Starting an acting career at age 10 ensures some loss of childhood. Or, in Jake Gyllenhaal‘s case, a deferred one.
Playing an action hero in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, the video game adapted for the big screen that opens Friday, Gyllenhaal experienced some of the kid time he missed the first time around.
“It can be argued how much of a childhood I had,” Gyllenhaal says, looking back on his first role in 1991 as Billy Crystal’s son in City Slickers, followed by a key part in October Sky (1999) and his breakout title role in the cult favoriteDonnie Darko (2001). “I don’t think I wanted to be a kid then. And now I do. I think that’s primarily the reason for doing this.”
He’s in good company
Hollywood has found much to be childish about in recent years. From toys (Transformers, G.I. Joe) to comic books (Iron Man) to campy ’80s television (Charlie’s Angels), the industry is trolling the recesses of our childhood.
And, for the most part, it has worked. Comic-book adaptations have been the industry’s stalwart the past five years, and in 2008 The Dark Knight became the third-highest-grossing movie of all time with $533 million.
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