The Real Reason Jake Gyllenhaal Said Filming Love Scenes With Jennifer Aniston Was Torture
"The Guilty" star Jake Gyllenhaal is no stranger to awkward situations. A highly-respected actor with three decades of acting experience under his belt, engaging in uncomfortable scenes is Gyllenhaal's forté. Whether it is breaking down to a therapist in "Donnie Darko" or portraying a morally, uh, questionable video journalist in "Nightcrawler," Gyllenhaal has no qualms embodying the gloom-ridden — which would have most actors quivering in their boots. The point being, he's just that damn good.
Gyllenhaal has even parlayed his talents into other realms of cinema. In the 2002 film "The Good Girl," the actor starred alongside Jennifer Aniston in the critically-acclaimed comedy-drama. The film follows Gyllenhaal as Holden Worther, an aloof retail worker who soon enters a tryst with his married co-worker Justine Last, played by Aniston. As is with most onscreen relationships, the occasional love scene just comes with the territory.
In an October appearance on "The Howard Stern Show," Gyllenhaal got candid about his intimate onscreen experiences with Aniston, nearly two decades after the film's release. It was a time the actor described as "torture" — but why would Jake Gyllenhaal say so about his experience with Jennifer Aniston? Read on to find out!
Jake Gyllenhaal found the love scenes with Jennifer Aniston 'oddly mechanical'
Speaking on "The Howard Stern Show" in October, Jake Gyllenhaal opened up about his love scenes with Jennifer Aniston from the 2002 film "The Good Girl." The dark comedy saw Gyllenhaal and Aniston's characters get swept up in a whirlwind romance, despite the latter being married. With a storyline like that, love scenes are only par for the course. But as two professionals, both Gyllenhaal and Aniston made the best of what they were handed — perhaps to the dismay of the former.
When asked if the intimate scenes were "torture" for him, Gyllenhaal concurred. "Oh yeah, it was torture, yes it was," the actor laughingly noted in agreement, with a caveat: "But it was also not torture... it was like a mix of both." Gyllenhaal went on to reveal that "weirdly, love scenes are awkward, because there are maybe 30, 50 people watching it," before noting, "That doesn't turn me on." He also referred to love scenes as "oddly mechanical" and likened them to "a dance" and a "fight scene," as "you're choreographing for a camera."
Gyllenhaal also recalled using "the pillow technique" — a move requested by Aniston — which he described as "preemptive" and "used generally... in a horizontal place." Insider notes that pillows and props of the ilk are usually used to maintain the illusion of intercourse.
Jake Gyllenhaal admitted to crushing on Jennifer Aniston at one point
From "Friends" to "Bruce Almighty" to "Horrible Bosses," let's take a moment to truly appreciate what a queen Jennifer Aniston really is. Embodying every role she takes on with professionalism and grace, it's no secret as to why Aniston is one of the most revered actors of all time. On top of that, her stunning beauty has left many jaws dropped over the course of her career — including that of Jake Gyllenhaal.
Gyllenhaal, who starred as Aniston's love interest in 2002's "The Good Girl," spoke to People in 2016 and was asked what it was like to work with her, to which he gave a rather peculiar (but also kind of unsurprising!) answer. "She's a rough one. Not likable. So hard to compliment," the actor stated as if he were (perhaps jokingly) biting his tongue, choosing his words wisely in the process. "I will say, I... had a crush on her for years. And working with her was not easy," he further added.
Gyllenhaal, almost nervously, noted that "That's all I'm going to say" and that the process itself "was lovely [and] it wasn't hard, that's what I would say." We feel you, Jake!
Jennifer Aniston once had this to say about Jake Gyllenhaal
Not only is Jennifer Aniston beautiful and an impeccable actor, but many people often overlook how funny and witty she actually is. Take, for example, her roles as the sex-crazed dentist in "Horrible Bosses" or the undercover stripper in "We're the Millers" and you'll really see how much range Aniston truly has! Her bright personality especially shone through her 2016 interview with Extra, where she addressed Jake Gyllenhaal's crush on her from the decade-and-a-half prior.
When asked if she saw Gyllenhaal's comments, she noted that she heard it "a moment ago" and almost passively mentioned that "it's adorable" — probably because every guy in the late '90s to early '00s (and even today) told her the same. "That was so long ago... wonder if he still does," Aniston, who is nearly 12 years Gyllenhaal's senior, inquisitively added. "Mother's Day" and "Horrible Bosses" co-star Jason Sudeikis, who sat beside Aniston, humorously then chimed in: "Yeah, hm... Why's he bringing it up now?"