Jake Gyllenhaal Jokes On How He Got His Latest Movie Role

Jake Gyllenhaal has joked he only got his latest movie role because he threatened the executive producer with a sword.

The 29-year-old actor plays a brave street urchin in new adventure fantasy Prince of Persia. It is his first action role and Jake says he was chosen for the part because he tried to kill the film’s producer Jerry Bruckheimer.

Asked how he convinced Bruckheimer he could handle the coveted role, Jake laughed: “I broke into his office and threatened him with a sword. No, the film’s director Mike Newell always championed me and said he’d always thought of me for the part.”

Jake bulked up considerably for the film, which sees him spending most of his time running around half-naked fighting battalions of enormous soldiers. He was also in a cheeky mood when asked by Total Film magazine how he had toned up for the role.

“Smoking and drinking,” he quipped. “No, I worked out for seven months. I wanted to be able to do this stuff and being intimidating was important, even if it’s just for myself, being confident fighting the stunt men.”