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

UNBELIEVABLE Train Murder Twist: Killer Casually Lights Cigarette After Stabbing Iryna – Then Cops Find THIS in His Pocket That Proves It Was NO Random Attack!

In the heart of Charlotte, North Carolina, where the hum of daily commutes masks the undercurrents of urban chaos, a single moment on a light rail train…

FULL VIDEO EXPOSED: Killer’s Eerie Arm Raise in 3 Frozen Seconds on Train – Bystander Locks Eyes, Turns Away… But What He Whispers to Her Ghost Changes EVERYTHING About That Night.

The timestamp reads 9:52:47 p.m., August 22, 2025. Grainy pixels flicker across a million screens, but in Charlotte’s underbelly, that single frame burns eternal. There she is—Iryna…

Ukrainian Refugee’s Parents Drop Justice Bombshell – After 14 Months of Hell, They’re Walking Away… The Hidden Reason in Their Post Will Break Your Heart and Change How You See Forgiveness.

The post appeared without fanfare, a simple black-and-white photo of a sunflower against a Kyiv skyline, captioned in halting English: “We fought for Iryna’s light. Now, we…

Elon Musk Snuck Into Town, Bought His Mom’s Crumbling Childhood Home… Then Did the ONE Thing NO ONE Saw Coming – Wait Till You Hear Why Grown Men Cried.

The For Sale sign came down overnight. No press release, no drone flyover, no tweet. Just a quiet closing in a sleepy Pretoria suburb where jacaranda petals…

Elon Musk Becomes World’s Richest Man – Then Flies Home to Give Mom a Gift So Emotional She Whispers 6 Words That Changed His Life Forever!

The Bloomberg terminal chimed at 2:14 a.m. PST: Elon Musk – Net Worth: $340.1B. The crown was his—again. Tesla had moon-shot past trillion-dollar territory for the third…

Elon Musk Air-Drops 100 Storm-Proof Pods Overnight in Florida – Then Vanishes… Until the Families’ SHOCKING Gift Brings Him to Tears!

The Atlantic hurricane season had already claimed its toll on the sun-bleached shores of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Category 4 winds had torn through coastal towns like invisible…