Jake Gyllenhaal

Despite his pedigree as a child of show biz — with screenwriter and director parents and a Golden Globe- nominated actress for a sister — Jake Gyllenhaal earned his spot as one of Hollywood’s top 20-something males purely through his own acting merits. The liberal, politically active household did, however, foster an intelligence and sensitivity which were tailor made for independent films. As a teenager, Gyllenhaal lent a subtle, soulful sense of the complications of youth to a number of acclaimed art house titles including “Donnie Darko” (2001), with his deep-set eyes and quiet, dangerous