Maggie Gyllenhaal

Celebrity   , , , , , , ,
Maggie Gyllenhaal

Name: Margalit Ruth “Maggie” Gyllenhaal

Introduction: Maggie Gyllenhaal is an American actress and filmmaker, highly regarded for her ability to portray complex and often unconventional characters with depth and nuance. Coming from a prominent filmmaking family, she has carved out a distinguished career in independent and mainstream cinema, earning critical acclaim and numerous awards for her work both in front of and behind the camera.

Date of birth: November 16, 1977

Height: 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m)

Place of birth: New York City, New York, U.S. (She grew up in Los Angeles).

Family:

  • Parents’ names: Stephen Gyllenhaal (father, film director and poet) and Naomi Foner (née Achs, mother, screenwriter and director).
  • Siblings: Jake Gyllenhaal (younger brother, actor). She also has a half-brother, Luke, from her father’s second marriage.
  • Spouse: Peter Sarsgaard (m. 2009), an American actor.
  • Children:
    • Ramona Sarsgaard (daughter, born 2006)
    • Gloria Ray Sarsgaard (daughter, born 2012)
  • Relatives: She comes from the noble Gyllenhaal family on her father’s side, with Swedish and English ancestry. Her mother is Jewish, from Ashkenazi Jewish families who emigrated from Russia and Poland.

Profession: Actress, filmmaker (writer, director, producer).

Nationality: American

Religion: She was raised “mostly Jewish, culturally” and identifies as Jewish.

College or university attended:

  • Harvard-Westlake School (high school)
  • The Mountain School (semester program for high school juniors)
  • Columbia University (graduated with a B.A. in Literature and Eastern Religions in 1999). She also briefly studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London.

Biography and What Famous For:

Maggie Gyllenhaal’s exposure to the film industry began early, with small roles in her father’s films as a teenager, including “Waterland” (1992) and “A Dangerous Woman” (1993). After graduating from Columbia University, she transitioned fully into acting.

Her early career saw her appear alongside her brother Jake in the cult classic “Donnie Darko” (2001). Her breakout role, however, came in the daring and critically acclaimed film “Secretary” (2002), where she played a submissive secretary in an S&M relationship. Her nuanced performance earned her a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy and established her as a fearless and talented actress.

Gyllenhaal is famous for:

  • Her critically acclaimed performances in independent films: Often taking on challenging and complex roles that showcase her versatility. Beyond “Secretary,” her work in films like “Sherrybaby” (2006), for which she received another Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama, and “The Kindergarten Teacher” (2018) is highly praised.
  • Her role as Rachel Dawes in “The Dark Knight” (2008): Replacing Katie Holmes in the highly successful Christopher Nolan Batman film, this role brought her wider commercial recognition.
  • Her Academy Award-nominated performance in “Crazy Heart” (2009): Playing Jean Craddock, a journalist who falls for a troubled country singer (Jeff Bridges), she earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
  • Her impactful work in television:
    • “The Honourable Woman” (2014): This BBC political-thriller miniseries saw her in a lead role that earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film and a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
    • “The Deuce” (2017–2019): She produced and starred in this HBO period drama, set during the rise of the porn industry in New York City, further solidifying her reputation for taking on gritty and significant roles.
  • Her successful debut as a filmmaker: Gyllenhaal made her writing and directing debut with the psychological drama “The Lost Daughter” (2021), based on the novel by Elena Ferrante. The film received widespread critical acclaim, earning her an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, and multiple wins and nominations at the Gotham Independent Film Awards and Venice International Film Festival (where she won Best Screenplay).

Maggie Gyllenhaal is respected for her intelligent choice of roles, her intense and authentic acting style, and her transition into a successful and critically lauded director.

Have participated (Selected Filmography, Television, Stage, and Directing):

Film (Actress):

  • Waterland (1992)
  • A Dangerous Woman (1993)
  • Cecil B. Demented (2000)
  • Donnie Darko (2001)
  • Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)
  • 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)
  • Secretary (2002) – Golden Globe nomination
  • Adaptation. (2002)
  • Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)
  • Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
  • Criminal (2004)
  • Happy Endings (2005)
  • The Great New Wonderful (2005)
  • Trust the Man (2005)
  • World Trade Center (2006)
  • Sherrybaby (2006) – Golden Globe nomination
  • Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
  • The Dark Knight (2008) – Rachel Dawes
  • Away We Go (2009)
  • Crazy Heart (2009) – Academy Award nomination, Golden Globe nomination
  • Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang (2010)
  • Hysteria (2011)
  • Won’t Back Down (2012)
  • White House Down (2013)
  • Frank (2014)
  • The Kindergarten Teacher (2018)
  • The Bride! (Upcoming 2025)

Television (Actress):

  • The Patron Saint of Liars (1998) (TV Movie)
  • Strip Search (2004) (TV Movie)
  • The Honourable Woman (2014) – Golden Globe Award, Emmy nomination
  • The Deuce (2017–2019) – Eileen “Candy” Merrell (also producer)

Film (Director/Writer/Producer):

  • The Lost Daughter (2021) – (Director, Writer, Producer) – Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, Venice Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay, Gotham Independent Film Awards for Best Feature, Breakthrough Director, and Best Screenplay.

Stage:

  • Closer (2000)
  • The Real Thing (2000) – Broadway debut
  • Homebody/Kabul (2004)
  • Uncle Vanya (2009)
  • The Good Person of Szechwan (2014)

Awards (Selected):

  • Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film (“The Honourable Woman”, 2015)
  • Venice International Film Festival Golden Osella for Best Screenplay (“The Lost Daughter”, 2021)
  • Gotham Independent Film Awards for Best Feature, Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award, and Best Screenplay (“The Lost Daughter”, 2021)
  • Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress (“Crazy Heart”, 2010)
  • Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay (“The Lost Daughter”, 2022)