Jake Gyllenhaal does not "feel" like an actor.
The 36-year-old hunk has admitted he is "fluent" when it comes to filmmaking and with being in front of the camera, but the fact he feels "so comfortable" on set "disturbs" him, which he puts down to being immersed in the movie business at an early age.
Speaking to Total Film magazine, the ‘Nightcrawler’ star – who made his movie debut in 1991 aged 11 – said: "To be honest, I don’t really feel like an actor. Which is strange. But I don’t. I’m fluent in the process of filmmaking, of being on a set. I’m comfortable there, which already makes me a bit disturbed. But that comes from starting at a young age. And the illusion of that process was shattered very early, and it quickly became very hard work.
"It’s a long interesting journey to evolve into an adult doing it."
And Jake is "worried" for children who embark on a career in the entertainment industry because of the effect it will have on them later in life.
He added: "Sometimes I worry about kids performing at a young age. It’s a process that involves a lot of illusion."
And the ‘Southpaw’ actor wished he had "more of a sense of humour" during his career, and did not put so much pressure on himself to be "perfect" when he was growing up.
Asked what he would do differently with his career, he said: "In terms of attitude, I’d have more of a sense of humour about everything, and the idea that hard work and enough talent will do you OK, that there is no perfect.
"For a long time I was striving to be the best at what I do, but it’s just not possible. I think it’s a very young idea, and I stopped when I met Denis [Villeneuve], I would say. Because he showed me he is a real artist amidst all this stuff. Eve as his movies become more and more popular, he maintains his artistry. He made me realise that making movies is about the connections between people and what that inspires in you as an artists."
And the star also wishes he made the effort to have a "relationship with every single filmmaker" he worked with throughout his career.
He added: "So when I look back, I wish I was able to cultivate that relationship with ever single filmmaker I worked with, and I am starting to learn how to do that."
Jake Gyllenhaal does not ‘feel’ like an actor
