The actor tells us about his latest film, the remake of &quot;Road House&quot; by Doug Liman - out March 21 on Amazon Prime Video -, his relationship with cinema and with the many directors who directed it.

Text by FABIA DI DRUSCO Photography MATTHEW BROOKES Styling MICHAEL FISHER

For many, <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/hommes/jake-gyllenhaal-actor-discusses-the-role-of-batman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jake Gyllenhaal</a> is first and foremost the schizophrenic teenager in "Donnie Darko" , the 2001 cult film directed by Richard Kelly , with a soundtrack that aligned Echo &amp; the Bunnymen , Joy Division and Tears for Fears . For others, the ( Oscar-nominated ) co-star of Ang Lee 's "Brokeback Mountain" . Son of an Oscar -nominated screenwriter and a director, younger brother of Maggie Gyllenhaal , who entered the collective imagination for her role in "The Secretary" , Jake made his film debut at the age of 10, and starred in many films, including including Sam Mendes ' "Jarhead" , David Fincher 's "Zodiac" , Jim Sheridan 's "Brothers" , "Nightcrawler" of which he was also a producer and Tom Ford 's "Nocturnal Animals" . Last year he was the protagonist of " The Covenant" , Guy Ritchie 's film about the war in Afghanistan, and "Road House" has just been released in the USA on Prime Video , a remake of the '89 film starring Patrick Swayze .

Coat, jacket, sweater and trousers, ZEGNA; amphibians, GABRIELA HEARST. Throughout the service Santos watch, CARTIER and chains and Jake own's bracelet

«I have played sports since I was young and I like to find roles that allow me to do so. &quot;Road House&quot; offered me the opportunity to approach mixed martial arts and the skills necessary to become a UFC fighter.&quot;

L'OFFICIEL: In "Road House" your physical transformation and fight scenes are impressive. I imagine there will be a lot of talk about your training, as happened in the days of "Southpaw", when to play a boxer you had to gain 7 kg of muscle. What attracts you to this type of film and transformation? Do you find that self-discipline and a similar sense of physical empowerment translates to your overall personality as well? JAKE GYLLENHAAL: I'm excited about "Road House" and the reimagining of the iconic original film. I wanted to make the film because I was attracted by the sense of fun and play that characterize it. I love all aspects of acting and performance, always have: emotional, physical and everything in between. There isn't one side that prevails over the other, even though I love physical activity very much. From a young age I played sports and knew the excitement of keeping myself as fit as possible. So I like to find roles that allow me to do that. "Road House" offered me the opportunity to approach mixed martial arts (a full contact combat sport that incorporates typical martial arts techniques, karate, muay thai, jiu jitsu, judo, and other characteristics of combat sports, wrestling free, boxing, kickboxing... ed) and the skills necessary to become a UFC fighter. This is one of the best parts of my job: learning from experts and gaining knowledge in something I never dreamed I would have the opportunity to do.
LO: How would you characterize Doug Liman's direction? JG: Playful. Doug is an extremely kind and playful director. He's a dear friend and has been for almost 20 years, so we had a blast. Doug is always ready for adventure and his direction reflects this. As is the film itself: full of fun, humor and a deep sense of play.

«There is no hierarchy between the roles I have played. Some have reached hundreds of millions of people, some haven&#39;t, but they all mean the same to me. Not for the result, but for the life I lived in making them.&quot;

LO: "The Covenant" was recently released, where Guy Ritchie directs. What was it like working with him? JG: Quite simply, I love Guy. I love his way of proceeding and his sense of curiosity in all things. It's provocative, funny and brilliant, just like his screenplays and films. Working on "The Covenant" was an emotional journey, given the subject matter, but it was important for all of us to get the story right. It's a kind of parable, a story about the best parts of each of us, told without sentimentality. The film involves you on an emotional level, without falling into sentimentality
LO: Are you still interested in moving into directing? JG: Yes. I grew up in a family where stories were shared. Story has always taken priority over everything else in my work and so I would love the opportunity to tell mine. My sister is a brilliant writer and director and it was incredible to see her make the leap (with "The Dark Daughter" , based on the novel by Elena Ferrante , starring Olivia Colman and Dakota Johnson , ed.). I would be honored to have the opportunity to do the same.
LO: What are the most interesting/significant roles of your career? JG: There is no hierarchy between the roles or films I have played. Some of these have reached hundreds of millions of people, some have not, but they all mean the same to me. Not so much for the result, but for the life I lived in making them. Every film, like every life experience, is a lesson and I learned a lot from everyone, having the opportunity to work with very talented people.
LO: Which of the directors you worked with did you have the best chemistry with, and who did you learn the most from? JG: Everyone! I love my relationship with Doug Liman , Guy Ritchie , Antoine Fuqua , Denis Villeneuve and many others. Denis and I have a special bond and are constantly in contact. Over the years, directors are closer to me in age and I think that makes a difference. But then again, I really love all the directors I've worked with.

LOHI: How do you prepare for a role? JG: Each role is different and requires different preparation, but we still start from the script. I often dig into the script and try to find clues or inspirations that come to me as if by chance. When I made &quot;Nightcrawler,&quot; I read and reread the script and kept thinking about coyotes in Los Angeles prowling the hills. I grew up there and saw so many coyotes hunting at night and somehow it was a sight I couldn&#39;t shake. So I decided to use the idea and build the character around it. Sometimes it&#39;s as simple as saying, &quot;This character is a boxer, it&#39;s time he learned how to box!&quot; Usually, I let the role slowly come to me and I find it, step by step with the director and all the wonderful department heads I&#39;ve worked with. I&#39;ve had the pleasure of working with Donald Mowat , an amazing makeup artist, on many films, and he helps me dig into understanding the character. I remember we were exchanging ideas about tattoos for months before &quot;Prisoners&quot; . LOHI: Will the children&#39;s book you wrote remain an isolated case or do you plan to continue? JG: I really enjoyed writing &quot;The Secret Society of Aunts and Uncles&quot; . I love my granddaughters ( Maggie &#39;s daughters, ed.) very much and I wanted them to have something concrete to know how much they mean to me. I also had a lot of fun writing it with my best friend. I&#39;d love to write another one. Children&#39;s books are perhaps one of the most difficult forms of storytelling: maintaining clarity and depth with few words is not easy! LOHI: Do you have any role models among actors? JG: Paul Newman . I was lucky enough to know him. I still have a deep admiration for him and his kindness, his humility in his flaws, his profound humanity. He was a good man and a true legend. A North Star for me. LOHI: You are Ginori ambassador: are you interested in design? How is your house? JG: I love working with Ginori : I love their porcelain and the sense of joy conveyed by their design. And then Ginori collaborated with some of the most famous designers in the world. My house is a mix of things: above all I have a large collection of cookbooks. I love cooking and reading recipes. LOHI: Do you think you&#39;ll return to acting in theatre? JG: Yes, stay tuned... can&#39;t wait to get back on stage.

GROOMING Kumi Craig @ THE WALL GROUP PRODUCTION Thuy Tran, Greta Westcott, Louis Guillemain @ 2B MANAGEMENT PHOTO ASSISTANT Ivory Serra, Matchull Summers and Arden Core DIGITAL TECH Zoran Jelenic STYLIST ASSISTANT Brodie Reardon SPECIAL THANKS Daniele Carettoni

The Fighter Jake Gyllenhaal: the new film "Road House", career and private life

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