One of the more interesting actors working in Hollywood these days is Jake Gyllenhaal, and his panel at South By Southwest on Saturday shed a little light into why.
Gyllenhaal, who comes from a movie industry family, talked about some of his recent, acclaimed characters and how he got to where he is today while speaking on a panel moderated by director David Gordon Green, who will guide him through the upcoming Stronger. The film is based on a book by Jeff Bauman, who lost his legs thanks to the bombings at the finish line of the 2013 Boston Marathon. This choice of role fits his explanation as to why, a few years ago, he began to look for parts that both challenged him and were “unexpected.” Of storytelling in films, he had this to say:
“Does it have something to say? Does it have something that’s fun, that’s entertaining, that’s filled with tension? Do I want to move to the next scene and know what’s going on with the character? I believe deeply in the unconscious of a story. It has to have something underneath.”
Gyllenhaal’s most recent performances include the boxer looking for redemption in Southpaw, and the off-kilter and possibly insane cameraman in Nightcrawler, a character he admitted is, “the closest to me that you can get.” An Oscar nominee for Brokeback Mountain 10 years ago, Gyllenhaal will next be seen in Demolition, in which he plays a successful businessman whose reaction to the death of his wife appears very unnatural. Demolition was helmed by Gyllenhaal’s Prisoners director Denis Villeneuve, who is coming off last fall’s acclaimed Sicario.
As for the massively popular superhero genre, Gyllenhaal, who hasn’t played one (unless you count the woeful Prince of Persia), said he’s not opposed to it in response to a question from an audience member at the panel. He also admitted to being “really inspired” by Thor when that character hit the big screen in 2011.
You listening, Marvel?
(Via Variety)
