As a child, Gyllenhaal was regularly exposed to filmmaking due to his family's ties to the industry. He made his acting debut as Billy Crystal's son in the 1991 comedy "City Slickers". His parents did not allow him to appear in "The Mighty Ducks" (1992) because it 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's "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 only other film not directed by his father in which Gyllenhaal was allowed to perform was the 1993 film "Josh and S.A.M.", a little-known children's adventure.