Maggie Gyllenhaal

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Margalit Ruth "Maggie" Gyllenhaal (born November 16, 1977) is an American actress. She was born in New York City to film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and film producer and screenwriter Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal . Her younger brother (Jake Gyllenhaal) is also an actor. Her mother's ex-husband is Eric Foner, a noted historian and history professor at Columbia University. Married in 1977, her parents filed for divorce in October 2008. The name on Maggie Gyllenhaal's birth certificate is Margalit, which she did not discover until 2013 when she officially changed it to "Maggie". Margalit is a Hebrew word meaning "Pearl"; some news stories spelt it "Margolit". She grew up in Los Angeles, California, and studied at the Harvard–Westlake prep school. In 1995, she graduated from Harvard–Westlake and moved to New York to attend Columbia University, where she studied literature and Eastern religions; she graduated in 1999 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. After studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, she took a summer job working as a waitress in a Massachusetts restaurant.

She made her screen debut when she began to appear in her father's films. Gyllenhaal achieved recognition in a supporting role in the independent cult film, Donnie Darko (2001). Her breakthrough role was in the sadomasochistic romance, Secretary (2002), for which she received critical acclaim and a Golden Globe nomination. Gyllenhaal has appeared in an eclectic range of films, including Sherrybaby (2006), for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe; the romantic comedy, Trust The Man (2006); and numerous big-budget films such as World Trade Center (2006) and The Dark Knight (2008). She next starred in the musical-drama, Crazy Heart (2009), for which she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role as Jean Craddock. Gyllenhaal has also appeared in such theatrical plays as Closer (2000) as well as in television productions like Strip Search (2004) and The Honourable Woman (2014), the latter for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Miniseries or Television Film.

She has been in a relationship with actor Peter Sarsgaard since 2002. In 2006, the two became engaged, and Gyllenhaal gave birth to their daughter, Ramona, on October 3, 2006. On May 2, 2009, she married Sarsgaard in Italy. Their second daughter, Gloria Ray, was born April 19, 2012. Gyllenhaal is a politically active Democrat and, like her brother and parents, supports the American Civil Liberties Union. Prior to the US-led invasion of Iraq she participated in anti-war demonstrations. She is actively involved in human rights, civil liberty, anti-poverty and parent trigger causes.

Gyllenhaal is a supporter of Witness, a non-profit organization that uses video and online technologies to expose human rights violations. She co-hosted a benefit dinner with founder Peter Gabriel in November 2007. Gyllenhaal helped raise funds for TrickleUp.org, a non-profit organization that helps impoverished people start a micro-enterprise. For one of the fundraisers, Gyllenhaal helped design and promote a necklace that sold for US$100; all proceeds from sales went to the charity. In October 2008 she hosted a fashion show event called "Fashionably Natural", which was presented by Gen Art and SoyJoy in Los Angeles. The show featured four up-and-coming designers who only worked with all-natural and eco-friendly fabrics and materials. She is politically active since many years. At the 18th Independent Spirit Awards, she spoke out against the Iraq war, stating the reason for the invasion was "oil and imperialism". In 2005, Gyllenhaal drew controversy for her statement that the September 11 attacks were "an occasion to be brave enough to ask some serious questions about America's role in the world. It is always useful as individuals or nations to ask how we may have knowingly or unknowingly contributed to this conflict." Gyllenhaal took part in Artists United to Win Without War, a campaign started by Robert Greenwald with the aim of advancing progressive causes and voicing opposition to the Iraq War. She and her brother Jake filmed a commercial for Rock the Vote, and visited the University of Southern California (USC) campus to encourage students to vote in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, in which she supported John Kerry. Gyllenhaal supported Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. She has campaigned on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), an organization her family strongly supports. In June 2013, Gyllenhaal and numerous other celebrities appeared in a video showing support for Chelsea Manning.