Jake Gyllenhaal starred as Pfizer medical representative Jamie Randall in the 2010 film, Love & Other Drugs. The Edward Zwick-directed movie explores the relationship between Jamie Randall and Maggie Murdock, who suffers from an early onset of Parkinson’s disease. While the film received mixed reviews from critics, it grossed $102 million at the box office against a budget of $30 million.
In the film filled with steamy s*x scenes, Anne Hathaway starred in the female lead role, marking her second collaboration with Gyllenhaal. The film brought the actors even closer than their earlier film, Brokeback Mountain.
Jake Gyllenhaal Was Protective Of His Co-Star While Filming Love Scenes
Jake Gyllenhaal had previously told Out Magazine that he did not get to bond with Anne Hathaway during the production of Brokeback Mountain. Hathaway played the wife of Gyllenhaal’s character, Jack Twist, and they even had a lovemaking scene in the movie. But since Jack Twist was a closeted gay man, their onscreen chemistry was shallow, which might have been the reason for them feeling distant.
However, it was only after working together on Love & Other Drugs that the two actors developed a strong friendship. In an interview with Hollywood Life during the movie’s premiere, the Spider-Man: Far From Home actor shared that he felt responsible for making his co-actresses comfortable while filming s*x scenes. The Enemy actor shared that since most of the crew in the movie were men, such situations could be awkward and challenging for women. Gyllenhaal shared with Hollywood Life,
“I always feel like it’s my responsibility to kind of protect and make sure that she feels comfortable because they tend to be more objectified.”
The Nightcrawler actor did everything in his capacity to make The Dark Knight Rises actress feel comfortable on the sets of Love & Other Drugs. Gyllenhaal would ask Hathaway questions like “Where do you want me to go? What do you want me to do? What do you feel comfortable doing?” and these questions aimed to ease any discomfort.
Jake Gyllenhaal Believed The S*x Scenes Strengthened Their Friendship
While Jake Gyllenhaal acted as a gentleman in the situations, Anne Hathaway, who had experience with lovemaking scenes in movies, was comfortable on her own. The Les Misérables actress responded to Gyllenhaal, saying, “You do your thing and I’ll do my thing. I’m fine on my own!”. The Devil Wears Prada actress also shared an embarrassing story of undressing in front of the crew for no reason, thinking her shot was underway.
Both actors agreed that the s*x scenes helped them form a better relationship than what they had during Brokeback Mountain. In an interview with GQ Magazine, Gyllenhaal disclosed that they engaged in intimate heart-to-heart conversations during the film. The Prisoners actor shared with Cosmopolitan:
“We talked about what we thought was sexy, about what were the things that interested us, and through the discussion became pretty intimate with each other.”
The Donnie Darko actor shared that more than just steamy scenes, the film explored romantic, familial, and friendship kinds of love. Gyllenhaal, in that sense, fell in love with everybody on set and shared that what they shared as a result was special. Love & Other Drugs is now available for streaming on Hulu.
Source: Hollywood Life
