Jake Gyllenhaal filmography character, a "sullen" and "schizophrenic" teenager, made him a cult hero. Although the film was critically acclaimed, it failed commercially. Gyllenhaal starred in the 2004 disaster film "The Day After Tomorrow", which, despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, was a commercial success at the box office. In 2005, he co-starred as Jack Twist opposite Heath Ledger in the romance drama "Brokeback Mountain". The actors portrayed two men that fall in love during a sheepherding expedition. The roles earned both Gyllenhaal and Ledger critical acclaim and Academy Award nominations. That same year, he starred in the drama films "Jarhead" and "Proof".
Jake Gyllenhaal rumors circulated regarding the actor's sexual orientation. When asked about such gossip during an interview, Gyllenhaal said: Gyllenhaal narrated the 2005 short animated film "The Man Who Walked Between the Towers", based on Mordicai Gerstein's book of the same name about Philippe Petit's famous stunt. In January 2007, as host of "Saturday Night Live", he put on a sparkly evening dress and sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the musical "Dreamgirls" for his opening monologue, dedicating the song to his "unique fan base... the fans of "Brokeback"". In 2007, Gyllenhaal starred in David Fincher's mystery thriller