Today, December 19th, is Jake Gyllenhaal’s 43rd birthday and, much to the chagrin of queers around the world, he’s still not gay. 😔
It’s been 18 years since Gyllenhaal entered the canon of queer cinema with his portrayal of closeted gay cowboy Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain.
How about we take this to the next level?
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The 2005 film has become a modern-day classic with the tale of doomed romance between Gyllenhaal and his on-screen lover, the late Heath Ledger as Ennis Del Mar.
The Clickbait
At the time, both actors endured having their sexuality questioned for being so “brave” to play LGBTQ+ characters and that scrutiny continues today for Gyllenhaal.
Just the other day, the fact-checking website Snopes.com had to debunk reports that the Spider-Man: Far From Home star had “finally come out of the closet” after a series of online ads shared the misleading claim in order to promote a clickbait article.
The ads featured images of the Oscar-nominated actor with various headlines that read: “Jake Gyllenhaal Comes Out and Speaks His Truth,” “Gyllenhaal Out of the Closet,” “At 42, Jake Gyllenhaal Is Finally Out of the Closet,” and “Gyllenhaal Out of the Closet: 30 Celebs that are out and proud of it.”
credit: Snopes.com
The ads were for an article that originally appeared on Reference.com, per Snopes.
But alas, anyone who actually clicked on the headline “Stars You May Not Know Are LGBTQ+” had to scour through 80 slides to find that Gyllenhaal was never actually included in the story.
Snopes confirmed that the purported claims of Gyllenhaal’s coming out were indeed “false.”
LGBTQ+ ally
While he may not be a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, Gyllenhaal is a staunch ally with a history of empowering quotes in which he never caved to some of the homophobic rhetoric hurled before, after and during all the Brokeback buzz.
“Part of the medicine of storytelling is that we were two straight guys playing these parts,” Gyllenhaal told The Times in 2021, while addressing that audiences today may take differently to two hetero actors playing gay. “There was a stigma about playing a part like that, you know, why would you do that? And I think it was very important to both of us to break that stigma.”
He’s also previously discussed how he and Ledger wanted to properly honor queer relationships with their portrayals in the film.
“The relationship between me and Heath while we were making this movie was something that was based on a profound love for a lot of people that we knew and were raised by in our lives,” Gyllenhaal told Vanity Fair. “A deep respect for their love and their relationship.”
In 2015, Gyllenhaal further expressed his joy for LGBTQ rights after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality.
“When the Supreme Court [issued the ruling] just a little while ago, I felt like we [Brokeback Mountain] had been part, a little part and parcel of that movement. I was proud, you know? To me that’s really a pretty incredible moment. We had to wait a little while for it,” he said during a talk at LMU Film School.
“But when will it be OK for an actor to be gay? I mean, it’s OK now.”
Gyllenhaal also played a queer character in the 2019 Netflix comedy horror film Velvet Buzzsaw.
In real life, Gyllenhaal has been in a relationship with French model Jeanne Cadieu since 2018. He was previously linked to Kirsten Dunst, Reese Witherspoon, and, as every Swiftie is well aware, Taylor Swift.
Gyllenhaal will next be seen flaunting his jacked up muscles in a re-imagining of Patrick Swayze’s ’80s romp Road House, which is sure to be on every gay’s must-see list when it premieres on Amazon Prime in 2024.
In honor of Gyllenhaal’s 43rd birthday, let’s respectfully gaze at more images from his plethora of sizzling performances:
On today’s episode of “Did You Know?” We have a cinematic fact for you. Apparently, The shower scene in Demolition starring Jake Gyllenhaal was added very last- minute. “I couldn’t bear the smell,” the director said to our reporters. pic.twitter.com/6519oiBuT7
After the UFC 285 weigh-ins Jake Gyllenhaal and former UFC fighter Jay Hieron filmed a scene for the upcoming Road House movie remake pic.twitter.com/PRiaTCj7gd
Gyllenhaal surprised attendees at the UFC fight in Las Vegas over the weekend.
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It would be nice if he were gay, but I like him just as well for being a devastatingly handsome and talented straight man. I used to think Heath Ledger was the more attractive one in “Brokeback Mountain”, but I changed my mind years ago.
If you could stand the fact you have a dik instead of a vag, man, you might actually like yourself and become less rabid attacking. You have zero cred here.
Well, he did play in Brokeback Mountain which my husband and I of 57 years, married the last 15 years, saw on January 1st, 2006 in Worcester, MA. But at least he is a straight guy who is supportive of us. Now, I am a widower as my husband passed away in June 2019 at the age of 88!
Deepest sympathy on the loss of your husband. I am also in a long term relationship and as we are now getting older I am beginning to think more seriously about the fact that eventually one of us will have to go on without the other and frankly the thought terrifies me.
The first sentence and last sentence of this piece are just ridiculous! I can’t help but get annoyed at journalists who make embarrassingly sweeping generalizations.
Ill never forget the Santa hat in Jarhead or when he hosted SNL. For his monolog, he had tearaway jacket, shirt and parts to reveal a floor length gown that he sang Im Not Going in a perfect falsetto without any smiling.
great film actor, great range, great discipline, the camera loves him! it’s good that he’s doing film for in theater he has no stage presence; you can’t have everything.
Was there really a point to this article? This site loves to at once shame potential outings but also loves to indulge the sensationalism for clicks.
There are certain things that do potentially hint towards Jake having some queerdom: being “besties” with Austin Nicolas for a couple years and then suddenly we never see them with each other ever again, his consistent affinity for much younger and skinny chicks (yes being really into age different can be a sign of some queer dimensions), him seeming like a sentimental and relationship guy but also seeming to have not had a substantial hetero commitment for a couple decades, some interviews where he comes off a bit “fruity”, how much more uncomfortable he appeared during the press for ‘Brokeback’ than the other three principal actors appeared. But those things really aren’t legit “proof”. And honestly, he could be queer as hell, and it still wouldn’t make a difference. At least half of Hollywood probably have some queer dimensions/experiences with fluidity/is somewhere in the gender, sexual, affection, romantic, emotion, commitment spectrum. Not even half of those people are publicly, unabashedly out. While there’s some unfortunate aspects to that pattern and there are sometimes nefarious or really f-ed up reasoning behind it, it’s their choice and their life. While spending years harping on one guy potentially having queer dimensions just doesn’t serve much purpose and gets boring very quickly.
He’s devastatingly handsome and incredibly talented. He’s part of Swift’s body count (who in Hollywood isn’t) which gives him gay cred. Why wouldn’t the gays love him?
I’d say besides Brad Pitt and George Clooney, he’s one of the few talented that make movies worth watching.
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FreddieW
It would be nice if he were gay, but I like him just as well for being a devastatingly handsome and talented straight man. I used to think Heath Ledger was the more attractive one in “Brokeback Mountain”, but I changed my mind years ago.
CatholicXXX
I don’t know why he’s still a thing.
FreddieW
For me, it’s because he looks better now than he did in “Brokeback Mountain”.
dbmcvey
Because, Fred, you’re a self-loathing homophobe.
Diplomat
If you could stand the fact you have a dik instead of a vag, man, you might actually like yourself and become less rabid attacking. You have zero cred here.
FreddieW
@dbmcvey
I don’t loathe myself. I’m the gay man I always wanted to be when I was young, religious, and self-loathing.
And homosexuals are my favorite demographic, so I’m not a homophobe.
I don’t care much for jackasses, which is why we don’t get along.
dbmcvey
Nah. You’re a homophobe who is destructive of the LGBT community. You support people who want to take away our rights.
Diplomat
Nah. We just support people who want to take away your Trans rights.
dbmcvey
Great actor! He’s got an amazing range including movies and theater.
Matthewnow
I will require full frontal before making a final determination.
Sincerely,
Dr. Drunkenfool
GayEGO
Well, he did play in Brokeback Mountain which my husband and I of 57 years, married the last 15 years, saw on January 1st, 2006 in Worcester, MA. But at least he is a straight guy who is supportive of us. Now, I am a widower as my husband passed away in June 2019 at the age of 88!
UncleFloppy
Deepest sympathy on the loss of your husband. I am also in a long term relationship and as we are now getting older I am beginning to think more seriously about the fact that eventually one of us will have to go on without the other and frankly the thought terrifies me.
Kangol2
Sending my condolences again to you, GayEGO. 57 years together, married 15–how wonderful, and I know you hold his memory in your heart.
S.anderson
Jake hasn’t done a dang thing to elicit this article. More like “gay press can’t stop writing fluff pieces about this one hollywood hunk”.
ChrisGMN
Are you jut figuring out how the internet works?
S.anderson
@ChrisGMN: “jut” what are you trying to say, sweetie?
Mack
Which moniker of Wiseman are you, number 5 or 8? You spout stupidity every day, I guess the “S” in your name stands for “stupid”.
S.anderson
@Mack: Another typo. Surely you meant to say “You spot stupidity every day”. I do. I did.
Man About Town
The first sentence and last sentence of this piece are just ridiculous! I can’t help but get annoyed at journalists who make embarrassingly sweeping generalizations.
SDR94103
“Jake Gyllenhaal still can’t quit the gay rumors”
Nobody cares except the twinks who run this site.
Claytonisahobo
He is a very attractive man, especially when he doesn’t shave that furry chest. Yummy.
gregg2010
I confess. Jake and I had a torrid affair that lasted about six months, but finally and sadly we had to part ways . . .
inbama
You can tell those tiny tits have never been sucked on.
tommyboy5023
Ill never forget the Santa hat in Jarhead or when he hosted SNL. For his monolog, he had tearaway jacket, shirt and parts to reveal a floor length gown that he sang Im Not Going in a perfect falsetto without any smiling.
humble charlie
great film actor, great range, great discipline, the camera loves him! it’s good that he’s doing film for in theater he has no stage presence; you can’t have everything.
JoaquinSf
I think it is great he is straight. Not everyone needs to be gay, he seems like a great guy.
Donston
Was there really a point to this article? This site loves to at once shame potential outings but also loves to indulge the sensationalism for clicks.
There are certain things that do potentially hint towards Jake having some queerdom: being “besties” with Austin Nicolas for a couple years and then suddenly we never see them with each other ever again, his consistent affinity for much younger and skinny chicks (yes being really into age different can be a sign of some queer dimensions), him seeming like a sentimental and relationship guy but also seeming to have not had a substantial hetero commitment for a couple decades, some interviews where he comes off a bit “fruity”, how much more uncomfortable he appeared during the press for ‘Brokeback’ than the other three principal actors appeared. But those things really aren’t legit “proof”. And honestly, he could be queer as hell, and it still wouldn’t make a difference. At least half of Hollywood probably have some queer dimensions/experiences with fluidity/is somewhere in the gender, sexual, affection, romantic, emotion, commitment spectrum. Not even half of those people are publicly, unabashedly out. While there’s some unfortunate aspects to that pattern and there are sometimes nefarious or really f-ed up reasoning behind it, it’s their choice and their life. While spending years harping on one guy potentially having queer dimensions just doesn’t serve much purpose and gets boring very quickly.
JOJO
He’s devastatingly handsome and incredibly talented. He’s part of Swift’s body count (who in Hollywood isn’t) which gives him gay cred. Why wouldn’t the gays love him?
I’d say besides Brad Pitt and George Clooney, he’s one of the few talented that make movies worth watching.
duke4172
I love the fact that he is pro LGBT and hope one day he goes in to politics and fights for us before the MAGA’S take our rights away!