Jake Gyllenhaal was in London this week accompanied by a woman he met recently that British gossips have identified as Anna Liban. They went out for lunch. It looked like a flirty lunch. He had his hand in her hair. And they dressed the same. So I guess we have to stop talking about him and Rachel McAdams. And him and Ruth Wilson.
In other Jake news, the first reviews for Southpaw have been posted after it screened at the Shanghai Film Festival. So far the consensus seems to be that he’s great but that the film is pretty ordinary, a cliché boxing movie. Harvey Weinstein promised to secure Jake an Oscar nomination when he was in Cannes last month. On performance it sounds like Jake delivers but the question now is whether or not the mediocrity of the movie will hold him back. Then again, there’s also the x factor of campaigning. Probably doesn’t matter that the movie is pretty average if he dazzles on the award circuit. If he makes the right moves, says the right things, smiles from his adorably droopy eyes, and charms everyone on the talk show circuit. Which he’s certainly capable of. But he’s also capable of a take-myself-too-seriously I’m-no-fun attitude too. We saw that recently when he spoke to Esquire – click here for a refresher. Which Jake will show up?
That just reminded me of one of my favourite episodes of The West Wing, maybe my favourite episode of The West Wing. Bartlet destroying Ritchie in the debate. You remember how confident Toby was? “He’s ready.” Here’s how CJ put it on the plane:
“I think it depends who shows up. If it's Uncle Fluffy, we've got problems. If it's the President, in his last campaign, his last debate, for the last job he'll ever have...if the President shows up, I think it'll be a sight to see, I mean a sight to see.”
Which Jake will show up?
