MAIN Art &... Pop Culture Actors Jake Gyllenhaal

Not quite out of fifth grade, the son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal began his early movie career playing Billy Crystal's son in the 1991 summer hit, City Slickers, (see picture of the young Gylenhaal, below).

Two years later, he appeared alongside Debra Winger in Dangerous Woman, directed by his father.

As an adult actor, Gyllenhaal made his mark playing rocket builder Homer Hickham in the critically praised October Sky in 1999.

However, it was his role in the Drew Barrymore-produced indie cult classic Donnie Darko that put Gyllenhaal on the map with young audiences in 2001, (in which he appeared opposite his sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal) and later that same year played the title role in Bubble Boy.

In 2002, he appeared opposite Jennifer Anniston in The Good Girl, but it was a lead role in the big-budget summer hit The Day After Tomorrow in 2003 that established his standing as a major star teen heartthrob.

Gyllenhaal appeared less successfully opposite Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins in the film version of the Broadway drama Proof (finally released in September 2005.)

The young actor next starred with actor Jamie Foxx in "Jarhead" based on former Marine Anthony Swofford's best-selling 2003 book about his pre-Desert Storm experiences in Saudi Arabia.

In 2006, along with co-star and Oscar nominee Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal received an Oscar nod as Best Supporting Actor for his performance in Brokeback Mountain, a role for which he won a BAFTA Award earlier that same year. Also in 2006, Gyllenhaal made the list of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" and "Hottest Bachelors of 2006."

The actor's recent screen appearances have been in Zodiac, playing a journalism intern who turns crime investigator, and in the Mid East thriller, "Rendition" in which he appears opposite his main offscreen squeeze, actress Reese Witherspoon.

Off the set, Jake Gyllenhaal has also been linked romantically to actress Kirsten Dunst before there breakup in 2005.

Jake Gyllenhaal - The official site, with the latest news and article summaries along with pictures, movie clips and video interviews, a complete biography and major work history, fan club information and desktop wallpapers.

Jake Gyllenhaal - Yahoo! Movies - Film reviews, a biography, photo gallery, and links to related sites, groups and message boards.

IHeartJake,com - Are you a Gyllenhaalic? Check out the big Jake Gyllenhaal fan site with biography, filmography, news, upcoming projects, busy message board, and an extensive picture gallery with free registration including magazine scans, publicity shots, public appearances and more.

Jake Gyllenhaal - Wikipedia - The online encyclopedia featuring a complete biography, filmography, pictures, quotes, related links.

Also see -> Orlando Bloom | Pierce Brosnan | George Clooney

Russell Crowe | Tom Cruise | Matt Damon | Johnny Depp

Leonardo DiCaprio | Colin Farrell | Jamie Foxx | Mel Gibson

Hugh Jackman | Ashton Kutcher | Jude Law | Heath Ledger

Joaquin Phoenix | Brad Pitt | Keanu Reeves | Will Smith