Jake Gyllenhaal Claims Legal Blindness Has Been ‘Beneficial’ to His Acting Journey

Jake Gyllenhaal has a unique advantage.

The “Nightcrawler” actor opened up about how being legally blind has helped him in his acting career, saying he prefers to look at the disability as “advantageous.”

“I’ve never known anything else. When I can’t see in the morning, before I put on my glasses, it’s a place where I can be with myself,” he told the Hollywood Reporter in an interview published Wednesday.

Jake Gyllenhaal roadhouse still
Jake Gyllenhaal said he views his legal blindness as “advantageous” in his acting career.Laura Radford/Prime Video

Jake Gyllenhaal red carpet photo
“When I can’t see in the morning, before I put on my glasses, it’s a place where I can be with myself,” he told the Hollywood Reporter.Getty Images

The Oscar nominee, 43, relied on that practice during one of his pivotal scenes from 2015’s “Southpaw.”

When police tell his character that his wife died, Gyllenhaal performed the scene without his contacts to listen better.

This isn’t the first time the “Spider-Man: Far From Home” star has discussed his 20/1250 vision.

In a 2017 interview with the Telegraph, he recalled being an “easy target” for bullies as a kid because of his corrective glasses.

Jake Gyllenhaal poses during Howard Stern interview
Gyllenhaal also told the outlet how he used his his 20/1250 vision as an asset while filming 2015’s “Southpaw.”Getty Images for SiriusXM

Jake Gyllenhaal roadhouse Amazon promo
Gyllenhaal said he removed his contacts during a difficult scene to listen more closely.Getty Images for Amazon

“I was always a sensitive kid,” he said of the teasing, which led to some childhood squabbles.

But those same scuffles seem to have helped him deliver in his onscreen fight scenes.

In Amazon’s rebooted take on the Patrick Swayze classic “Road House,” Gyllenhaal went up against retired UFC fighter Conor McGregor.

Jake Gyllenhaal SNL still
In 2017, Gyllenhaal said his corrective glasses made him an “easy target” for bullies as a child.Rosalind O’Connor/NBC via Getty Images

Jake Gyllenhaal roadhouse Amazon promo
“I was always a sensitive kid,” he recalled of the teasing.Getty Images

“I [got to] throw Jake Gyllenhaal over the bar, so that was pretty fun. I loved it,” McGregor told Page Six at the movie’s premiere in March.

The fighter, 35, also commended the actor who “took one or two wallops” while filming but “gave back as well.”

“We had a great rapport. He was very patient with me, very helpful,” the Irish athlete added.

Related Posts

Breaking News: I’m a Glam-ma Again!” Gayle King’s Jaw-Dropping Family Bombshell – How the CBS Queen’s Son and His Bride Dropped a Baby Surprise That Even Oprah Couldn’t See Coming.

In a plot twist straight out of a morning show script – the kind Gayle King herself would deliver with a perfectly timed pause and a knowing…

“You’re On the Wrong Coast, Mate!”: Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon’s Epic April Fools’ Seat Swap – The Hilarious Prank That Took Years, Crossed Networks, and Left Audiences Begging for an Encore.

It was the late-night TV twist no one saw coming – except maybe the two Jimmys themselves, who’d been scheming it in secret for half a decade….

‘He Lived Fully, But Left Too Soon’ TikTok Star Ben Bader’s Family Speaks Out After His Sudden Death at 25 😢📱

The sun hung low over the Intracoastal Waterway like a reluctant witness on October 23, 2025, casting golden halos on the yachts bobbing in Admiral’s Cove’s pristine…

Jimmy Kimmel’s Shocking Olive Branch to Donald Trump After Years of Savage Feuds, Suspensions, and Ratings Wars – Could This Late-Night Detente Actually Happen?

In a plot twist that has late-night TV insiders clutching their pearls and Trump Truth Social warriors sharpening their keyboards, Jimmy Kimmel – the sharp-tongued scourge of…

😢 TikTok Star Ben Bader, 25, Found Dead at Florida Club — Cause Still Under Investigation, Heartbroken Fans and Girlfriend in Mourning 💔🔥

In the sun-drenched enclave of Admiral’s Cove, Jupiter, Florida – a gated utopia where multimillion-dollar mansions hug manicured fairways and the Atlantic’s whisper is the soundtrack to…

Stephen Colbert and Wife Evie Quietly Erase $667,000 in School Lunch Debt for 103 Hungry Kids – The Heartbreaking Reason They Did It Will Restore Your Faith in Humanity.

In an act of staggering generosity that flew completely under the radar until this morning, late-night legend Stephen Colbert and his wife Evie McGowan have obliterated over…