Jake Gyllenhaal on sister Maggie: She's directed me since childhood

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal shared what it was really like being directed by sister Maggie in The Bride!, saying she has "been directing" him since childhood.

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal has opened up about collaborating with his sister Maggie Gyllenhaal on The Bride!, joking that she has “been directing me since we were kids.”

The Bride! is directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal and the film features her brother Jake in its cast. As the film hits cinemas this Friday, the actor revealed that working under his sister’s direction felt less like a new partnership and more like a natural progression of a lifelong dynamic.

“The truth is, she’s been directing me since we were kids! I just didn’t realise it would eventually become official!” Jake said, reflecting on their creative bond. With Maggie serving as writer and director on the bold reimagining of the Bride of Frankenstein story, the sibling collaboration has quickly become one of the film’s biggest talking points.

Jake Gyllenhaal described reading his sister’s script as a striking experience. “My first impression of the script was that it was truly one of a kind. A singular vision from a brilliant mind. It felt completely individual, unlike anything I’d encountered before,” he told People.

He added that although he had discussed the project with her for years, finally reading the finished screenplay left him stunned. “I was blown away by the world she created on the page,” he said, calling it a “rich, deep, modern classic,” he added.

Working with Maggie Gyllenhaal in a professional setting, he said, felt “totally and absolutely natural and deeply meaningful.” He described the experience as “an absolute joy” and “truly an honour,” praising her as “a brilliant writer and director.”