Jake Gyllenhaal Recalls Awkward 'Brokeback Mountain' Audition at Rome Film Fest

Jake Gyllenhaal gives a smirk while sitting down for his Meets The Audience panel held during the 2017 Rome Film Fest at Auditorium Parco Della Musica on Sunday (October 29) in Rome, Italy.

The 36-year-old actor promoted his film Stronger and discussed his career thus far during the discussion with Rome Film Festival director Antonio Monda.

On why Donnie Darko is such a cult film: “It’s ahead of its time, when I look at this movie now and what Richard Kelly did,” Jake said (via THR). “It takes a group of forward-thinking people to champion it.”

On his “awkward” Brokeback Mountain audition with director Ang Lee: “It was a very awkward meeting when I met him. I was brought into a room and he sat in a corner and he sort of nodded at me,” Jake recalled. “I sat there and we talked and then he asked me to leave. That was it. And about a month later I was told that I was playing the part.”