December 19 is celebrated as the birthday of Hollywood star Jake Gyllenhaal. Born in Los Angeles in 1980, Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal was born in a film-making family, with his father being director Stephen Gyllenhaal and his mother being screenwriter Naomi Foner.  Jake and his sister Maggie have both been acting since they were children. His debut happened with the movie City Slickers, and he got his break with Donnie Darko. Maggie Gyllenhaal Birthday Special: From The Dark Knight to Donnie Darko, 5 of the Actress’s Best Films According to IMDb.

Since then, Gyllenhaal has had an impressive movie career with many career-defining roles. What's remarkable about Gyllenhaal is his versatility and range. Be it high-budget blockbusters or smaller films, he effortlessly delivers in every project he's part of. On this particular occasion, celebrating the life of this amazing human being, let us take a look at some of the best works in his illustrious career.

Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Jake Gyllenhaal's transition from youthful to more mature roles happened in the acclaimed movie Brokeback Mountain. The story, set in the 1960s, revolves around  Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Ennis del Mar (Heath Ledger), two cowboys whose friendship develops into a deeper relationship, but they later decide to go separate ways. The movie, Brokeback Mountain, directed by Ang Lee, became the turning point for the advancement of queer cinema into the mainstream cinema.

Zodiac (2007)

The thriller Zodiac, directed by David Flincher, adapts the real-life manhunt for the Zodiac killer during the 1960s and 1970s. Gyllenhaal stars as a cartoonist, Robert Graysmith, who gets obsessed with figuring out the notorious killer. Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo also star in the film.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Jake Gyllenhaal rose to fame with Donnie Darko. This dark cult classic from director Richard Kelly stars Richard Gyllenhaal, who plays the role of a troubled young guy who encounters a creepy bunny, whom only he can see urging him to do strange things. This leads him to get caught in a series of supernatural events.

Source Code (2011)

Source Code is a science fiction thriller directed by Duncan Jones. Gyllenhaal plays the role of a soldier waking up in another person's body. He is stuck in the government's experimental program tracking down a train bomber in less than eight minutes. The movie is also touted to be one of  Jake Gyllenahal's best performances ever.

Nightcrawler (2014)

The movie Nightcrawler follows Lou (Jake Gyllenhaal), a thief who makes a career change and pursues a job as a cameraman. He finds his way into crime journalism to capture crimes right as they happen. The movie Nightcrawler, directed by Dan Gilroy, also stars Rene Russo and Bill Paxton. Jake Gyllenhaal Talks About His Relationship With Girlfriend Jeanne Cadieu, Says ‘In a Lot of Ways, We’re Family’.

As Jake Gyllenhaal raises a toast to another beautiful year, his cinematic journey continues to thrill millions worldwide. Jake Gyllenhaal's movies tell us the story of his journey as a young actor to become one of the most reliable faces in Hollywood. His versatility is unmatched. Whether leading characters or supporting roles, audiences appreciate him equally in both types of parts.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 19, 2023 09:10 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).