance.
Red Carpet Romance
Gyllenhaal’s sister Maggie set her brother up with Kirsten Dunst. She was the teen icon of the time. They were considered one of young Hollywood’s “It” couples, but Dunst and Gyllenhaal didn’t let the media get to them.
Gyllenhaal and Dunst moved in together during their two-year romance and adopted a German Shepherd. Unfortunately, they called it quits in December 2004. Years later, Dunst said they were amicable but not close friends anymore because they had both moved on.
Tingling Spidey Senses
After Toby Maguire suffered a back injury on the set of Spider-Man, Gyllenhaal was asked to take over the role for 2004’s Spider-Man 2. He was ready to become the superhero, but Maguire made a full recovery in time to film the movie.
He had been gaining momentum in the acting world, and many people were interested to see what Gyllenhaal could do. He starred in a handful of movies, including Bubble Boy and The Good Girl. Gyllenhaal also made his theatrical debut in This Is Our Youth.
Breakthrough Moment
By 2005, Gyllenhaal already had several film roles under his belt, but he blended into the Hollywood scene. His breakthrough moment came when he starred alongside Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain. The two played shepherds who begin a sexual relationship. It changed his career.
Gyllenhaal received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and the film won three Oscars. He was also invited to join the Academy in recognition of his acting career. Gyllenhaal’s performance was so believable that people questioned his sexuality. But he confirmed he is straight.
Leading Lady
While filming Rendition, Gyllenhaal connected with Reese Witherspoon. His crush turned into a relationship in 2007. She had just ended her marriage to Ryan Philippe and was going through a divorce, but Gyllenhaal supported her. Their love was something special.
They often spoke about their relationship in the press. Gyllenhaal and Witherspoon, sometimes called Gyllenspoon, felt lucky to have each other at the time. She said, “He’s very supportive. I’m very happy in life.” After two years of being on and off, the two went their separate ways in 2009.
Near-Death Experience
The world almost lost Gyllenhaal and his sister in 2006. He and Maggie were on vacation in San Francisco when a fire, sparked by a falling tree, broke out and burned down the lodge where they were staying. Luckily, they got out in time.
The co-owner, Daniel DeLong, was grateful Gyllenhaal was there because he helped pull things out of the fire to safety. Roughly a dozen other guests had to get out of the building. He might not have played Spider-Man, but he was a hero.
Short Romance With a Lasting Effect
The end of 2010 marked a change for Gyllenhaal as he started dating Taylor Swift. Their autumn romance became public knowledge when they were spotted together in New York City wearing scarves on a chilly October day. Their first date was a trip to an apple farm.
Gyllenhaal and Swift reportedly spent Thanksgiving together with his sister Maggie. Around this time, they were again spotted taking a walk while Swift carried a maple latte. The couple looked happy, but their romance had fizzled by December after only three months.
Is All Too Well About Jake Gyllenhaal?
Although their relationship was short-lived, Swift wrote two songs about Gyllenhaal: “All Too Well” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.” People knew the songs were about him because she talked about leaving her scarf at his sister’s house and looking at pictures of a kid with glasses.
The heartbreak must have been intense for Swift because in 2021 she released a 10-minute version of “All Too Well” that resurrected the drama. The revised song featured scathing lyrics about Gyllenhaal, like “You said if we had been closer in age maybe it would have been fine.”
What Did Jake Gyllenhaal Do to Taylor Swift?
When he dated Swift, Gyllenhaal was 29, and she was 20. In her songs about him, she says that age was why he ended their relationship. According to Swift, he was cold to her at a dinner party and refused to hold her hand.
Gyllenhaal reportedly broke up with Swift over the phone and kept the scarf she left at his sister’s house. Although they both moved on with other people, Swift continued to stir up drama with Gyllenhaal years after ending their short romance.
Rehashing the Past
When Swift released the 10-minute version of “All Too Well” with new lyrics about Gyllenhaal, she stirred the pot a decade after they ended things. She talked about him continuing to date younger girls, and her army of fans didn’t take it lightly.
Since the new song, Swift’s fans have harassed Gyllenhaal and people related to him on social media. They flooded his Instagram comments with scarf emojis and angry messages. Her fans also targeted Maggie and his godmother, Jamie Lee Curtis. Swift never said anything to stop the harassment against Gyllenhaal.
Next Level Actor
In between all the drama, Gyllenhaal still had time to take on new and exciting projects. In 2014, he starred in the crime thriller Nightcrawler. He earned several award nominations for his performance as an ambulance chaser who sells late-night accident footage to news stations.
Gyllenhaal dove deep to get into character and took it a little too far in one scene. When he punched the mirror, he actually cut his hand in real life. Gyllenhaal needed stitches to fix the cut. It is a movie he will never forget because he has a scar to remember it.
Hidden Talents
It took years before Gyllenhaal revealed that he is a talented singer. He has been acting since the ‘90s, but none of his roles involved singing until he performed in the musical Sunday in the Park with George. He was praised for his vocal talents during the four concerts.
Gyllenhaal used his singing abilities to audition for Christian in Moulin Rouge, but he didn’t get the part. It was between him, Ledger, and Ewan McGregor. He lost the role to McGregor, who had more experience.
Gym Romance
After the Taylor Swift debacle, Gyllenhaal dated a few women before he got into a relationship with Sports Illustrated model Alyssa Miller. The two reportedly met at the gym in New York City, but they split after six months.
The relationship was twice as long as his romance with Swift, but no one saw Miller writing rude songs about him. Gyllenhaal and Miller reportedly broke up when he moved to Los Angeles to film Southpaw. Long-distance just isn’t his thing.
Famous Godparents
Because his parents were well-known in Hollywood before Gyllenhaal was born, they had many famous friends. When he was a baby, his parents named Paul Newman and Jamie Lee Curtis as his godparents. Newman gave him his first driving lesson when he was a teen.
Not only does he have famous godparents, but he is also the godfather of Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams’ daughter Matilda. When Ledger died when Matilda was three, Gyllenhaal stepped up to be a positive male influence in her life when she needed it most.
Past Flings
In between his notable relationships, Gyllenhaal has been linked to several A-list women. He has reportedly dated Jenny Lewis, Natalie Portman, Jessica Lowndes, Anna Kendrick, and Minka Kelly. Most of his shorter relationships didn’t make headlines like the one with Swift.
After he dated Lewis, the two remained friends, and he took her as his date to the Golden Globes in 2011. Gyllenhaal also worked with Portman after they split. While Swift has made him out to be a villain, many of his former flames are still friendly with him, so he must not be that bad.
Brother-Sister Acting Duo
Gyllenhaal and his sister Maggie are both well-known actors, and they have shared the screen a few times. Their first film together was in 2001’s Donnie Darko. Gyllenhaal said it was a tough experience because they started insulting each other’s acting abilities.
Although they argued a bit, Gyllenhaal said that Maggie is the reason he is an actor. He said, “She’s somebody I admire more than anybody in the world.” The two also worked together in A Dangerous Woman and two episodes of Molto Mario, a cooking show on the Food Network.
That Would’ve Been Awkward
While working with his sister has had its ups and downs, Gyllenhaal almost got a role that would have put him in an awkward position. In 2003, he auditioned for the role of Batman in Batman Begins before it went to Christian Bale. It was between the two of them.
It would have been strange if he had gotten the part because Maggie played Bruce Wayne’s love interest in the follow-up film, The Dark Knight. It would have been uncomfortable to see him have to flirt with his sister, but Maggie probably wouldn’t have auditioned.
Is Jake Gyllenhaal Married?
The actor hasn’t been married yet, but he has been in a long-term relationship with French model Jeanne Cadieu since 2018. They have kept their relationship fairly private and are hardly ever seen together in public. They also don’t follow each other on Instagram.
They might have a 16-year age difference, but the couple has been together for three years. He said he has been more focused on his relationship and family since the pandemic, so maybe there will be wedding bells in Gyllenhaal and Cadieu’s future.
Desire to Settle Down
The famously private actor recently opened up about his love life and desire to be a father. Although Gyllenhaal has dated many women since he came into the spotlight, he is ready to take the next step and get married. Hopefully, it happens soon.
While his parents were hard on him, Gyllenhaal hopes to be a father like the character he played in Sunday in the Park with George. Maybe he and Cadieu have been talking about their future and starting a family together. They would have adorable children.
Getting Into Character
Gyllenhaal is a talented actor who isn’t afraid to transform for a role. He is good at fluctuating his weight to prepare for different films. When he played Louis Bloom in Nightcrawler, Gyllenhaal lost 30 pounds by dieting and running from his home to the set.
He had to make himself look like he was someone who barely slept and stayed out all night chasing crime. Gyllenhaal nailed the skinny, insomniac look. After losing a large amount of weight, he had to gain it back for his role in Southpaw.
Go Big or Go Home
For his 2015 role in Southpaw, Gyllenhaal had to gain 28 pounds of muscle to become his boxing character. He went the extra mile for the part by running, jumping rope, shadowboxing, and getting in the ring to understand boxing. He was ripped in time for the film.
Gyllenhaal also used 250 lb. tires in place of normal weights. He got into such great shape that he could do 2,000 sit-ups per day. Within a year, he transformed himself from his skinny Nightcrawler character to a pumped-up boxer.
Marvel Material
He might not have been chosen to play Spider-Man all those years ago, but he did get a chance to be in a Spider-Man movie recently. In Marvel’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, Gyllenhaal portrayed the villain Mysterio/ Quentin Beck. It was the highest-grossing film of the year.
Although his character was only around for one Marvel film, Gyllenhaal was honored to have a part in the franchise. It was a different role than the dramatic and thrilling characters he was used to playing. Gyllenhaal showed he could do anything.
Famous Friends
Hollywood has a lot of stars, but show business is a small world. Gyllenhaal and Adam Levine have known each other since kindergarten and have stayed friends since then. While attending Harvard -Westlake School, he was classmates with Jason Segal.
Also, one of his college professors was Uma Thurman’s father. It seems that wherever Gyllenhaal has turned in life, he has been surrounded by famous people. He was also good friends with Heath Ledger before the actor’s tragic passing. He is still close with Ledger’s family.
Shocking Preparation
In 2012, Gyllenhaal starred alongside Michael Pena in David Ayer’s End of Watch. The two actors played street cops in Los Angeles. They prepared for the film by participating in tactical training and going on ride-alongs with police officers to establish the language of the characters.
Towards the end of their preparation for the film, Gyllenhaal and Pena thought it would be a bonding experience if they got tased together. They had a choice between tasing and getting pepper-sprayed but decided the shock would go away faster than the burn from the spray.
Charitable Star
Due to his upbringing, Gyllenhaal understands the importance of giving back. He supports the Future Forests program by spending hundreds of dollars a year planting trees in a forest in Mozambique. Gyllenhaal is a proud supporter of climate change awareness. He also donates to many other charities.
Gyllenhaal also donates glasses to New Eyes for the Needy. He has worn glasses since he was a child, and every time his prescription changed, his grandfather encouraged him to donate his old glasses. Gyllenhaal continued to contribute to the charity as he got older.
Keeping Things Private
Gyllenhaal has been in the public eye since he was a child, but he is an extremely private person. The only things people know about him are details he has mentioned in interviews. Gyllenhaal doesn’t share much with the world but has said he isn’t guarded.
He told The Guardian in 2017, “I consider intimacy to be very important, and I don’t think everybody needs to know about my family or personal details.” We have to agree with him because regular people don’t share everything about their lives with the world.
It’s OK to Be Sensitive
Gyllenhaal believes that the film industry needs to continue showing that it’s normal for men and boys to be vulnerable. In an interview, he said he remembers being young and sensitive, and people called him a doormat. However, Gyllenhaal thinks he was misunderstood.
The way people treated Gyllenhaal as a child affected him. He said people wouldn’t look at him as someone who would jump off a roof into an exploding building because he was not tough as a kid. Gyllenhaal wants boys to know it’s not bad to be kind and sensitive.
A Noble Man
He is not only Hollywood royalty, but Gyllenhaal also has noble blood. His mother’s side is Polish and Latvian, while his father’s side is Swedish, German, Swiss-German, and English. His father found out that he is a member of the Swedish nobility.
If you look in the Swedish Almanac of Nobility, Gyllenhaal’s ancestor, Nils Gunnarsson Haal, established their family line in the 17th century. Gyllenhaal said this family line is still influential in modern-day Sweden. They are probably big fans of his over there and watch all his movies.
Authentic Portrayal
When Gyllenhaal starred in David Fincher’s Zodiac as Robert Graysmith, a San Francisco Chronicle political cartoonist, he wanted to make his portrayal genuine. Therefore, he met Graysmith and videotaped him to study his mannerisms and behavior. Gyllenhaal wanted to make sure he got the character right.
Luckily, Gyllenhaal’s hard work paid off because his performance was fantastic. Critics said he was “poignant, provocative, and haunting.” Graysmith was also impressed with the film and Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of him. He did the story justice, and his talent was recognized.
Peace From Within
Although Gyllenhaal was raised Jewish, he studied Buddhism. He once said, “I am not a card-carrying Buddhist, but I do try to practice mindfulness.” He tries to meditate daily and does a lot of self-reflection. He took a class about Buddhism in college, and it was taught by Uma Thurman’s father.
Although he doesn’t actively practice Buddhism or Judaism, he has always been interested in learning about different religions. He studied eastern religions for two years of college and hopes to return to his studies one day.
Animal Lover
When Gyllenhaal was dating Kirsten Dunst, the couple got a dog named Atticus. He later adopted another dog named Boo. The dogs were named after characters from To Kill a Mockingbird, which is his all-time favorite novel. He loves dogs and even saved one once.
When a dog ran away from its owner and into traffic, Gyllenhaal came to the rescue and chased after the Dalmatian. He stopped the cars to calm the scared puppy down and returned it to its owner, who was waiting nearby.
He Loves Bread
Like many people during the pandemic lockdown, Gyllenhaal got into baking bread. He formed a newfound love for sourdough bread with all his free time. In an interview with Stephen Colbert, Gyllenhaal joked that the comedian needed to be quiet to stop disturbing his rising dough.
He explained that as his hair grew longer, he slowly inched into the hipster world and found himself falling in love with sourdough. Gyllenhaal shared that his friend, who is a bread baker, helped him navigate the world of sourdough.
Everyone’s Favorite Hunk
It’s no wonder Gyllenhaal has been with some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood because he is pretty handsome himself. In 2006, he was named one of People magazine’s “50 Most Beautiful People.” He was also listed on People’s “Hottest Bachelors of 2006.”
People magazine wasn’t the only publication that noticed his dashing good looks. In 2012, Shalom Life ranked Gyllenhaal number six on its list of “50 most talented, intelligent, funny, and gorgeous Jewish men in the world.” That’s a pretty big honor if you ask us.
Politically Informed
Gyllenhaal’s family has been involved in politics for a while, which shaped his views. When he was younger, he filmed a Rock the Vote commercial with his sister for the 2004 presidential election. However, he said it frustrates him when actors talk politics even though he is political.
He has endorsed a few presidential candidates over the years and tries to make political choices in his films. Gyllenhaal doesn’t like to see actors run for office. Some of his opinions don’t make much sense.
Zoom Director
During the pandemic, Gyllenhaal worked on Netflix’s The Guilty. He explained how they used Zoom calls to help the filming process. He starred as Joe Baylor, a police officer who gets demoted to working as a 911 operator. He attempts to save a woman’s life from the confines of his desk.
Gyllenhaal shared that in scenes where there was only one main character on screen, the other actors did voice work via Zoom calls from different locations around the world. He admitted that it wasn’t easy, but they made it work.
Almost a Hero
Although he later played a villain in the Marvel cinematic universe, he could have been one of the heroes. According to the Captain America: The First Avenger’s writers, the concept art for the film saw Gyllenhaal playing the beloved superhero. However, Chris Evans won the role.
While the studio searched for the right actor, they looked at many pictures of Gyllenhaal in the character’s costume. However, Gyllenhaal is only 5’9”, and after seeing Chris Hemsworth’s physique for Thor, they went in a different direction. At least Gyllenhaal got another chance to be in the MCU.
The Godfather
Gyllenhaal has many projects coming up in the next few years, but one of the most anticipated is his role as film producer Robert Evans in Francis and the Godfather. The film will chronicle the creation of the 1972 film The Godfather.
It tells the story of young director Francis Ford Coppola clashing with producer Robert Evans in the making of the iconic film. He will be starring alongside Elle Fanning and Oscar Isaacs. The movie is currently in pre-production, so it won’t be out for a while.
Ignoring the Drama
Although he was in the headlines recently because of his Taylor Swift drama, Gyllenhaal has had no interest in it. He doesn’t read gossip or pay attention to what people say online. Gyllenhaal is currently focusing on all the exciting projects he is working on and ignoring the noise.
He is currently in a happy relationship and has no time to rehash the past with someone he dated for a mere three months. Gyllenhaal is living his life and doesn’t care how many scarf emojis Swift’s fans leave on his page. He has put all of that behind him and keeps moving forward.