Actor Jake Gyllenhaal views visual impairment as a benefit.
Jake Gyllenhaal, a renowned Hollywood actor, suffers from near-blindness due to his lack of contact lenses. Interestingly, this disability has its advantages in his professional life. In a chat with "The Hollywood Reporter," he shared the instances when his low vision actually worked in his favor.
Born with a visual impairment, Gyllenhaal's poor eyesight is considered an advantage for him under specific circumstances. The 43-year-old actor shared his thoughts on this with the American entertainment magazine.
Gyllenhaal's legal blindness in the U.S. stems from a condition that can be fixed with the help of corrective lenses. During another interview with "The Telegraph" in 2017, he reminisced about his school days where he was teased because of his thick eyeglasses. However, this has not stopped him from enjoying successful stints in his career.
His vision problems have helped him in many ways, even during his film projects. In one instance from the boxing drama "Southpaw," Gyllenhaal deliberately chose not to wear his contact lenses. This made him listen more intently, which in turn enhanced his acting in the emotional scene where his character, Billy Hope, learns of his wife's death.
As for his personal life, questions about his potential marriage to his 26-year-old partner, Jeanne Cadieu, a French model, were met with a rather tight-lipped response. "Should I tell The Hollywood Reporter my wedding date? I'm not going to give you that," he said when quizzed about any impending nuptials between him and Cadieu.
But Gyllenhaal could only venture out generalizations about his romantic life. "We all reach a stage with our careers where we're so focused on work, work, work," he said, "But now, I'm in a phase of my life where I value the importance of family."
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Jake Gyllenhaal's unique perspective on visual impairment as an advantage in Hollywood was further showcased during the filming of "Southpaw." In an intentional act, he chose not to wear his contact lenses, allowing his heightened senses to contribute to a more impactful portrayal of his character's emotional turmoil. The movie, being a significant Cinema production, showcased Jake Gyllenhaal's versatility as an entertainer, proving that Hollywood often welcomes and celebrates the diversities in its pool of talent.
