Jake Gyllenhaal’s tenure in Hollywood for over three decades, considering he was born into a family heavily connected to the entertainment industry, was somewhat predetermined. The artistic career that he then cultivated since his teenage years working with countless actors on diverse scripts taught him to never back out of any, no matter how dark, devious, or daring a role may be. But the 2005 film, Brokeback Mountain with DC star Heath Ledger almost made him quit due to the script’s extremely explicit content.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s and Heath Ledger’s Oscar-Winning Movie
Jake Gyllenhaal, from the very start of his career, left a huge impact on the industry with his roles as he found early success in Hollywood working with innumerable talented A-listers along the way. Brokeback Mountain was one of those movies and Heath Ledger was one of those A-listers. Although at the time of filming the ’05 movie, Ledger did not take on his extraordinary role in The Dark Knight, he would soon enough be known for his notorious portrayal of the Joker. Nevertheless, Brokeback Mountain found great success at the box office despite being critically divisive for its gay themes at the time.
It was uncomfortable at times for us, but we also knew the bigger picture. And we knew what the story was about and how much it meant to us and how important it was. Brokeback Mountain was a very special, very intimate process. We were in the middle of nowhere, altogether. Particularly towards the beginning, we were all living in trailers.
So I’d wake up in the morning and Ang Lee would be doing tai chi by the river and different people would cook in the morning and then we’d walk to the set. There’s not a lot of pomp, it’s just making a movie and we’re all doing it together. It’s about telling a story and being real and being connected.”
During an interview with Yahoo Entertainment, Jake Gyllenhaal entertained the fact that he was very uncomfortable filming intimate gay scenes with Heath Ledger, but as they both knew the end result would be rewarding, they pushed through the whole filming process. Sure enough, the movie went on to win three Academy Awards along with countless others.
The movie was a commercial success as well, as it earned a total of $178 million at the box office after its release worldwide against a budget of a mere $14 million. Moreover, the movie received immense praise from the audience and critical reviewers as it portrayed a delicate emotional relationship between two men despite having female partners.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s and Heath Ledger’s Hollywood Accolades
Jake Gyllenhaal is an intriguing performer who has slowly established himself as one of Hollywood’s most sought-after talents by turning forth strong, highly-praised performances. Gyllenhaal has won millions of hearts with his charming, flawless on-screen appearance and off-stage character. In a number of blockbuster films, like 2019’s Velvet Buzzsaw and Spider-Man: Far From Home, the actor has been known to collaborate with a number of A-list celebrities.
Jake Gyllenhaal has been in the industry for quite some time now, and with time comes experience. So it would be an understatement to claim that he is one of the most experienced actors in the industry. His acting career has been showered with countless awards, accolades, and nominations. Some of those are the BAFTA Awards, MTV Movie + TV Awards, Gold Derby Awards, and many others. Although he has been nominated for the Academy Awards, he did not win any.
Heath Ledger is a man of many faces, but he is famously known for his portrayal of the Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight trilogy. Ledger won several awards during his time in the industry. But his most important ones were awarded to him posthumously which included the Academy Awards, the BAFTA Awards, the Golden Globes, and many others.
Source: Yahoo Entertainment
