The Audiobook You Never Knew Jake Gyllenhaal Narrated

Jake Gyllenhaal grew up primed for stardom. His father, Stephen Gyllenhaal, made a name for himself as a Hollywood director and producer, helming films like 1993's "A Dangerous Woman" and even stepping in to direct an episode of the hit show, "Twin Peaks" (via IMDb). The actor's mother, Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal, is a screenwriter and producer, according to IMDb, penning projects like the River Phoenix-led "Running on Empty." Jake Gyllenhaal even has a famous godmother and was exposed to all angles of the film industry from a young age. Eventually, along with his older sister, Maggie, he followed in his parents' footsteps, quickly garnering attention and becoming an A-lister in his own right.

By the age of 20, Gyllenhaal was filming "Donnie Darko," the movie that would earn him critical praise and lead to a storied career (via Us Weekly), complete with a 2006 Oscar nomination for "Brokeback Mountain." In the last decade, Gyllenhaal has joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as the supervillain, Mysterio (per IMDb), jumpstarted his own production company, Nine Stories, and become the subject of controversy after Taylor Swift released a fictionalized retelling of their relationship in her short film, "All Too Well" — about which he had a lot to say (via Cosmopolitan). As well as lending his creative voice to the world of acting and film production, Gyllenhaal also narrated one of "the great American novels," according to Literary Hub.

F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel, "The Great Gatsby," highlights the dark side of the American Dream. Protagonist Nick Carraway moves to Long Island, hoping to make a career out of selling bonds and reconnect with his cousin, Daisy Buchanan. His neighbor is the mysterious Jay Gatsby, rich beyond belief and dangerously in love with Daisy (via Britannica). Fitzgerald's novel is filled with lavish parties, tragic loss, and — as any American Literature teacher will tell you — lots of symbolism. If you've ever taken a quiz on the significance of the green light or the eyes of Doctor T.J. Eckleburg, you'll know that "The Great Gatsby" is one of the most enduring novels of the last century.

Jake Gyllenhaal narrated the 1925 classic on Audible. The audiobook received widespread praise, earning nearly 14,000 five-star reviews, with one listener claiming, "His voice is perfect for this," and "I'll be listening to anything and everything else he chooses to read." Gyllenhaal's performance was released shortly before the premiere of Baz Luhrmann's 2013 film adaptation of the novel, and both rejuvenated a cultural obsession with the story, per E News. Over the decades, "The Great Gatsby" has been adapted for stage and screen. According to The Guardian, it "has been thoroughly inspected and crawled over, lifted up and shaken out for every last detail it can surrender to its fascinated readers . . ."

When he's not "casually cruel in the name of being honest," per Taylor Swift, Jake Gyllenhaal can also be found singing his heart out. He's made a name for himself in the theater world as well as on screen. In 2015, he starred as Seymour in the Off-Broadway production of "Little Shop of Horrors" and belted Sondheim in Broadway's 2017 revival of "Sunday in the Park with George" (via Broadway World). But, as the star told GQ in a 2022 interview, "I still don't know if I want to be an actor." According to Gyllenhaal, he's gone through phases in his career where he's lost love for acting. However, he still enjoys the creativity and collaboration associated with the job — for him, "choosing roles is about the experience and the people [he's] working with."

The "Brokeback Mountain" star has no shortage of upcoming projects, including a remake of the 1989 hit film, "Road House," per The Hollywood Reporter. If you want to get a whiff of the actor in the meantime, check out Gyllenhaal's campaign for Luna Rossa Ocean, Prada's new fragrance (via Vanity Fair).