Jake Gyllenhaal’s big release in 2024 was Road House, a remake of the original 1989 film starring Patrick Swayze. The movie sees the actor reprise Swayze’s cult role as a mysterious UFC fighter who becomes a bouncer at a volatile bar. The film released on Amazon Prime on March 21st, 2024 after its premier in South by Southwest on March 8th, 2024.
The Oscar nominee sat down with Howard Stern to talk about various aspects of remaking this cult classic. During the course of the conversation, he also touched upon the Oscars and Robert Downey Jr.’s big win. Having seen the Iron Man actor return to star in Zodiac after going through immense personal struggles, Gyllenhaal believed that he deserved this recognition for the miraculous way in which he has turned his life around.
Jake Gyllenhaal Has The Utmost Respect For Robert Downey Jr.
Jake Gyllenhaal and Robert Downey Jr. co-starred in David Fincher’s Zodiac in 2007. The on-screen collaboration also resulted in the two stars sharing a great rapport and becoming good friends. This period though, was a huge trial by fire for the Marvel actor who was just coming back into professional life from rehab after a long period of personal challenges including drug abuse and addiction.
Gyllenhaal, who worked with Downey Jr. in close quarters for the film, witnessed the immense effort and dedication of his co-star to put his tumultuous past behind him and turn up on set everyday to give it his all. In a chat on The Howard Stern Show, the Nightcrawler actor expressed his admiration and respect for the Oppenheimer star and stated that he was amazed by his talent and graciousness to share his expertise with him.
“I was with him when he was driving himself to work when he had to insure himself. He is an extraordinary actor … When you talk about somebody when you watch them work where you’re just in awe – he’s one of those,”
As far as extraordinary acting skills were concerned, Gyllenhaal went on to say that no one deserved the Oscar more than Downey Jr. He also believed that the award was an emotional full circle moment for the Avengers star, and proof that one can surmount any hardship to achieve glory.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s Road House Remake Is An Ode To Patrick Swayze
Remakes can be tricky business, but Jake Gyllenhaal has proved that he’s willing to take that risk with his interpretation of Patrick Swayze’s iconic role in Road House. Swayze became synonymous with the fighter-turned-bouncer courting trouble in a bar. Now, nearly 35 years later, the Oscar nominee has stepped into the Dirty Dancing star’s big shoes with his version of Road House which is currently streaming on Amazon Prime.
Gyllenhaal, in an interview with Fox News ahead of the film’s release, revealed that there were naturally high expectations on him to do justice to the part immortalized by Swayze who was also his close friend. Speaking of incorporating elements of the late star’s style as an ode to his memory, he said,
“Patrick was a friend when he was here. He was always so loving and lovely to me, and I take that all to heart in playing the role and there are some things I take from him.”
Apart from honoring Swayze in this manner, Gyllenhaal went on to state that the film would be an original and unique take on its predecessor which was an exciting prospect for him. With Conor McGregor for company, the ripped avatars of the two stars is already attracting a lot of attention.
Road House is streaming on Amazon Prime.
