Jake Gyllenhall talks acting on stage vs. film

In this web exclusive, the Oscar-nominated actor explains why he prefers performing in live theater versus the movies.

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[bobfg]

Jake is a talented actor. It's far more difficult on stage for most actors.

[MattWolfe]

I like Jake Gyllenhaal. He's a very great actor. I remember when he was in Brokeback Mountain with Heath Ledger. Them two actors did great in that movie.

[bluezy]

He's absolutely correct. Acting on stage is much easier than in film. No doubt about it.

[jasoncummings]

Stage vs Film. The audience reaction is immediate on stage.

[michelle]

I could listen to him talk about his work all day

[enriquevillalobos]

theyre not harder or easier theyre just two very different styles. he touches on this a tiny bit but it really does have to do with the types of acting required; theatre requires large, overemphasized acting in order to convey the meaning across the audience visibly while filmic acting tends to be more naturalistic, nuanced, and subtle.

There's a certain demand of stage presence for theatre where you need to hold the audiences attention in real time while film allows composition to help you with that in a way that forces you where to look and what to pay attention to.
film requires a very specific acting down to the last muscle because the camera can pick up every single tiny little thing, and requires an awareness to be consistent across shots and angles, while theatre is ever present and this is not even a concern. conversely, theatre requires you to perform an entire story from beginning to end from memory, film can have 90 minutes over the span of months or years.

ultimately the hardest thing for each is as follows:
You dont get to redo a take in theatre, if you mess up you mess up.
Every little thing you do and say (and how) can be seen by anybody forever when you record a video of it, liveness is passing.
there are people with stage fright, there are people who are camera shy. im excluding these lol :p

that being said there's been a lot of overlap lately with recorded stages and theatrical directive choices so the inevitable rehybridization of the two will yield interesting experiences moving forward.

[KingMarlonAkaGoat]

as a young starting actor myself, starting in germany playing in "Tanz der Vampire" I myself can say, being able to play onstage is something that comes with being an Actor, it takes time being able to fully adept to play "live".

[demmefrazier]

Both are great mediums personally stage acting has always been more enjoyable for me than film, the theater the actors no distractions the rehearsals night after the night I just love it.

[ValAllOver]

Strongly disagree. There's a different level of satisfaction in watching both, not an actor but as former art student, now a graphic designer i have friends from both cinema and theatre. Anyone, especially today can "act" all thanks to the modern day technology, the same can't be said to theatre where you're either an actor or you're not, there's nothing in between.

[AllanRochez]

Never really thought about it that way. well said, Mr Gyllenhall :) well said indeed :)

[_Mr.Tuvok_]

Huh, guess it’s kinda like how highway miles are easier on the car than city miles. May be a shorter distance but all the stops and starts can get exhausting.

[valentinor]

As an Actor, I agree that theater is easier and more fun than film, but I Iike film also.

[satyayana]

from my own experiences, i'd say perform in theatre more challenging

[dj-number-one]

I think most actors like acting at the stage better than film, because films are just one or five people faucting ( The Focusing Of The Camera ) But the Stage looks better because some people Who likes Acting they’ll watch you, but Films everyone they’ll watch you and this is bad for who’s primary actor.
Also biggest actor like the rock ( Darween’s ) He hate acting on Films but he have more money so he chose it.
( This is My Opinion).
And I agree jake. 🎉

[ElSings]

But this is like 10 times NOT the case if you are in a MUSICAL. A PLAY is one thing. But a musical? Ten times harder than ANY performance you will do in your life. You have no only lines and acting to do, but also dancing, vocal technique, etc.

[MrCharlesleray]

Depends on how you're trained really. I view stage acting like getting your driver's licence on manulal. You can switch to automatic but it takes some time getting used to.

[CRUTCHERofTN]

What's with the background noise. Sounds like a truck backing up

[germancheese]

Isn't that the guy from Avengers?

Edit : if there's too little detail :
I'm talking about the other guy from the spiderman movie "Far from home"

[NicholasBartel-rlse]

Knot dumb if end result is a improvement over a Fort Worth naval game with war possibilities might need a Jackson to wake up the world

[bonnieburton-rrre]

I Phone plays much better I mean movies yeah they’re good but then you got plays and there’s not all that drama it’s more artwork more real Broadway so cool