Jake Gyllenhaal

Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal was born in Los Angeles, California, to producer/screenwriter Naomi Foner and director Stephen Gyllenhaal. He is the brother of actress Maggie Gyllenhaal, who played his sister in "Donnie Darko." His godmother is actress Jamie Lee Curtis.

Gyllenhaal made his movie debut at the age of eleven in "City Slickers," playing Billy Crystal's character's son. He gained attention in the late 1990s and early 2000s with roles in "October Sky" and as the title character in "Donnie Darko," receiving an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actor. His significant breakthrough came with the critically acclaimed film "Brokeback Mountain," where he portrayed Jack Twist and received an Oscar nomination, a BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor, and several other accolades. Gyllenhaal has demonstrated versatility across various genres, including the psychological thriller "Zodiac," the drama "Brothers," and the romantic comedy "Love & Other Drugs," for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination.

On stage, Gyllenhaal has also distinguished himself with notable performances. He starred in the West End in Kenneth Lonergan's revival of "This Is Our Youth" and on Broadway in "Sunday in the Park with George," "Constellations," and the Tony-nominated "Sea Wall / A Life." He further expanded his role in the arts as the founder of Nine Stories Productions, which has produced films such as "The Devil All The Time" and "Good Joe Bell," and the Broadway productions of "Sunday in the Park with George" and "Sea Wall / A Life," collectively earning substantial Tony nominations.

In recent years, Gyllenhaal continued to star in significant films like the box office success "Spider-Man: Far From Home," which became Sony Pictures' highest-grossing film of all time. He also earned critical acclaim and award nominations for his role in "Nightcrawler." Additionally, his production company, Nine Stories Productions, was involved in producing "The Guilty" for Netflix and the Broadway debut of "Slave Play," which received 12 Tony nominations.

Gyllenhaal also maintains an active involvement in environmental causes. He has participated in initiatives such as a trip to the North Pole with Global Green and has contributed to environmental conservation through personal investments in tree planting in Mozambique.