Jake Gyllenhaal:

Acting is about being able to try new things

ACTING is all about using one’s skills to try new things, says Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal, who didn’t mind sweating it out in the gym to play a former UFC boxer in his new film Road House.

In a career of more than 20 years, the actor has created a rich tapestry of diverse performances with films such as Brokeback Mountain, Zodiac, Source Code, Prisoners, Nightcrawler, Nocturnal Animals, Enemy, Spider-Man: Far From Home and Ambulance.

The actor said not a lot of thought has gone into building his filmography but his choices constantly evolve with “relationships, people and things”.

“I love different genres. I like the idea of being able to use my skills to try new things, try and test them and push them. I think the idea of acting, in particular, is about the fun of being able to change and try a new outfit or a different behaviour,” Gyllenhaal told PTI in an interview.

“I try to use the joy of change that is inherent to acting in the choices that I make. And I try to move with things that bring me joy. That’s really at the heart of it for me,” he added. Road House is a remake of late Hollywood star Patrick Swayze’s 1989 movie of the same name. It was released on streaming service Prime Video on Thursday.

In this new take, Gyllenhaal stars as a former UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) middleweight fighter who ends up working at a roadhouse, an old-fashioned term for a small bar on the main road in a city or town. The 43-year-old actor underwent a gruelling workout regime to get in shape for the movie, in which he is pitted against world famous professional mixed martial artist (MMA) and boxer, Connor McGregor.

Gyllenhaal said he likes to push himself physically, something that he has learnt from his father, filmmaker Stephen Gyllenhaal.