08/12/2008
Jake Gyllenhaal is the Prince of Persia
It sure does seem like a long time since the Jack Twist days when shots like this of Jake Gyllenhaal seemed to come around every week or so. Here's the actor in Morocco (courtesy of Just Jared), where filming has begun on the set of his new film Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, based on the video game. Those of you with role-playing fantasies should be pleased.
See the full shot AFTER THE JUMP...
More at Just Jared...
Posted 7:40 AM EST by Andy Towle in Film, Jake Gyllenhaal, News | Permalink
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I understand you points, Noah but this is based on a video game in which the charcter, based on his background, does look like Jake does here. And how do you know supporting actors from Persian background are not being used?
Btw, where is all the outrage over Ben Kingsley being in this or Alfred Molina. Both have played many different ethnicities, etc. Or all the Australian, British, American actors who play someone from the other country.
The frustration over Jake being cast may be better put to real causes.
Anon, he just did two small, arty movies, Brothers and Nailed.
Posted by: sam | Aug 12, 2008 12:39:51 PM
I agree with NOAH. I love Jake, and I will judge the movie on its own merits, but the very casting of a really white guy is OFFENSIVE. Not to mention Persians, Iranians, and Indian actors have some of the most "classically handsome" gorgeous features -- but can't get a damn lead in Hollywood outside of "Terrorist #3" I love Jake, but at the same time wish Jake had had the integrity to turn it down -- publicly -- and hame them into hiring an ethnic actor.
Posted by: Strepsi | Aug 12, 2008 12:43:47 PM
Right, Noah, because only gay actors should be able to play gay roles, and straight actors straight roles. Because a gay actor has never played a straight role!
Also, there are plenty of people from Iran with pale skin. Persians =/ Middle Easterners.
Jake is playing a role - a role in America. Could they have casted the part differently? Of course, but that doesn't mean it would make the movie any better or worse. Tom Cruise, as much as it pains me to say it, wasn't a bad Last Samurai and Daniel Day Lewis made an entertaining Last of the Mohican, pale skin and all. In terms of cheesy blockbusters, Hollywood studios sometimes want to cast American cheese movie stars. These are movies designed for people who want to occupy two hours of their life that doesn't involve sparking brain cells and actual thinking - so staying true to the actual part (if that's possible in a movie about a video game!) could perhaps be expecting a bit much of the target audience.
Posted by: Ryan | Aug 12, 2008 2:10:32 PM
Strepsi, you have a point but then you should be offended and tell every major actor to turn down every movie ever made if you really want matching ethnicity, background, race, creed, sexuality, etc, etc.
Posted by: sam | Aug 12, 2008 2:10:37 PM
It's all about the dollar. Hollywood could give two fucks about being politically correct or ethnically accurate. Hollywood watches it's bottom line and has always taken its cues from Middle America's likes and dislikes and race has always been a major part of their tastes. Don't hold your breath for a change anytime soon.
Posted by: soulbrotha | Aug 12, 2008 2:38:02 PM
Interesting turn to this discussion. We do have a long history of white actors portraying non-white characterss in movies. How would we react if it were the other way around? What would be the reaction to Vin Diesel being cast as Joe DiMaggio? or Forrest Whittaker in white-face doing Henry the Eigth? Or me playing Mae West? Just a thought.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Aug 12, 2008 3:02:26 PM
No Sam, except for Day After Tomorrow and City Slickers, he done only small films, not necessarily all were arty though.
The problem is that the vast majority of leading roles are for white and/or (now) black actors, leaving other ethnicities in the dark so to speak, and making it difficult for those actors to become stars and thus get these big roles. Vicious cycle? You bet.
Posted by: anon | Aug 12, 2008 3:03:15 PM
Bad examples, Ryan. The characters that Tom Cruise and Daniel Day Lewis play in The Last Samurai and The Last of the Mohicans, respectively, are both supposed to be white.
Posted by: crispy | Aug 12, 2008 3:14:32 PM
let me join in the general enthusiasm: JAKE I LOVE YOU!!!!! (... and i want to have your love child...)
Posted by: the queen | Aug 12, 2008 3:18:22 PM
... btw, miss derrick, i think you'd be fabulous as mae...
Posted by: the queen | Aug 12, 2008 3:20:07 PM
I'm not too sure I'm on bored with Jake playing the Prince being offensive. I guess because I wasn't surprised and considering that since it's a high profile game, they'd want a high profile actor to go with it. Unfortunately I don't know of any high profile Middle Eastern actors that can match the Prince's look as closely as the Prince as Jake does.
Posted by: Fumoblue | Aug 12, 2008 3:22:53 PM
Thank you, West Coast Majesty: but I'd think I'd rather play you. All those fabulous sex scenes with men of all races. But...but...but, am I too old for the part now (tears and booze).
Wouldn't it have been something if crazy-ass Mel Gibson had chosen a dark-skinned Palestinian or Isreali actor to portray Jesus in "The Crucifixion...."--someone who looks like what the people of Palestine actually look like. My Lord, the FUNDIES would have went off as crazy as Gibson, and the film wouldn't have raked in all those millions--which is the point about not using non-white actors for these type of historic (Biblical) movies.
"That damn Mel Gibson made the Lord look Colored! We'll skin his ass!" I can hear JOHNNY LANE now.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Aug 12, 2008 3:49:50 PM
I meant "the Passion of the Christ".
It doesn't matter... I don't expect to get to heaven anyway...neither is Mel Gibson. (The idiot doesn't know that God is Jewish.)
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Aug 12, 2008 3:52:49 PM
I have nothing to add to this except:
i've seen better pics of Jake . . . he used to be my "celebrity boyfriend" but we broke up after he started going out with Reese, so I really don't care about him anymore. LOL. Now I'm happily involved in a threeway with Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman.
Anyway . . . Noah, your point about gay actors isn't so cut and dry. First off, there aren't that many openly gay leading men. Maybe NPH, Luke McFarlane or T.R. Knight (and a younger Rupert Everett) qualify, but that's it. Hollywood as an industry sells an illusion to middle America and often that illusion is wrapped up in the trappings of heterosexuality. So if there is a gay actor playing leading roles out there, he is most likely in the closet.
Additionally, working in the theater, I've met many young attractive male actors who are out in their personal lives but not out professionally due to the advice of their managers or agents. Sometimes, these guys will not play a gay character because they constantly live in fear of being typecast. Sometimes folks like me casting a play or a film have no choice but to cast straight.
Posted by: Alex | Aug 12, 2008 4:12:38 PM
I heart Jake immensely, though it's been with a twinge since someone (cruelly) pointed out to me that he is a dead ringer for k.d. lang in her prime...
Posted by: Marty | Aug 12, 2008 5:09:50 PM
I always thought k.d. lang circa Ingenue was hot. I have no issue admitting that. LOL.
Posted by: Alex | Aug 12, 2008 5:18:25 PM
Anon, the point was that just because he is doing a big movie now does not mean he has given up doing smaller arty/indie movies.
Marty, any resemblance between Jake and K.D. has long past. So no need to have the twinge. ;)
Posted by: sam | Aug 12, 2008 6:05:24 PM
David,
"Shouldn't the prince of Persia ...er... look Persian?"
Er, have you met Persians? I have. In college, my dreamy, superhot dorm floor administrator was a Persian, a dish Vahid Bagheri. He was pale skinned, darker hair than Jake, but not by much. Speak only of that which you know.
Posted by: TikiHead | Aug 12, 2008 9:03:02 PM
Sorry David, I meant that comment for Chairman Mo.
Posted by: TikiHead | Aug 12, 2008 9:05:14 PM
Bad move Jake, Reese Witherspoon is a lousy beard.
Posted by: George | Aug 17, 2008 10:50:54 AM
"Every time some straight actor, like Jake G., pretends to be gay...".
Jake Gyllenhaal is gay.
Posted by: Get Real | Aug 17, 2008 10:58:24 AM
Um, George and Get Real, you aren't fooling anyone. Get a life and worry about defining your own sexuality.
Posted by: len | Aug 18, 2008 12:59:04 PM
so what you're saying is this film isn't Donnie Darko -- what a shame!
Posted by: David B. | Nov 13, 2008 6:03:41 PM
so what you're saying is this film isn't Donnie Darko -- what a shame!
Posted by: David B. | Nov 13, 2008 6:05:06 PM
I'd take him with the long dirty hair, bad footwear, sweat and all. That's what soap and water is for.
Posted by: johnny | Nov 14, 2008 12:33:51 AM