Denis Villeneuve has swiftly risen to prominence as one of the most lauded and sought-after directors, particularly renowned for his masterful handling of science fiction narratives, exemplified by his recent addition, Dune: Part Two. Yet, his prowess extends far beyond the confines of this genre as Villeneuve has demonstrated equal brilliance in navigating the complexities of drama, action, and psychological thrillers.
One notable film in his repertoire features Jake Gyllenhaal. And the filmmaker has shared that his directorial approach for the 2013 film involved pushing the Oscar-nominated actor to his limits to extract the most authentic emotions possible.
Denis Villeneuve Pushed Jake Gyllenhaal to His Limits
Jake Gyllenhaal has starred in one of the most acclaimed films of Denis Villeneuve, the 2013 crime thriller, Prisoners. However, it was Villeneuve’s psychological thriller, Enemy, that pushed the actor to his limits, as shared by the filmmaker himself.
The film, which is also considered to be Villeneuve’s most disturbing movie, revolves around a professor who discovers he may have an identical twin who is an actor, leading to a complex and mysterious situation.
Reflecting on the creative process while filming the movie, Villeneuve shared that it included a significant amount of improvisation and numerous takes. “Most of the movie is shot in a studio, a very controlled environment … the scenes were very precise,” he shared.
The French-Canadian filmmaker also shared that he was “trying to explore a deeper approach” by doing “25, 35, 40 takes” with Gyllenhaal as he sought to extract raw performances and discover new acting dimensions on the verge of chaos. “For that, I decided there would be no marks on the floor, the actors would be free in the environment,” he shared.
The film earned positive reviews upon its release with Gyllenhaal delivering one of his finest performances as his portrayal of Adam/Anthony turned out to be so compelling that it makes them appear as two different sides of the same persona.
Denis Villeneuve Wanted a Very Strong Actor For Enemy
In an interview with IndieWire, Denis Villeneuve and Jake Gyllenhaal recalled how they ended up collaborating on the 2013 psychological thriller Enemy. The filmmaker shared that he was looking forward to working with a “very, very strong actor” with whom he could explore the depths of acting and improvisation.
“I think that Jake was attracted by this idea,” he shared, explaining, “I sent the script to Jake because I had a strong will to work with him.” His experience working with Gyllenhaal also led him to cast the actor in the Oscar-nominated film Prisoners.
“I was beginning to do the casting on the Prisoners,” he shared before adding, “And the producers already knew that I had a very strong relationship with Jake and loved his work.” The Road House actor described Villeneuve as both loving and paternal.
The actor shared that while the Arrival director stayed open to his idea and held mutual respect for each other as artists, he also didn’t hesitate to point out when something was not right. “It’s an open conversation,” he said, highlighting that he felt comfortable expressing both his best and worst sides while working with Denis Villeneuve.
Enemy and Prisoners is available to rent or buy on Prime Video.
