Jake with Peter Sarsgaard at the 17th Annual Palm Springs Film Festival, 2006.
"The 37-year-old actor is known for playing hard, uncomfortable roles with a weird sort of laconic intensity since making his debut in 1995 as a Sean Penn murder victim in "Dead Man Walking."
He graduated to being a killer in "Boys Don't Cry," a rich guy with a fetish for a prostitute in "The Center of the World," a stoned gravedigger in "Garden State," Liam Neeson's lover in "Kinsey" and a disturbed sharpshooter in "Jarhead."
"I think sometimes I've been told that I play a villain sympathetically. I don't think that's actually what I'm doing," he says. "I'm just trying to get at the undercurrent of something."
Sarsgaard these days is plumbing those undercurrents on stage, making his Broadway debut in an adaptation of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull" alongside Kristin Scott Thomas, Mackenzie Crook and Carey Mulligan. He's a newcomer to the production, which began last year at London's Royal Court Theatre.
He's got a typical Sarsgaard role — Trigorin, a tortured writer who drives a rival to suicide and a young lover to ruin. He's grown a lush beard for the part and radiates both charisma and sleaze.
On the stoop, Sarsgaard is still buzzing about his debut deployment of an English accent the night before. He had previously been using his natural American voice, which made him the odd man out in the show.
The main reason was that it wasn't his turn to act. He and Gyllenhaal like to alternate the times they work, and she was off filming "Crazy Heart" with Jeff Bridges in New Mexico. That yearning for realness has landed Sarsgaard respect and a quirky career. The fact that he traded Manhattan a few years ago for a modest home in a tree-lined, family neighborhood in Brooklyn's Park Slope is another stab at keeping it real.
He's passionately political and does public service announcements to encourage young people to vote. It doesn't take long to identify his own blue-state leanings: On this day he wears an American Civil Liberties Union baseball cap with the slogan "Freedom Can't Protect Itself."
Sarsgaard, who says his favorite performances are in movies that no one saw, seems to relish the fact that he's mostly only recognized in certain demographics. As the coffee bar incident shows, he's usually left unmolested."The type of thing that I love is walking down the street and when someone comes up to me and says, 'I saw one of your movies the other night and it affected me', he says".
Top 50 Hottest Young Actors - THE TOP 10 : #10 SHIA LABEOUF. Top 50 status: Ranked #11 on the previous list."Best acting performance: His definitive portrayal as the young Dito Montiel in A Guide to Recognizing your Saints.
Why he made the top 50: I'm not that impressed with LaBeouf's acting talents, but I am with his ability to play the Hollywood game. While he admits, he's not your usual 'Hollywood idol type of guy', he certainly has proven time and again that given a good enough role where he can sink his teeth and involve himself in some serious character study, he can show some amazing results.
The biggest factor that puts him into the Top 10 is his ability to draw crowds into the movie houses. A lot of young audience certainly look at Shia as one of their favorite young stars, but not necessarily their favorite young actor. #9 EMILE HIRSCH. Top 50 status: Ranked #4 on the previous list.Best acting performances: Hirsch certainly made a good number of breakthrough performances, but I have to say his role in Sean Penn's Into The Wild is his best so far- as adventurer Chris McCandless. Also worth mentioning is his role in Imaginary Heroes as the younger son of Jeff Daniels and Sigourney Weaver, the emotionally traumatized Tim Travis.
Why he made the top 50: Together with Joe Levitt and Jake Gyllenhaal, he is the only Hollywood-based young actor who can compete with the current onslaught of young actors from across the Atlantic, most notably the current crop of talented British actors led by the likes of Jim Sturgess, Robert Pattinson and Ben Whishaw, to name a few. #6 JAKE GYLLENHAAL. Top 50 status: Ranked #9 on the previous list. Best acting performances: His Oscar nominated role in Brokeback Mountain is certainly his best role so far. As Jack Twist, he brought so much credibility into the character, it completely complements the emotional pain and anguish of Ennis del Mar, played by the late Heath Ledger. Coming in second is the cult hit, Donnie Darko where he played the title character. Also worth mentioning is David Fincher's Zodiac where Jake plays Robert Graysmith, who happens to be the author where the movie was based.
Why he made the top 50: He is probably the most identified among the young actors as a 'celebrity'. But while he is part of the celebrity circle where paparazzi like to hunt and intrude upon, Jake has certainly made the best of it. His sense of humour while guesting in some of America's biggest talk shows certainly made him a household name, but while some of these household names are being dismissed as having no talent, Jake is that rare exception. I certainly look forward to his next movie, Brothers, with Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman, definitely a great showcase of young talents! #3 JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT. Top 50 status: Ranked #5 on the previous list. Best acting performances: After a hustling gig that turned violent, we see Neil (Gordon-Levitt) silently licking his wounds as he stared at his bruises and cuts, silently he cries – he must have realized he’s all alone and that there’s no one to help him or even listen to him… Such was the performance of Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Greg Arakki’s Mysterious Skin, that almost all critics agreed- Levitt is the young actor to watch! Of course, Levitt is no ‘one-movie wonder’, as Brick from director Rian Johnson proves.
Why he made the top 50: He's a better actor than Jake Gyllenhaal or Emile Hirsch for that matter. He can play a credible and exciting romantic lead better than Ryan Philippe or James Marsden for that matter.
While he reminds me of Heath Ledger, and there is certainly some striking resemblance, Gordon-Levitt is someone who has proven himself as an actor's actor. There is one particular movie that I would love to watch Joe Levitt, and I just think this will be one of his finest ever- The Frog King". Source: themovie-fanatic.com
Well, a pair of notes I'd like to add related to these list posts:
1.- My favourite role by Jake is "Donnie Darko", that performance just stuck deep inside my heart, although Jack Twist in "Brokeback Mountain" is definitively his adult acting wide break-through role (and really wonderful).
2.- Regarding opinions about who's an better actor than another, I think it's extremely difficult to compare and discern. For example, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is impressive in almost everything, he chooses very dark and brooding characters to play, whereas other roles wouldn't be so suiting for him. On the other hand, I don't find Shia Labeouf particularly gifted, his tendency to star in blockbusters seems an elongation of his Disney roots and his real-life person seems off-putting. I think Shia is cute but not endearing. Emile Hirsch is more than competent, was especially brilliant in "Into the wild" and he's physically gorgeous. My personal favourites (young actors) are Jake, Joseph, Ryan Gosling, Emile Hirsch and Michael Cera. Also liking a lot Ben Foster, James McAvoy, Anton Yelchin, Robert Pattinson, Patrick Fugit, Andrew Garfield, Michael Welch, and many more.
"Late actor Heath Ledger's daughter Matilda Rose will inherit all of her father's estate, Ledger's father told an Australian newspaper.
"There is no claim," the newspaper quoted Kim Ledger as saying in a report published Sunday. "Our family has gifted everything to Matilda."
The actor signed the will on April 12, 2003. It lists assets and cash of just $118,000, but the actor's estate is believed to be worth more than $16.3 million, the newspaper said.
Adelaide accountant Mark Dyson, who is an executor of the estate, said he could not reveal how much Matilda would inherit.
[...] The lawsuit doesn't mention Ledger or his daughter's name. It states that it's on behalf of a man who died of "accidental causes on January 22, 2008." That's the day Ledger was found dead of an apparent accidental prescription drug overdose.
A spokesman for ReliaStar says the insurer has made no decision about whether to pay the claim". Source: www.usatoday.com
"EVERY penny of Heath Ledger's estimated $20 million will go to his little girl Matilda Rose, Ledger's father says.
In his will, which has been probated behind closed doors at the Supreme Court in Perth, Ledger left everything to his parents and three sisters.
The 28-year-old Ledger doted on Matilda, but was separated from Williams, who joined the Ledger family in Perth for a memorial and wake on Cottesloe Beach in February.
Some estimates have put the value of the Heath Ledger estate at up to $20 million.
But Adelaide accountant Mark Dyson, who is an executor of the estate, said he could not reveal what Matilda would inherit".
-“Have you seen Brokeback Mountain?“ -Paul Newman: “Yeah.” -“Did it make you think about Butch Cassidy and the Sundace Kid in a new light? Robert Redford’s a good looking guy ...” Pause for thought. Or comic effect. -Paul Newman: “Why not?” Part of the interview to Paul Newman by Aer Lingus Inflight Cara Magazine, 2006. Source: www.davecullen.com And let's rememorate again this post related to Paul Newman, Cool Hand Paul. Also: "Neman style".
Emile Hirsch (23) "his star rose quickly in 2007 when Sean Penn cast him in Into the Wild and it was on Hirsch's shoulders to carry the majority of the film in-between fantastic supporting roles by Hal Holbrook and Catherine Keener. His ability to "act" was proven. However, if you want to be a big star you need to put asses in the seats. This is where Hirsch's star drops slightly as his first major box-office bid was Speed Racer and it failed miserably. Hirsch is still young and he has a supporting role in the upcoming Oscar candy Milk and I would say his potential remains undecided, but he wouldn't be my first pick for "Next Big Thing".Joseph Gordon-Levitt (27) "Remember this kid when he was playing Tommy on "3rd Rock from the Sun"? Well, he is slowly building himself a little filmography and is starting to gain some attention. People liked him in Brick and The Lookout. He had a small role in Spike Lee's The Miracle at St. Anna and he will next be seen in Killshot and, of course, the biggie, G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra in which he plays the Cobra Commander. He has proven he has acting chops, they aren't exactly Oscar caliber as of yet, but he is getting there and the G.I. Joe flick really could up his profile as villains are always remembered above the heroes. Will he be able to pull a Heath Ledger type performance out of his hat or is that way too much to expect? James Franco (30) At 30-years-old I almost didn't add Franco to the list, but in the 2008 he has transformed himself from being known for his awful role as Harry Osborn in the Spider-Man films to a funny-man and he will be joining Sean Penn as well as Emile Hirsch in Milk. Franco plays Scott Smith, Harvey Milk's lover and partner in a camera shop business. Franco is setting out to prove he can make folks laugh as well as tackle serious drama, a complete reinvention if you ask me and he is already gaining some minor Oscar buzz. 30-years-old may seem old, but George Clooney was 33 when he sky-rocketed to stardom with "ER" in 1994 so I think there is still a chance for Franco.Shia LaBeouf (22) "I've already discussed Shia at some length in my intro, but I think we can all agree his ability to attract Oscar caliber films is yet to be proven. Personally I am a big fan of LaBeouf. I think he can deliver dialogue with the best of them and I have yet to see him in a role I didn't think he was decent in. Sure, swinging with the monkeys in Indy 4 was silly, but I am not going to judge his acting in a film that itself didn't deserve to be made. Shia has managed to make the films people go and see, but it is still up in the air as to whether he is attracting the attention or just the films he is in".Anton Yelchin (19) "I talked ill of Alpha Dog already, but one positive thing that came out of Alpha Dog was Anton Yelchin. Yelchin surprised the hell out of me as he and Justin Timberlake actually made Alpha Dog worth watching and unfortunately I missed Charlie Bartlett as Columbia Pictures basically pushed it under the rug Yelchin has a few major films up and coming. He will star as Sulu in Star Trek and as Kyle Reese in Terminator Salvation. Sure he won't be carrying either picture, but it is certain to bring him some attention and after Alpha Dog I already know the kid can act, it now remains to be seen if he can capture the attention of audiences".James McAvoy (29) "James McAvoy doesn't come off as a major movie star. I have always thought of him as that guy in the smaller film I liked. However, he has recently proved to be something of a powerhouse in a pair of smaller flicks as well as a 2008 blockbuster. McAvoy, I felt, was robbed when it came to The Last King of Scotland as all the attention went to Forest Whitaker even though McAvoy carried the entire film. He was also fantastic opposite Keira Knightley in Atonement. The boy can act, no denying". Jake Gyllenhaal (27) "Jake G starred in the wildly popular cult classic Donnie Darko was nominated for an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain and is now set to topline Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time for a summer 2010 release. People know who he is, he's already earned some Oscar attention and he has a major blockbuster on the way. Sounds like he is testing the boundaries of stardom, but I can't help but wonder if audiences will bite". Michael Cera (20) "If there is one thing going against Michael Cera it is that he seems to play the exact same person in every single movie. He is certainly funny in all of his films, including the upcoming Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, but to say he is playing a character that is any different from his role on "Arrested Development", in Juno or even in Superbad is really going to hurt Cera unless he can break the cycle. Actors don't get too much time to be on top and Cera needs a role that will get him out of that timid, yet lovable, every man. Of course, maybe he doesn't want to be a star, as he certainly makes clear in a recent New York Times interview when he said, 'I don't really want to be famous, and I'm kind of scared that might be happening'.
Other actors I considered included Ryan Gosling, Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell, Hayden Christensen, Jay Baruchel, Ben Barnes, Michael Pitt, Jay Hernandez, Josh Hutcherson, Robert Pattinson, Zac Ephron, Rupert Grint and Kal Penn. Source: www.ropeofsilicon.com
A musical video featuring images of Michael Cera in "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist", in the episode "Amigos" episode of "Arrested Development", etc. Songs: part of "Absolute Beginners" by David Bowie, part of "Mexico" by James Taylor and part of "Middle Management" by Bishop Allen.
A video featuring some images of Michael Cera's female partenaires in "Arrested Development", "Superbad", "Juno", "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist" and her future partenaires in "Youth in Revolt" and "Scott Pilgrim".
On the set with Jim Sheridan and Tobey Maguire in Los Alamos, New Mexico (February 9th 2008).
"Jeff Wells has put together his Oscar balloon and has mentions for the film and the boys - Jake and Tobey. Wipe away those tears because Fanatical found a nice breakdown from a screening, which paints Natalie's performance in a really good light.
Someone called Brothers Spy spoke to an IMDB poster that had attended a screening for the film. The IMDB poster told him this:
"Jim Sheridan was there, he actually sat behind me during the audience feedback session. I got the impression from his reactions that he wasn't entirely happy with the way the film has turned out thus far, but i'm just guessing. I saw the other producers there, but none were recognizable. This was the first screening. The questions being asked led me to believe the producers saw this film as being in good shape. They said that the release date of the film was December 4th. I heard from 19 other test audience members who were much more positive in their praise for the film than I was. They seemed to really enjoy it. None of them, however, had seen the original film and none were very familiar with film in general. I believe I suffer a slight bias due to my appreciation of the original film, but only a slight one. My major issues with the film are the scenes of brutality that feel very toned down from the original version. I have many complaints, but that is my main one."
Brothers Spy spoke to him again and got some more details about the performances, and this is Brothers Spy relating what he had been told:
Nearly everyone in attendance, including the guy I spoke to, loved Jake and Natalie's characters and their performances. In fact, everyone loved that storyline the best. The crowd was about evenly divided on Tobey and his character. The guy said that Tobey starts very weak, but finishes strong. As for Jake and Natalie, they have A LOT of chemistry together. There's a lot of sexual/romantic tension between their characters which is both very believable and palpable.
Everyone, except my guy, said they would recommend the film to their friends. The film got an average of 4 votes out of 5, on those questionaires they hand out. Jake and Natalie got 5 out of 5 by 17 out of the 19 people who stayed behind. Tobey however got an average of 3/5.
The only two things people seemed not to like were: Tobey's unsympathetic character and they didn't like the beginning or the ending which has some narration apparently (neither the original film nor the adapted script had this).
As for the guy's personal opinion, the script, he believes, was the weakest part of the whole thing. He says, despite a couple of differences from the original film, it's pretty much a straight forward adaptation. Yet the original film was written in 2002, before Iraq. But this films takes place in 2007, yet Iraq is never mentioned which he find weird". Thanks to : Fanatical By dazza on Friday, Sep 26th at 13:21
Jake with Peter Sarsgaard at the 17th Annual Palm Springs Film Festival, 2006.
and a disturbed sharpshooter in "Jarhead."
That yearning for realness has landed Sarsgaard respect and a quirky career. The fact that he traded Manhattan a few years ago for a modest home in a tree-lined, family neighborhood in Brooklyn's Park Slope is another stab at keeping it real.
"The type of thing that I love is walking down the street and when someone comes up to me and says, 'I saw one of your movies the other night and it affected me', he says".
