Born in Los Angeles in 1980 to director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Jake Gyllenhaal along with older sister Maggie, set his sights on acting from an early age.

His entertainment career in the 90s consisted of bit parts until a silver screen role in 1999’s October Sky came along. Gyllenhaal followed up his breakout role with another well-received project, Donnie Darko, released in 2001. Other notable products bearing Gyllenhaal’s name include The Day After Tomorrow, Jarhead, and the controversial Brokeback Mountain, in which Gyllenhaal played a cowboy struggling with his sexuality opposite the late Heath Ledger. For his part, the actor earned an Academy Award nomination.

Also having made headlines for his romantic relationships, Gyllenhaal is currently dating Reese Witherspoon. This relationship comes following Gyllenhaal’s high-profile 2004 split with Kirsten Dunst.