Jake Gyllenhaal’s Mysterio character in Spider-Man: Far From Home helped him throw away all that seriousness and become the superhero he always wished to be. This role has helped the actor, embark on a journey in another worth-the-wait superhero film, Prophet, that’s an adaption of a comic book series by Deadpool co-creator Rob Liefeld.
Even though the actor remained high on an adrenaline rush, embracing his newfound love for superhero roles, there was a time when Jake Gyllenhaal was scared for his life during a $336 million action fantasy film. While fighting for his life on-screen, the actor was scared for his life as he developed an aversion to ostriches.
Jake Gyllenhaal’s Got A Phobia From The Flightless Bird!
During the filming of Mike Newell-directed action fantasy, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Jake Gyllenhaal, who played Prince Dastan of Persia, expressed his anxiety against ostriches. The actor shared that he was truly “terrified for his life” and the “level of fear” was also confirmed by his co-star. Gyllenhaal said at the film’s London premiere in 2010:
“They would say, ‘Don’t make any noise around the ostriches. They’ll tear out your eyes and rip out your heart.’ So, I was naturally terrified. They look like they’re innocent, but they’re really not.”
His co-star, Gemma Arterton, who played Tamina, Princess of Alamut, also confirmed that the actor’s fear was as real as it comes. She shared that the actor ran away after seeing an ostrich. Well, the bird’s powerful kick armed with long claws can surely disembowel or even kill a person.
The Movie Rocked At The Box Office, But Failed To Deliver Substance
While Jake Gyllenhaal’s ostrich phobia is real, it is also true that the 2010 film rocked the worldwide box office, grossing over $336 million, becoming the highest-grossing video game film adaptation. This record was broken by Duncan Jones-directed Warcraft in 2016.
But again, the critical consensus regarding the movie didn’t appear as rocking as the box office numbers. Several critics stated that the movie “didn’t offer much in the way of substance.” The worst 2-star review came from Chicago Sun-Times film critic Roger Ebert, who wrote:
“The two leads are not inspired. Jake Gyllenhaal could make the cover of a muscle mag, but he plays Dastan as if harboring Spider-Man’s doubts and insecurities.”
Not only this but the man behind Prince of Dastan, Gyllenhaal himself admitted his regret for picking up the role and shared that he learned a lot from the movie, especially how one is “bound to slip” when picking up a role.
Also Read: Mark Wahlberg’s Insane Demand Made Director Choose Jake Gyllenhaal for $7.5M Cult Classic Movie
Source: TheThings