Maggie Gyllenhaal is not only a talented actress but also a member of the acclaimed Gyllenhaal family of filmmakers and entertainers. Her father is an American film director and poet, while her mother is also a film director and screenwriter. Maggie’s younger brother, Jake Gyllenhaal, also followed the family’s career.
Despite all these advantages, Maggie has made a name for herself without having to rely on her family’s connections. She always perfected the roles she was given and brought her name to the lips of many film fans. She has been nominated for several awards for her career, but most importantly she won a Golden Globe for her role in The Honorable Woman.
Maggie Gyllenhaal: Bio, Age
Maggie Gyllenhaal was born on 16 November 1977 in Manhattan, New York City, United States of America. She was born to Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal and Stephen Gyllenhaal.
Her father is of Swedish and English descent, and her mother came from families that emigrated from Poland and Russia. Through all this, Maggie has affirmed that she grew up with Jewish culture and still identifies with it.
Raised in Los Angeles, Maggie attended Harvard-Westlake Prep School. After that, she spent four months at Mountain School. In 1995 she graduated from Harvard-Westlake and then moved to Columbia University where she studied literature and Eastern religions.
She also studied acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (RADA) in London, England.
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Career
She began her acting career at the age of 15 when she appeared in her father’s films, Waterland (1992) and A Dangerous Woman (1993).
Shortly after graduating from college, she appeared in films like Cecil B. Demented (2000) and Riding In Cars With Boys (2001). She has also appeared in plays and made her theatrical debut in the production of Patrick Marber’s Closer. She has also acted in several other plays, including No Exit, The Tempest, and Antony and Cleopatra.
The actress became more popular after she appeared in the black comedy Secretary (2002); a film about two people who voluntarily chose the BDSM lifestyle. At first, she was skeptical about taking on the role because she believed it would send out anti-feminist vibrations. She eventually joined the project, and it won her the Best Groundbreaking Achievement Award from the National Board of Review of Motion Pictures.
In 2003, she appeared alongside Julia Roberts in Mona Lisa Smile, playing the role of Giselle, which received much critical acclaim. Despite this success, she decided to turn to smaller independent films such as Casa de Los Babys (2003) and Criminal (2004). She later returned to the big blockbusters and attracted attention with her role in The Dark Knight (2008).
She currently plays the lead role in the HBO drama series The Deuce.
Husband & Children
Maggie Gyllenhaal is married to Peter Sarsgaard, a very close friend of her brother Jake. The relationship began in 2002, the engagement came to light in 2006, and on May 2, 2009, the marriage was sealed in Italy. They currently have two beautiful daughters, Ramona and Gloria Ray.
Her husband, Peter John Sarsgaard, was born on March 7, 1971, in St. Clair County, Illinois, in the family of Judy Lea and John Dale Sarsgaard. He grew up in a Roman Catholic family and became an altar boy. His father was an air force engineer, which led to the family moving around constantly.
Sarsgaard attended Fairfield College Prep School in Connecticut, where he showed interest in the film industry. He attended Bard College in New York before moving to Washington University where he earned a bachelor’s degree in history. Like his wife, he has made wonderful achievements in his career. His first film role was in the movie Dead Man Walking (1995). Other movies include Boys Don’t Cry, The Centre Of The World, Shattered Glass, The Skeleton Key, and so many others. He has also won a Golden Globe Award and an Independent Spirit Award.
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Net Worth
The actress and film producer has a cumulative net worth of 15 million dollars. She has worked very hard over the years to earn that amount. Considering that she has no intention of slowing down, you can be sure that her fortune will increase in the near future.
Height and Five Other Facts About Maggie Gyllenhaal
Maggie Gyllenhaal has taken steps from acting into modeling. She has worked for companies like Miu Miu, Reebok, and some others.
She is a staunch supporter of Witness, a non-profit organization that exposes human rights abuses
She is also a voice actress – she sang the voice of Elizabeth, Zee, in the animated horror movie Monster House.
She became a member of the jury of the Berlin Film Festival in 2017.
Maggie Gyllenhaal appeared at her brother’s side in the sci-fi film Donnie Darko, in which she played the sister of her real brother on the screen.
The actress is 1.75 m tall, which is equivalent to 1.75 m.