Jake Gyllenhaal on the upside of being legally blind: 'I like to think of it as advantageous' (2024)

Oscar-nominated actor Jake Gyllenhall doesn't let his vision problems, which have left him legally blind for all of his life, hold him back in his work. In fact, the Road House star considers it "advantageous." In a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gyllenhall opened up about his vision limitations, and how it affected, and benefited, his career.

The Los Angeles native was born with a lazy eye, and although he says it "naturally resolved" itself, he still has 20/1250 vision. That means he can only see 20 feet ahead, while people with normal vision can see up to 1,250 feet. He has had to wear corrective lenses since he was six years old, but the Spider-Man actor does not consider it a hindrance. He told THR:

Road House (2024)

R

Where to Watch

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3.5/5

Release Date

March 21, 2024

Director

Doug Liman

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal , Arturo Castro , Lukas Gage , Billy Magnussen , Conor McGregor

Main Genre

Action

Most fans are likely unaware that Gyllenhaal even has vision issues. He rarely discusses it, and his movie roles never highlight it. However, the 43-year-old admits to utilizing it at times in his acting. For a scene in the film Southpaw, Gyllenhaal removed his contact lenses for a scene in which police officers deliver some personal bad news. Doing so forced him to focus his performance on his listening, since he could not properly focus his sight on the other actors.

Gyllenhaal earned his Oscar nomination in 2006 for Best Supporting Actor in Brokeback Mountain opposite Heath Ledger. He also garnered two Golden Globe nominations for Best Actor in a Film for Love & Other Drugs (2011) and Nightcrawler (2015). He has the rare ability to cross over from critically acclaimed films like Donnie Darko and Prisoners to action blockbusters like Life, Spider-Man: Far from Home, and the Road House remake, which became the most-watched Prime Video Original Movie ever.

Jake Gyllenhaal Will Next Lead the Apple TV+ Series, Presumed Innocent

Presumed Innocent (2024)

It tells the story of a horrific murder that upends the Chicago Prosecuting Attorneys' office when one of its own is suspected of the crime. The show stars Jake Gyllenhaal and is from legendary TV writer David E. Kelley.

Release Date

June 14, 2024

Cast

Jake Gyllenhaal , Ruth Negga , Bill Camp , Elizabeth Marvel , Renate Reinsve , Peter Sarsgaard , O-T fa*gbenle , Chase Infiniti , Lily Rabe , Nana Mensah , Matthew Alan , Kingston Rumi Southwick

Main Genre

Crime

Writers

David E. Kelley

Streaming Service(s)

Apple TV+

This month, Gyllenhaal takes on a rare television role, starring in the Apple TV+ miniseries Presumed Innocent, a murder mystery/courtroom thriller based on the novel by Scott Turow. He plays Rusty Sabich, the Chicago chief deputy prosecuting attorney who becomes the main suspect in a grisly murder. The series is written by David E. Kelley (The Practice, Big Little Lies) and executive produced by both Gyllenhaal and J.J. Abrams (Star Wars: The Force Awakens). The series also stars Ruth Negga, O-T fa*gbenle, and Peter Sarsgaard.

Gyllenhaal has a packed schedule ahead of him. Next year, he performs Shakespeare's Othello on Broadway with Denzel Washington, and Prime Video has already announced a Road House sequel, although a release date has not been set. Next year, he is set to star in The Bride, a retelling of the Frankenstein tale set in 1930s Chicago, written and directed by his sister Maggie Gyllenhaal. Christian Bale will play the monster.

To learn more about Jake Gyllenhaal's career, check out this video ranking his best performances ever...