Jake Gyllenhaal is one of the most talented actors of his generation. Since exploding onto the scene at the turn of the century, he delivers great performances nearly every year. So why do the Academy Awards constantly overlook him?
Gyllenhaal has only received one Oscar nomination throughout his 20+ year career. His sole nomination is for 2004’s “Brokeback Mountain” as Best Supporting Actor. Since then… nothing. Despite, delivering some of the most groundbreaking performances of the last 17 years, the Academy has shown him no love. So if the Academy won’t do it, I will. Here are three performances Jake Gyllenhaal should’ve been nominated for since “Brokeback Mountain.”
Prisoners (2013)
Everything about Denis Villeneuve’s “Prisoners” is stellar but Gyllenhaal’s performance in exceptionally incredible. As the lead detective in a child abduction case, Gyllenhaal’s Detective Loki is battling demons of his own.
At the beginning of the clip from above, Gyllenhaal is seen with a tick that causes him to rapidly blink his eyes. It was Gyllenhaal’s personal choice to add Loki’s tick into the film.
Nightcrawler (2014)
Gyllenhaal completely transformed for “Nightcrawler” in 2014. He decided to go on a strict diet to make himself physically resemble a coyote but that is only a fraction of what makes his performance as Lou Bloom so great. Lou is a controlling psychopath that will stop at nothing to achieve what is his version of success.
This scene wonderfully shows Lou’s amount of control and manipulation. Something that only a seasoned veteran like Gyllenhaal can convincingly pull off.
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
In a duel role, Gyllenhaal plays both Edward in the “real world” and Tony in the film’s novel. The scene above is from the novel, in which most of the story takes place. Gyllenhaal expertly portrays a man caught between so many mixed emotions.
After Tony’s wife and daughter are sexually assaulted and murder, Tony tirelessly pursues their murderer. Tony’s feelings of guilt, anger, loss, and responsibility are all underlined by the films theme of toxic masculinity.
