Jake Gyllenhaal has both literal godparents and what he describes as "celebrity godparents". The late actor and director Paul Newman was his celebrity godfather, and actress Jamie Lee Curtis was both his literal and celebrity godmother. Other godparents of unknown status include a gay couple and cinematographer Robert Elswit. Gyllenhaal himself is the godfather of Matilda Rose Ledger (born October 28, 2005), daughter of Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, both of whom co-starred with him in "Brokeback Mountain". Gyllenhaal dated actress Kirsten Dunst for nearly two years, starting in 2002. He later dated his "Rendition" co-star Reese Witherspoon from about 2007 to
Jake Gyllenhaal would have required him to leave home for two months. In subsequent years, his parents allowed him to audition for roles but regularly forbade him to take them if he were chosen. He was allowed to appear in his father's films several times. Gyllenhaal appeared in the 1993 film "A Dangerous Woman" (along with sister Maggie); in "", a 1994 episode of ""; and in the 1998 comedy "Homegrown". Along with their mother, Jake and Maggie appeared in two episodes of "Molto Mario", an Italian cooking show on the Food Network. Prior to his senior year in high school, the