Jake Gyllenhaal Admitted To Howard Stern That A Role Made Him Forget How To Be An Actor

In an interview with Howard Stern, Jake Gyllenhaal admitted that one particular acting role had made him nearly forget what it meant to be an actor. The Brokeback Mountain star has been working in Hollywood since he was a child in the early ‘90s. In that time, he has established himself as a top, bankable leading man, with multiple films under his belt that have grossed more than $100 million at the box office.

Some of the best roles of Gyllenhaal’s career include titles such as Source Code, Nocturnal Animals, Zodiac, Donnie Darko and Prisoners, among others. The award-winning actor is also known for the sports drama thriller film Southpaw, also starring Eminem. It was his role in this movie that made Gyllenhaal almost forget the significance of being an actor.

Jake Gyllenhaal Focused Too Much On Boxing When Preparing For His Role In Southpaw

In preparing for his role in Southpaw, Jake Gyllenhaal immersed himself so deeply into the world of boxing, that he momentarily lost touch with his acting. The film showcased him as Billy “The Great” Hope, a boxer struggling to reclaim his life after tragic personal losses.

During a March 2024 appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Gyllenhaal opened up about his rigorous training regimen, aimed at achieving a boxer’s physique and skill level. This intense focus on the physical demands of his role, however, veered him away from the essence of his craft.

Reflecting on this period, the actor recalled the moment his acting coach, Penny Allen, pointed out that he had veered off path. “She said, ‘My dear, you’ve lost your imagination,’” Gyllenhaal shared with Stern. He further reflected on the essence of acting, emphasizing the importance of playfulness and enjoyment.

“Obviously [if] you’re playing a boxer, you want to get in shape, you want to put your body through that—I like that stuff—but in the end the fun of acting is … just playing. Have fun,” Gyllenhaal added.

Jake Gyllenhaal Was Seriously Wounded On The Set Of Southpaw, Almost Halting Production

In his dedication to embody the character of a professional boxer in Southpaw, Jake Gyllenhaal endured significant pitfalls. One of these was a serious injury on set that nearly stopped the film’s production. To prepare for his role as Billy Hope, the actor underwent an extensive physical transformation. He engaged a personal trainer and adhered to a stringent diet and exercise routine, successfully adding approximately 15 pounds of muscle to his frame.

Jake Gyllenhaal’s Southpaw

This intense preparation and filming were not without their challenges. A particularly intense moment came when Gyllenhaal took a real punch to the face, nearly causing an immediate halt in production. “I got hit pretty hard in the face,” the actor recounted in an interview with Details magazine, as later reported by Extra TV.

Getting punched in the face during a boxing film might not be the most surprising thing, but Gyllenhaal found the experience particularly shocking. “There is something jarring about being hit in the face,” he admitted.

Jake Gyllenhaal Was Also Punched For Real On The Set Of Road House

Southpaw is not the only movie on whose set Jake Gyllenhaal found himself taking real hits. In the 2024 sports action film Road House, he took on the role of Elwood Dalton, a former UFC middleweight fighter turned scammer in the underground fighting circuit. His character, Dalton, is hired to be the head bouncer at a rowdy roadhouse located in the Florida Keys community of Glass Key.

The movie also marked the feature film debut of Conor McGregor, a former real-life UFC Champion. He played the role of Knox, a relentless enforcer with the mission to track down Dalton and dismantle the very roadhouse he was hired to protect. McGregor, having previously turned down a significant role in a $175 million film, was enticed back into the acting realm to star alongside Gyllenhaal in Road House.

The collaboration required adjustments, particularly in teaching McGregor the nuances of staged combat. Despite these efforts, an accidental punch still landed. “It was like three in the morning and… he just clocked me, right in the face,” Gyllenhaal recalled. “I wish it was on film, but it wasn’t.” The actor was convinced that the hit was inadvertent, but Howard Stern thought McGregor took his liberties.

Source: NewsFinale