Maggie Gyllenhaal's Daughter Is Her Twin
Although her brother made headlines throughout November for a years-old relationship with Taylor Swift, Maggie Gyllenhaal is standing out in the news, but for different reasons. Her film, "The Lost Daughter," is set to officially premiere on Netflix in December, with the plot based on the book of the same name. The film is Gyllenhaal's feature film directorial debut, and she has already received high praise. "Maggie knows what it feels like to be an actress — acting especially when your body is so on display," actor Dakota Johnson gushed to Deadline. "She created a profoundly safe environment so that I felt free and safe and held and supported."
Another source of that praise was at the 31st Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York. Gyllenhaal was nominated for several awards last night, but took home four wins, including Best Feature, Bingham Ray Breakthrough Director Award, Best Screenplay, and Outstanding Lead Performance for actor Olivia Colman, according to Variety. Alongside to support Gyllenhaal for her wins was her husband, Peter Sarsgaard, and also her teenage daughter, Ramona, in a rare public appearance. And while everyone is happy for Gyllenhaal, people just can't get over how much she looks like her daughter.
Maggie Gyllenhaal's daughter supported her mom at an awards ceremony
During the November Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York, Maggie Gyllenhaal's daughter Ramona attended to support her mother's film, as the two looked so similar posing for side-by-side photos at the event. Although Gyllenhaal's children don't appear much in the public eye, she has opened up in the past about her experience in parenthood and what it's like to raise children in today's world.
"I am honest with them about what's going on in the world. I try to understand what they're thinking instead of feeding them my own thoughts/feelings. I also try to be very aware of how young they are and what they can handle," Gyllenhaal told SheKnows in a 2019 interview. "...But there is also an opportunity for big change, in a way that I've never felt before. And I think children are going to be a big part of creating that change."
"Being a mother is amazing, of course. But it is also brutal and painful," Gyllenhaal continued. "Make some space for the whole spectrum of feelings that are about to push in. Not just the fantasy ones." We're sure that this mother-daughter duo has dealt with that spectrum of feelings, but at this year's Gotham Awards, Ramona surely felt nothing but pride for her mother.
Parenting hasn't always been easy for Maggie Gyllenhaal
While Maggie Gyllenhaal has seemingly mastered the responsibilities of being a hands-on mother, it wasn't always easy for the "Donnie Darko" star. Gyllenhaal, who became a mother at 28, recalled to InStyle in 2019 that she had no idea what she was doing after welcoming Ramona in 2006. "I didn't even know I needed a diaper bag," she told the outlet about her struggles as a first-time mom. "Nobody told me. I remember going out with my oldest daughter when she was very young and she pooped and got it everywhere and I just like was like, 'I don't know what to do.' And then, you know, you learn."
And learn she did with second daughter Gloria Ray, who was born in 2012. Raising two daughters meant that Gyllenhaal had to learn to effectively communicate with them on environmental and social issues. In some cases, Gyllenhaal would even be influenced by her eldest daughter, whom she calls an "activist" on issues like climate change, and has forgone using plastic in their lives. "We don't use anything like that — we don't have to use plastic in my house because of my daughter," she told the outlet.
While Gyllenhaal has instilled many lessons to her children, she also has the full backing from her husband Peter Sarsgaard, who also takes equal responsibility when it comes to parenting.
Peter Sarsgaard has more discipline when it comes to parenting
Maggie Gyllenhaal may be a talented actor and director, but she defers to her husband Peter Sarsgaard when it comes to teaching their children music. "My husband is really the music guy," she told Us Weekly in 2019. "He believes that learning to read music and learning to play music is just as important as learning anything else you learn in school. I can read music like a kindergartner. I don't have the discipline, and he really does." However, Gyllenhaal joked that they are both not so great at teaching mathematics, even though Sarsgaard thinks he's better than her. "I resent that," Gyllenhaal joked.
Math may not be a strong suit for both actors, but their talent in film speaks for itself. Since becoming a mother, though, Gyllenhaal has found inspiration from her children and said they played an integral part in her feature film directorial debut, "The Lost Daughter," for which she thanked them at the 31st Annual Gotham Independent Film Awards in New York.
"I have so many things to say and so many people to thank," she said (via People). "But for some reason I really want to thank my mother, who is a screenwriter ... And I also want to thank my daughter. Without whom — and my other daughter who's at home with my brother and my mom right now — I would never would have known how to write this script." How sweet!