Jake Gyllenhaal’s mother is from a Jewish family from New York City, and Gyllenhaal has said that he considers himself “more Jewish than anything else.” On his 13th birthday, Gyllenhaal performed a “barmitzvah-like act, without the typical trappings”, volunteering at a homeless shelter, because his parents wanted to instill in him a sense of gratitude for his privileged lifestyle. Prior to his senior year in high school, the only other film not directed by his father in which Gyllenhaal was allowed to perform was the 1993 film Josh and S.A.M., a little-known children’s adventure. The story, which received mixed reviews, is loosely based on writer/director Brad Silberling’s personal experiences following the murder of girlfriend Rebecca Schaeffer. Gyllenhaal said, “Every actor I look up to has done theatre work, so I knew I had to give it a try.” The play, which had been a critical sensation on Broadway, ran for eight weeks in London’s West End. He also auditioned to be Batman for one of the biggest blockbusters Batman Begins and came close to getting the role but Christian Bale was ultimately chosen for it. in Brokeback Mountain, Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger play young men who meet as sheep herders and embark upon a sexual relationship that begins in the summer of 1963 and lasts for 20 years.
