What gets Jake Gyllenhaal going

This content was originally posted in 7DAYS UAE website at: What gets Jake Gyllenhaal going Hollywood heartthrob Jake Gyllenhaal wants to debunk some showbiz myths. First up for the Southpaw lead man, is the idea that all actors are small. “I feel that’s a stereotype,” the 1.8m-tall star jokes to the Dubai crowd. The Nightcrawler star charmed fans and also dropped some good advice to enthusiasts and wannabe actors, at a special sit-down interview during the Dubai International Film Festival. The son of film director Stephen, screenwriter Naomi and brother to actress Maggie, Jake’s path was almost chosen for him. “When you’re brought up a certain way there are just some things that are unconscious and innate. It was the lifestyle that I was used to and feels right to me.” Seeing his mum toil on scripts gave him better appreciation for material. “Seeing how hard it is to write anything and then have it be good, made and read – I see the painstaking process, which is beyond any other department as it’s long and solitary. And then the irony is it’s taken away from you and put in other people’s hands and interpreted, which must be interesting, lovely and horrible at the same time.” When it comes to roles, he has learned to trust his instincts, not worry what others think and that productivity is a choice. “I think there’s a moment when you realise the craft of whatever you do is so fun. You’re in it; it’s an intimate space. It’s a place, which you can explore if you love performance. I love being in front of the audience. I love the whole process of it.” Preparing for a role moves in different stages, he says and there’s always that pressure he puts on himself. Gyllenhaal, who burst onto the scene in cult classic Donnie Darko, said: “For me, I think it comes from a very high standard for a story and knowing that trying nine times out of 10 you’ll probably fail, and at the same time knowing you have to give it all no matter what. I’ve come to the fact that it could end tomorrow. It just allows me to commit fully to whatever I’m doing. I take my guidance from hip-hop, to be honest.” And he’s not kidding: “It’s all about treating every situation like it’s your last – that’s from Biggie (rapper The Notorious BIG).” glaiza@7days.ae Read the original story at: What gets Jake Gyllenhaal going