Jake Gyllenhaal | Philosophy And Eastern Religions

Although his parents are both experienced figures in the filmmaking business, with his father being a director and his mother a producer/screenwriter, it took some time before Jake Gyllenhaal made it to the spotlight. While he did land a spot in a couple of papa Gyllenhaal’s projects, Jake’s career only went swinging by the time he was already in his late teens.

Born on December 19, 1980, he got his first big break with an acting credit in the 1999 film October Sky. Since then, he’s worked on numerous notable films such as Donnie Darko, Zodiac, Prisoners, and Nightcrawler. Before becoming an established name under the spotlight, however, the actor spent some time studying philosophy and Eastern religions at Columbia University, the same institution his mother graduated from. Although he only stayed for two years before dropping out, the actor is still more than enthusiastic about finishing his course. Better late than never, right?