HOWZAT

The story centres on Emma Thompson’s character Kay, an author who is unaware that her supposedly fictional protagonist, Harold Crick (Will Ferrell), is actually alive. Fiction and reality collide, and Harold begins to hear the author’s narration of his life in his head, realising he faces a tragic end. He seeks solace with his reluctant girlfriend, Ana (Gyllenhaal). “This is a bigger movie, but with Marc Foster directing I knew it wasn’t going to be a piece of s***,” she laughs. “I thought it was a fascinating script, and I felt the same with World Trade Center.”

Oliver Stone’s 9/11 movie opens next week. Gyllenhaal plays Allison Jimeno, the pregnant wife of Will Jimeno — one of two police officers who were pulled alive from the rubble of the twin towers. “I am proud of that performance,” she says, “and a lot of that’s down to Oliver; I got on with him like no other director. It was really intense, but it was the kind of intensity that I really thrive on. Often it’s new directors who are less open to collaboration, while people who are confident in their work want to involve you, and Oliver is like that. I let myself be vulnerable with him.”

As our meeting comes to an end, Gyllenhaal stands slowly, leaning on her chair to say her goodbyes, with a glint in her big blue eyes. Just like Secretary’s Lee Holloway, she may be willing to demonstrate vulnerability, but she knows exactly what she is doing. When it comes to her life, Gyllenhaal is definitely in control.

Trust the Man is on general release, World Trade Center is out on Sept 29, and Stranger Than Fiction on Dec 1. Sherrybaby is awaiting a UK release date

BACKGROUND

• Sherrybaby

• She's no wallflower

A star and ‘momma-lion’

As the actress Maggie Gyllenhaal’s star continues to rise, she is fighting to protect her family’s privacy

Related Internet Links

• 2007 London Film Festival coverage

• Times Online Film Trailers

MAGGIE AND JAKE GYLLENHAAL AREN'T THE ONLY ACTING SIBLINGS

THE AFFLECKS
That which does not kill us . . . After the career low of Gigli, with then girlfriend Jennifer Lopez, Ben is back, having scooped an award at Venice for his portrayal of George “TV Superman” Reeves in the forthcoming Hollywoodland. His brother, Casey, has had a quieter career, the high point of which is his appearance in the Ocean’s Eleven sequels.

THE ARQUETTES
Rosanna is the most famous of the five acting Arquette kids, although appearances in hits such as Pulp Fiction have been offset by legendary turkeys such as The Linguini Incident. Richmond is a B-movie veteran, while Patricia recently won an award for her TV series Medium. David’s career took off in the Scream films, in which he plays Deputy Dewey. He is married to the Friends star Courteney Cox.

THE BALDWINS
Alec is the best known of the boy Baldwins, the others being Daniel, William and Stephen. The family received the ultimate accolade of inclusion in the 1999 film South Park, when their home was bombed by the Canadian airforce.

THE CUSACKS
The leading siblings are John and Joan, who co-starred in High Fidelity (2000); but that also featured a cameo from sister Susie, and Grosse Pointe Blank (1997) also featured sister Anne and brother Bill.

THE FIENNESES
Ralph is currently being challenged by younger brother Joseph for acting top dog, while sisters Martha and Sophie are both film-makers.

THE FOXES
James gave up acting for nine years after filming Performance (1970), while Edward was awarded an OBE in 2003. Robert produced the film Closer, and was once married to Natasha Richardson.

THE McGANNS
Paul, Stephen, Joseph and Mark McGann starred together in the 1995 television series The Hanging Gale. Paul played Doctor Who in a one-off TV revival, but is still best known for the cult classic Withnail and I (1989).

THE PHOENIXES
After River’s untimely death, brother Joaquin (formerly Leaf) and sister Summer picked up the acting reins. Sister Rain, meanwhile, is a rock singer.

THE REDGRAVES
Sisters Vanessa and Lynn and brother Corin are the third generation of a veritable acting dynasty, the fourth being Vanessa’s daughters Natasha and Joely Richardson and Corin’s daughter, Jemma Redgrave.

THE ROBERTS
Despite having been nominated for an Academy Award back in 1985, Eric Roberts has since been overshadowed by his Oscar-winning estranged sister, Julia. But then, who wouldn’t be?

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