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Biography
 A versitile
and intriguing actress, whose penetrating acting and off-kilter beauty were initially relegated to supporting roles,
Maggie Gyllenhaal broke out to the forefront with the edgy S&M themed drama "Secretary." Despite this being her first
starring role, she did not spend much time in the trenches, having a relatively painless decade paying dues before
getting her first major role at the age of 24.
Having grown up in a family of entertainment professionals, it is no surprise Gyllenhaal decided to pursue a career
in acting. Her mother is successful screenwriter Naomi Foner (Oscar nominated for her 1988 screenplay for "Running
on Empty," starring River Phoenix) and her father is accomplished film and television director Stephen Gyllenhaal
(nominated for an Emmy for 1990 telepic "A Killing in a Small Town" and directed feature "Losing Isaiah" in 1995).
Adding a healthy dose of sibling rivalry to go along with these parental expectations, her brother is successful
actor Jake Gyllenhaal ("Moonlight Mile" 2002).
Gyllenhaal was born in New York City but grew up in Los Angeles where she and her brother attended the prestigious
Harvard-Westlake prep school, known as a "who's who among who's whose kids" in the Hollywood circle. Here Gyllenhaal
was an excellent student and active in the drama program. At the age of 15, Gyllenhaal had her feature debut in the
nostalgic drama "Waterland" (1992), directed by her father and starring Jeremy Irons and Ethan Hawke. She next had
another small role in "A Dangerous Woman" (1993), also directed by her father. In 1995, Gyllenhaal moved to New York
to attend Columbia University. While she was busy studying Eastern religion and literature in school, she also found
the time to further her professional acting career. She appeared in two more television movies directed by her
father as well as the feature "Homegrown" (1998), also written and directed by her father.
 After graduating from
Columbia in 1999, Gyllenhaal certainly had ample exposure to the film and television world. However, in order
to really break into the business, Gyllenhaal would need a stand-out role to get her in the running for the
high-profile parts. That break came in the form of her role as Raven, a Satanic make-up artist in the eccentric
John Waters film "Cecil B. Demented." (2000). This gave Gyllenhaal enough recognition that she landed a string
of supporting roles the following year. She played her brother's sister in the far-out sci-fi movie
"Donnie Darko" (2001), appeared in "Riding in Cars with Boys" (2001) and was featured in the teen romance
"40 Days and 40 Nights."
Not the kind of actress meant to lay wait in obscurity for very long, Gyllenhaal had a breakout performance
with "Secretary" in 2002. Playing a timid young woman recovering from a mental breakdown who engages in a S&M
relationship with her boss, Gyllenhaal brought the depth and delicacy called for in the role. The movie won the
Special Jury Prize at Sundance and was promptly picked up for theatrical distribution. Gyllenhaal's indie actress,
star-on-the-rise status was solidified with her next projects, Charlie Kaufman's much-awaited film about writing a
film "Adaptation," and the John Sayles directed "Casa de Los Babys" (lensed 2002). Quickly gaining a reputation as
a cerebral actress, often compared to the likes of Cate Blanchett, Emily Watson or a young Diane Keaton, Maggie
Gyllenhaal has stepped out from the shadow of her parents and her brother and appears ready to shine alone in the
spotlight.
Career Awards & Nominations
Maggie has won and been nominated for some of the worlds most prestigious film industry awards in the past few years.
Here is a list of her achivements so far.
Won the...
National Board of Review 2002
NBR Award for Best Breakthrough Performance by an Actress (Secretary)
Gotham Awards 2002
Breakthrough Award for Secretary
Boston Society of Film Critics Awards 2002
BSFC Award for Best Actress (Secretary)
Chicago Film Critics Association Awards 2003
CFCA Award for Most Promising Performer (Adaptation.)
Fantasporto 2003
Directors' Week Award for Best Actress (Secretary)
Florida Film Critics Circle Awards 2003
Pauline Kael Breakout Award for Secretary
Online Film Critics Society Awards 2003
OFCS Award for Best Breakthrough Performance (Secretary)
Paris Film Festival 2003
Best Actress (Secretary)
Premiere magazine's Women in Hollywood Awards 2003
Hounored with the Spotlight Award
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival 2006
Best Actress (Sherrybaby)
Nominated for...
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards 2003
PFCS Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Secretary)
Online Film Critics Society Awards 2003
OFCS Award for Best Breakthrough Performance (Secretary)
MTV Movie Awards 2003
MTV Movie Award for Breakthrough Female Performance (Secretary)
Independent Spirit Awards 2003
Independent Spirit Award for Best Female Lead (Secretary)
Golden Satellite Awards 2003
Golden Satellite Award Best for Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical (Secretary)
Golden Globe Awards 2003
Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy (Secretary)
UK Empire Awards 2004
Empire Award for Best Actress (Secretary)
Independent Spirit Awards 2006
Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female (Happy Endings)
Causes and Charities
Aside from being a dedicated actress, Maggie is also a dedicated supporter of various causes. Listed below
are just some of the worth-while causes she has lent her support to, by either openly expressing support or
by attending charity functions.
 Artists United to Win Without War is an organization born from a committee of artists after the invasion of
Iraq to express their discontent over the decision to invade and of the political climate in Washington in general.
AUWWW encourages debate, engages opinion makers and activates concerned citizens using the strength of one of
America's most useful tools, the media. Part of their mission statement reads, "Unprovoked war will increase human
suffering, arouse animosity towards our country, increase the likelihood of terrorist attacks, damage the economy,
and undermine our moral standing in the world. It makes us less, not more, secure." During both the 2003 Academy
Awards and the 2003 IFP Awards, Maggie wore a peace sign pin (which can be
purchased here) in support of
this organization and its message. If you'd like to learn more about the AUWWW, please visit their
website here.
 On February 25, 2004, Maggie attended the 14th Annual Tibet House Benefit Concert held at Carnegie Hall
in New York. Tibet House is an organization that is dedicated to "to the proposition that the wisdom and arts of
all human civilizations vitally enrich the emerging global culture." They focus specifically on the culture of
Tibet, and is part of a worldwide network that hopes to ensure the survival of Tibetan culture. Part of their
mission statement reads, "By presenting Tibetan civilization, its profound wisdom and special art of freedom,
to the people of the world, we hope to inspire them to join the effort to save it." The Tibet House offers
many courses, seminars, and lectures concering the Tibetan culture and the current state of Tibet. To learn
more about this worth-while organization, please visit their website
here.
 Declare Yourself is "a national nonpartisan, nonprofit campaign to energize and empower a new movement
of young voters to participate in the 2004 presidential election." On the night of March 2nd, Maggie and
several other stars including her brother Jake, her boyfriend Peter Sarsgaard, Kirsten Dunst, and Reese
Witherspoon, co-hosted an event sponserd by Declare Yourself which hoped to stress the importance of
voting and democracy to young people. The event was held at the Historic Beverly Hills Post Office
and gave young people the opportunity to register to vote, as well as to view a copy of the original
Declaration of Independence. Declare Yourself hopes that "by creatively fusing education, entertainment,
information and technology" they will be able to challenge "Americans between the ages of 18 and 29,
especially first-time voters, to find their reason to register and to vote." To learn more about
Declare Yourself, visit thier website here.
Maggie Trvia
Want to brush up on your Maggie knowledge? Here are some quick tibits about Maggie's life
and career that every one should know...
 In 1997, Maggie received a degree from Columbia University in literature and eastern religion.
She annouced her engagment and pregnancy to Peter Sarsgaard (Boys Don't Cry) in April 2006.
Her last name is Swedish. The name Gyllenhaal is that of a swedish noble family from the county of Västergötland in the south west of sweden, knighted in 1652 and introduced at the swedish noble house in Stockholm in 1672. For more information visit www.gyllenhaal.org
She started acting as a child, even putting on productions of Cats for her family.
She's a big fan of musicals like My Fair Lady.
She had the honor of co-hosting the Sundance Awards in 2003.
During the 2003 Academy Awards, Maggie wore a peace sign pin in support of the organization
Artists United to Win Without War.
Maggie was the first girl to audtion for the role of Lee Holloway in Secretary.
Her birthday is November 16, 1977.
Maggie stands tall at 5"9 and is a blue eyed beauty!
Maggie starred as ‘Alice' in the Mark Taper Forum's production of Patrick Marber's award-winning Closer,
directed by Robert Egan, and prior to that, at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. She has also appeared in
Anthony and Cleopatra, at the Vanborough Theatre in London.
Studied briefly at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London
Was born in New York City but grew up in Los Angeles where she and her brother attended the prestigious
Harvard-Westlake prep school.
Her mother, Noni Foner is a Golden Globe-winning, Oscar-nominated scriptwriter. Her father, Stephen Gyllenhaal
is an Emmy-nominated director. Her brother, Jake Gyllenhaal is an actor, her grandmother is a doctor and her
uncle is an acclaimed historian at Columbia, the college she attended.
The first six movies she made (Waterland, A Dangerous Woman, Shattered Mind, The Patron Saint of Liars, Homegrown
and Resurrection) were all directed by her father.
Maggie appeared in an ad campaign
for fashion label Miu Miu (Fall/Winter 2004)
Played Priscilla Ceiling
in (October-November 2003) in "Homebody/Kabul" by Tony Kushner at the
Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles.
Maggie enjoys listening to
various music and even enjoys country music
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