
Jake Gyllenhaal
ActingAbout Jake Gyllenhaal
Jake Gyllenhaal (born December 19, 1980) is an American actor and producer. Born into the Gyllenhaal family, he is the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner; his older sister is actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. He began acting as a child, making his acting debut in City Slickers (1991), followed by roles in his father's films A Dangerous Woman (1993) and Homegrown (1998). His breakthrough roles were as Homer Hickam in October Sky (1999) and as a psychologically troubled teenager in Donnie Darko (2001). In 2004, Gyllenhaal starred in the science fiction disaster film The Day After Tomorrow. In 2005, he played Jack Twist in Ang Lee's romantic drama Brokeback Mountain, for which Gyllenhaal won a BAFTA Award and was nominated for an Academy Award. His career progressed with starring roles in the thriller Zodiac (2007), the romantic comedy Love & Other Drugs (2010), and the science fiction film Source Code (2011). Further acclaim came with his roles in Denis Villeneuve's thrillers Prisoners (2013) and Enemy (2013), and he received nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for his performances as a manipulative journalist in Nightcrawler (2014) and a troubled writer in Nocturnal Animals (2016). His highest-grossing release came with the Marvel Cinematic Universe superhero film Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), in which he portrayed Quentin Beck / Mysterio. Gyllenhaal has also performed on stage, starring in Broadway productions of the musical Sunday in the Park with George as well as the plays Constellations and Sea Wall/A Life, the lattermost of which earned him a Tony Award nomination. Aside from acting, he is vocal about political and social issues. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jake Gyllenhaal, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Career Statistics & Market Influence
Analyzing the cinematic journey of Jake Gyllenhaal reveals a career defined by diverse artistic exploration. With a total of 50 major appearances, the actor has established a significant footprint in global cinema.
Genre Dominance: Drama
The majority of Jake Gyllenhaal's filmography leans towards the Drama genre. Audience data suggests that viewers respond most favorably to this persona, though their versatility has allowed for successful crossovers into other categories.
The "Box Office" Signature
With a 70% Success Ratio (movies rated above 6.5), Jake Gyllenhaal remains a reliable draw for studios. Their peak performance was recorded in Heath Ledger: A Tribute, which continues to be the benchmark for their career rating-wise.
Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies Ranked
Must-watch hits from Jake Gyllenhaal's career based on audience ratings.
Complete Filmography & Success Status
Tracking the career evolution and box office verdicts of Jake Gyllenhaal.
| Year | Movie | Character | Success | More |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Road House | Dalton | Hit | Similar → |
| 2023 | Guy Ritchie's The Covenant | Master Sergeant John Kinley | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2022 | Strange World | Searcher Clade (voice) | Average | Similar → |
| 2022 | Ambulance | Danny Sharp | Hit | Similar → |
| 2021 | The Guilty | Joe Baylor | Average | Similar → |
| 2021 | Spirit Untamed | Jim Prescott (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2020 | One Night Only: The Best of Broadway | Self | Average | Similar → |
| 2020 | The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America | Jake Gyllenhaal | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2019 | John Mulaney & The Sack Lunch Bunch | Mr. Music | Hit | Similar → |
| 2019 | Spider-Man: Far From Home | Quentin Beck / Mysterio | Hit | Similar → |
| 2018 | Wildlife | Jerry Brinson | Hit | Similar → |
| 2018 | The Sisters Brothers | John Morris | Hit | Similar → |
| 2017 | Stronger | Jeff Bauman | Hit | Similar → |
| 2017 | Okja | Johnny Wilcox | Hit | Similar → |
| 2017 | Life | Dr. David Jordan | Hit | Similar → |
| 2016 | Deus ex Machina: The Philosophy of 'Donnie Darko' | Self (archive footage) | Average | Similar → |
| 2016 | Nocturnal Animals | Edward Sheffield / Tony Hastings | Hit | Similar → |
| 2016 | Demolition | Davis Mitchell | Hit | Similar → |
| 2015 | Everest | Scott Fischer | Hit | Similar → |
| 2015 | Southpaw | Billy 'The Great' Hope | Hit | Similar → |
| 2014 | Nightcrawler | Louis Bloom | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2014 | Enemy | Adam / Anthony | Hit | Similar → |
| 2013 | Prisoners | Detective Loki | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | 12-12-12 | The Concert for Sandy Relief | Self | Hit | Similar → |
| 2012 | End of Watch | Brian Taylor | Hit | Similar → |
| 2011 | Source Code | Colter Stevens | Hit | Similar → |
| 2010 | Love & Other Drugs | Jamie Randall | Hit | Similar → |
| 2010 | Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time | Prince Dastan | Average | Similar → |
| 2009 | Brothers | Tommy Cahill | Hit | Similar → |
| 2009 | Heath Ledger: A Tribute | Self | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2009 | Saturday Night Live: The Best of Amy Poehler | Frank O'Connor (archive footage) | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2007 | Rendition | Douglas Freeman | Average | Similar → |
| 2007 | Zodiac | Robert Graysmith | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | Jarhead | Anthony Swofford | Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | Brokeback Mountain | Jack Twist | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2005 | Proof | Harold 'Hal' Dobbs | Average | Similar → |
| 2005 | The Man Who Walked Between the Towers | Narrator (voice) | Hit | Similar → |
| 2004 | The Day After Tomorrow | Sam Hall | Hit | Similar → |
| 2003 | Abby Singer | Jake Gyllenhaal (uncredited) | Average | Similar → |
| 2003 | Moonlight Mile: A Journey to Screen | Self / Joe Nast | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 2002 | Moonlight Mile | Joe Nast | Average | Similar → |
| 2002 | The Good Girl | Holden Worther | Average | Similar → |
| 2002 | Lovely & Amazing | Jordan | Average | Similar → |
| 2002 | Highway | Pilot Kelson | Average | Similar → |
| 2001 | Bubble Boy | Jimmy Livingston | Average | Similar → |
| 2001 | Donnie Darko | Donnie Darko | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1999 | October Sky | Homer Hickam | Super Hit | Similar → |
| 1998 | Homegrown | Jake | Average | Similar → |
| 1991 | City Slickers | Danny Robbins | Average | Similar → |
| N/A | Honeymoon with Harry | - | Super Hit | Similar → |
Jake Gyllenhaal - Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best movie of Jake Gyllenhaal?
According to audience ratings, the best movie starring Jake Gyllenhaal is "Heath Ledger: A Tribute" with a rating of 10.0/10.
How many movies has Jake Gyllenhaal acted in?
Jake Gyllenhaal has been featured in at least 50 major films throughout their career.
What are some other popular movies by Jake Gyllenhaal?
Other notable films include "The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America", "Honeymoon with Harry", and "Moonlight Mile: A Journey to Screen".



