Jake Gyllenhaal Was Teary Eyed Over Sister Maggie Gyllenhaal's Oscar Nomination

Jake Gyllenhaal is one very proud sibling as he admitted how excited he was about his sister, Maggie’s Oscar nomination. Born to screenwriter Naomi Foner and director Stephen Gyllenhaal, Jake and Maggie followed in their parents’ footsteps and have made names for themselves in the entertainment industry. 

41-year-old Gyllenhaal noted how proud he was of his sister’s work in a recent interview with People. He was shocked at his excitement at the thought of her possibly winning an Academy Award, even if he had never won one himself.

Keep reading to find out what more he had to say.

Gyllenhaal admitted in the interview that he didn’t think the nomination would make him feel so emotional. “Someone asked me before my sister was nominated for an Academy Award [for Best Adapted Screenplay for The Lost Daughter] if I thought I would cry if she won. And as I said no, I started to tear up,” Gyllenhaal said.

He mentioned how proud he was of Maggie and how successful her film was, “I was just amazed and beyond proud of the movie she made. And then the response to it, just extraordinary,” he said, “She just did something so honest.”

44-year-old Maggie didn’t win the award as Sian Heder took it home for her role in “CODA,” however, this was her second Academy Award nomination. At the 82nd Academy Awards in 2010, she was nominated in the Best Supporting Actress category for “Crazy Heart,” the same category her brother was also nominated for.

Gyllenhaal was nominated at the Academy Awards in 2006 in the category for Best Supporting Actor; however, George Clooney, for his role in “Syriana,” took the award home. Gyllenhaal has since acted in several other successful projects.

While they were proud of him, it surprised fans to find out that this was Gyllenhaal’s first and only Oscar nomination as they believed that his lead roles in blockbuster films like “Batman Begins,” “Lord Of The Rings,” and “Spider-Man,” definitely deserved Oscar nominations and wins.

Fans expressed their shock on social media that his performance in the critically acclaimed 2005 war drama “Jarhead” didn’t earn him an Oscar nomination. The film was directed by Sam Mendes and rated highly by several critics. He later earned an Oscar nomination the following year for his role in the romance-drama “Brokeback Mountain.”

Apart from acting, Gyllenhaal has shown fans his interest in other things, especially photography, as he has shared several photos of his art on Instagram. He is also returning to the acting scene with his new film “Ambulance,” scheduled for release on April 8th. 

In the interview with People, Gyllenhaal also admitted that he developed a new hobby during the pandemic and lockdown period. He mentioned that it was one in which “many, many other people” also picked interest: baking. 

Sourdough bread was his best thing to bake, and in his words, “I discovered that I can’t let my sourdough starter die.” However, despite his excitement initially, he admitted that he has “made bread once over the past three months.” “It’s like a Tamagotchi,” he joked. 

“Ambulance” revolves around veteran Will Sharp who Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays. He asks Danny, his brother, and Gyllenhaal’s character, for a loan, but Danny offers him a once-in-a-lifetime chance to earn millions if he would help him rob a bank. A scene showed them on the run in an ambulance they hijacked. 

Gyllenhaal also mentioned that he got injured while filming the action/thriller film, though it was a small one. “Injured my pinky while I was filming Ambulance,” Gyllenhaal said, “I kept slamming it into the same wall on a stunt where we have a fight inside of the front of the ambulance with me and Yahya.”