Jake Gyllenhaal, born with a lazy eye and legally blind, has always embraced his limited vision. In fact, he believes it gives him an advantage as an actor. Despite starting to wear corrective lenses at the age of 6, Gyllenhaal’s lazy eye resolved itself over time. He says his blindness allows him to focus more intensely and be with himself in a unique way.
Gyllenhaal’s ability to use his blindness as a tool to better understand his character’s emotional state and surroundings was put to the test during the filming of “Southpaw” in 2015. To force himself to listen more closely in a pivotal scene where his character receives devastating news, Gyllenhaal took out his contact lenses. This allowed him to fully immerse himself in the moment and gain a deeper understanding of his character’s emotions and surroundings.
In his latest film, “Road House,” Gyllenhaal plays an ex-UFC fighter alongside real-life UFC champion Conor McGregor. The actor mentioned that he seeks out roles that challenge him and push him outside of his comfort zone. He enjoys stepping into characters that require him to discover new aspects of himself through the roles he plays.
