Profile: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Born: November 16, 1977 Los Angeles, California, USA
Height: 5' 9"
Education: B.A. in English from Columbia University
Quote: "I do seem to have a bit of a predilection for movies that say something transgressive."
Quote: "I really hated charm school. I guess I'm just a little bit bad."
Biography: Maggie Gyllenhaal
A versatile and alluring actress, Maggie Gyllenhaal broke out from supporting role relegation to the forefront with the edgy S&M themed drama Secretary. Despite this being her first starring role, she had a relatively easy time paying her dus before getting her first major role at 24.
Maggie was born in New York City on November 16, 1977, but grew up in Los Angeles where she and her brother, Jake Gyllenhaal (star of 2001's Donnie Darko), attended the prestigious Harvard-Wakeland prep school, a veritable "who's who among who's whose kids" in Hollywood. Maggie was an excellent student and active in the drama program. When she was fifteen years old, Maggie had her feature debut in the nostalgic drama Waterland, directed by her father, Stephen Gyllenhaal (director of 1995's Losing Isaiah), and starring Ethan Hawke and Jeremy Irons. Next was another small role in A Dangerous Woman, also directed by her father. In 1995, Maggie moved back to New York to attend Columbia University. While she was busy studying , she also found the time to take on more roles such as Shattered Mind and The Patron Saint of Liars, as well as the feature Homegrown.
After graduating from Columbia with a B.A. in English in 1999, Maggie certainly had ample exposure to showbusiness. But Maggie still needed that stand-out role to get her in the running for the high-profile parts...and it came in her role as Raven, a Satanic make-up artist in the oddly twisted John Waters film Cecil B. Demented. This earned crucial recognition for Maggie and she landed a string of supporting roles the following year such as Donnie Darko, Riding in Cars with Boys, and 40 Days and 40 Nights.
Maggie then auditioned for a role as a timid young woman recovering from a mental breakdown who engages in a S&M relationship with her boss. Her audition was the very first for the role and the producers were convinced she was perfect for the part, even after all the subsequent tryouts. Maggie simply brought forth the depth and delicacy called for in the role. As a result, she co-starred with James Spader in Secretary, which won the Special Jury Prize at Sundance and was promptly picked up for theatrical distribution. Having finally earned her big break, Maggie's future looks brighter than ever. She can next be seen in Mona Lisa Smile and Casa de Los Babys.
Filmography:
In God's Hands (2004)
The Great New Wonderful (2005) (post-production)--Emme
Happy Endings (2004)
Criminal (2004) (completed)--Valerie Gaddis
Strip Search (2004) (TV)
Mona Lisa Smile (2003)--Giselle Levy
Casa de los babys (2003)--Jennifer
Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002)--Debbie
Adaptation. (2002)--Caroline Cunningham
40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)--Sam
Secretary (2002)--Lee Holloway
Riding in Cars with Boys (2001)--Amelia Forrester
Donnie Darko (2001)--Elizabeth Darko
The Pornographer: A Love Story (2000)--Sidney
Cecil B. DeMented (2000)--Raven
The Photographer (2000)--Mira
Shake, Rattle and Roll: An American Love Story (1999) (mini) TV Series
Resurrection (1999) (TV)--Mary
Homegrown (1998)--Christina
The Patron Saint of Liars (1998) (TV)--Lorraine Thomas
Shattered Mind (1996) (TV)--Clothes clerk (aka The Terror Inside)
A Dangerous Woman (1993)--Patsy
Waterland (1992)--Maggie Ruth
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