With her offbeat beauty and sensitive aura, Gyllenhaal has made a career out of playing troubled souls who possess more strength than they realize. The daughter of Oscar-nominated screenwriter Naomi Foner and Emmy-nominated director Stephen Gyllenhaal, the actress began appearing in her parents' projects as a teen. In 2001, she portrayed the older sister to her real-life brother, Jake, in the cult sci-fi flick
Donnie Darko. But while it proved to be her sibling's breakout role, she lingered in her family members' shadows. That changed the next year, when she won the title role in the offbeat indie
Secretary. As a suicidal young woman who finds a reason to live when she embarks on a sadomasochistic relationship with her boss, Gyllenhaal was surprisingly charming and deservedly earned a Golden Globe nod for her performance. The up-and-comer continued to choose quirky roles — a promiscuous rebel in
Mona Lisa Smile, a vapid makeup artist in
Adaptation — and turned in fine work in a trio of projects that touched on the events of September 11: the TV-movie
Strip Search, the docudrama
World Trade Center and the indie
Happy Endings. During press for the latter, Gyllenhaal made an offhand comment about the U.S. being partially responsible for the terrorist attacks. This sparked a quick controversy, which was quashed when she apologized. 2006 was a banner year for Gyllenhaal: Not only did she snag her second Golden Globe nod for her turn as an ex-con trying to reconcile with her daughter in
SherryBaby, but she also gave birth to a daughter with then-fiancé Peter Sarsgaard.
Maggie Gyllenhaal Fast Facts:
- Studied briefly at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.
- Her father, Stephen Gyllenhaal, directed her first six film appearances.
- Portrayed the role of Alice in a 2000 Los Angeles stage production of Closer.
- Played her real-life brother, Jake Gyllenhaal's sister in 2001's Donnie Darko.
- Maggie Gyllenhaal Relationships:
- Jake Gyllenhaal - Brother
- Naomi Foner - Mother
- Peter Sarsgaard - Husband
- Ramona Sarsgaard - Daughter
- Stephen Gyllenhaal - Father
- Maggie Gyllenhaal Awards:
- 2007 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama - Nominee
- 2003 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy - Nominee
- College:
- Columbia University, New York, NY (BA in English, 1999)
