Jake Gyllenhaal - Actor Profile

Jake Gyllenhaal

Acting
Updated: May 08, 2026
50Total Films
10.0 Highest Rated
Born: Dec 19, 1980
Birth Place: Los Angeles, California, USA

About 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.

Jake Gyllenhaal Movies & Career Overview

The filmography of Jake Gyllenhaal reflects exceptional commercial consistency. Across 50 major appearances, the actor has built a reputation through performances in multiple genres and storytelling styles.

Dominant Genre

A large portion of Jake Gyllenhaal's work falls within the Drama genre, where audiences tend to respond most strongly to their on-screen presence.

Success Ratio

Approximately 74% of Jake Gyllenhaal's films maintain ratings above 6.5, indicating a consistent level of audience approval.

One of the most highly rated entries in their career remains The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America, which stands out as a key performance.

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Best Jake Gyllenhaal Movies Ranked

Must-watch hits from Jake Gyllenhaal's career based on audience ratings.

Full Filmography

Every movie Jake Gyllenhaal has appeared in, with audience ratings and verdicts.

YearMovieCharacterSuccessMore
2026 Lorne Self Super Hit Similar →
2026 The Bride! Ronnie Reed Average Similar →
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 Tony Hastings / Edward Sheffield 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 →
2012 Time to Dance The Killer Average 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) Hit 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 →
2001 Bubble Boy Jimmy Livingston Average Similar →
2001 Donnie Darko Donnie Darko Super Hit Similar →
1999 October Sky Homer Hickam Super Hit Similar →
1991 City Slickers Danny Robbins 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 "The Great Work Begins: Scenes from Angels in America" 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 "Moonlight Mile: A Journey to Screen", "Heath Ledger: A Tribute", and "Saturday Night Live: The Best of Amy Poehler".

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