Body transformation is nothing new to Jake Gyllenhaal as he has done it a couple of times in the part for certain roles. In his new project, he will again show his dedication to the art of acting by transforming himself into a mixed martial arts fighter.
Whether he stars in a romantic comedy, war film, or science fiction, Gyllenhaal is not afraid to go to extreme lengths and even risk his health. He would starve himself or train rigorously at the gym – the actor has no qualms about it.
Jake Gyllenhaal Transformed Himself Again For An Upcoming Movie
Speaking with Today for his recently released film, The Covenant, helmed by Guy Ritchie, actor Jake Gyllenhaal talked about the “physicality” of his roles and how he needed to undergo intense training for the purpose of familiarization. He stated:
“Whenever you work with a filmmaker like that, you’re in this world they create, and that’s why we love going to see their movies, why they keep making them, and why we want to keep being in them – it is quite an experience. First of all, I love the physicality of roles. It’s great and so fun to learn new skills and to be in a world that you would never normally be in.”
Gyllenhaal confessed that transformation is the best part of his acting job, alongside the technicalities he had to follow to achieve authentic portrayal. He continued:
“It is the best part of the whole job, when you have some of the best technical advisers in the world who were special operations sergeants themselves teaching you how to behave and move it is thrilling and an honor.”
He will soon star in the reboot of the Patrick Swayze ‘80s hit Roadhouse, where Gyllenhaal said the experience was quite humbling.
“When you have some of the best MMA fighters and people in the UFC and literally the best fighters in the world showing you how to move and how to fight and teaching you their skills, it’s profoundly humbling and so I will work as hard as I can to learn from them and to learn as best as I can to represent what they do.”
Indeed, there are only a handful of actors who are willing enough to alter their bodies, let alone suffer for the sake of art. Gyllenhaal is definitely on the top list.
Jake Gyllenhaal Likes The Challenge Of Body Transformation
Fans would remember how Jake Gyllenhaal went from a scrawny sociopathic cameraman in Nightcrawler (2014) to a super buff boxer in Southpaw (2015). This shocking body transformation both amazed and terrified fans. The actor told ET Online:
“The most interesting thing is getting inside the head of a character. If someone has written something that demands you to shape yourself into the character they’ve written, I think that’s the most interesting thing. That kind of challenge is I think interesting to watch, and it’s why I do what I do.”
Gyllenhaal has proven time and time again why he deserves more recognition, not only for his acting prowess but also for his respect for the projects he works on.
