Maggie Gyllenhaal may be the sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal, but she is certainly an established actor in her own right. Among many other accolades, she was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Crazy Heart, alongside Jeff Bridges. She has graced screens in both leading and supporting roles, and never fails to entertain.
Gyllenhaal has demonstrated her diversity by stepping into a number of widely varying roles so far in her career, and no role is similar to the next. Most recently, she has even ventured behind the camera, in producing and directing a piece starring her husband for Netflix's short-film collection, Homemade, shot entirely in isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gyllenhaal's best roles are an accurate example of her ever-developing oeuvre.
Frank (7.0)
The 2014 Lenny Abrahamson-directed comedy-drama, Frank, stars Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, and Maggie Gyllenhaal. The Irish-British production follows Gleeson's character Jon, as he joins Frank's (Fassbender) rock band - Soronprfbs.
Franks wears a giant fake head for the duration of the film and is therefore not recognizable as Fassbender, and this is just one of the film's many quirks. Gyllenhaal plays Clara, a fellow band member who seems to have a strong affinity for violence and frequently lashes out.
Secretary (7.0)
The 2002 romance-drama, Secretary, directed by Steven Shainberg, stars Maggie Gyllenhaal as the young Lee Holloway. Holloway is presented as suffering from emotional issues, and upon being released from a mental institution, she is handed over to the care of her parents.
While living with her parents, Holloway finds a job as a secretary working for an attorney, E. Edward Grey. As their working relationship progresses, Holloway becomes attracted to Grey, and the two enter into a physical relationship in which Holloway encourages the stern side of Grey's personality.
Crazy Heart (7.2)
The 2009 romance-drama Crazy Heart stars Jeff Bridges as a country-music star, whose many failed marriages and declining career lead him into the arms of young journalist and mother, Jean Craddock, played by Maggie Gyllenhaal.
As a result of their relationship, Bridges' character, Bad Blake, attempts to get his life back on track, and his excessive drinking under control. With Craddock as his motivation, Black comes face to face with many obstacles and is determined to make himself worthy of Craddock and her son.
Paris, I Love You (7.2)
The 2006 anthology film Paris, I Love You (French: Paris, Je T'aime) is made up of 18 short-films by 22 directors, featuring an all-star cast.
Among the directors are Joel and Ethan Coen and Gurinder Chadha, while Steve Buscemi, Natalie Portman, and Juliette Binoche, as well as Gyllenhaal, are among the many famous faces. Gyllenhaal stars in the "Quartier des Enfants Rouges" segment as the drug-addict American actress Liz, who is in Paris shooting a film.
Stranger Than Fiction (7.5)
The fantasy comedy-drama Stranger Than Fiction stars Will Ferrell as Harold Crick, the Internal Revenue Service agent, who, one day, begins to hear a female voice narrating his life as he lives it, and sets out to understand this strange phenomenon.
Crick's lonely life takes a turn when he meets Gyllenhaal's character. Gyllenhaal stars as baker Ana Pascal, whom Crick is appointed to investigate for resisting taxation. Despite the official nature of Crick's meeting with Pascal, the two characters hit it off and begin to develop feelings for each other.
Adaptation. (7.7)
The second Spike Jonze and Charlie Kaufman collaboration after Being John Malkovich, Adaptation. stars Nicolas Cage in the role of Charlie Kaufman, and his brother Donald. The film follows Charlie as he attempts to adapt the novel The Orchid Thief - written by Meryl Streep's character, Susan Orlean - for the screen.
This complex comedy-drama features a number of well-known faces in supporting roles, such as Maggie Gyllenhaal as Caroline Cunningham. Cunningham is a make-up technician who becomes the love interest of Donald Kaufman during his stint of success with his own film script.
Donnie Darko (8.0)
In the 2001 modern cult-classic, Donnie Darko, Maggie Gyllenhaal features as Elizabeth Darko, the on-screen sibling to her real-life brother, Jake Gyllenhaal - Donnie Darko. The film delves into the life of teenager Donnie in the midst of the impending apocalypse that only he has knowledge of.
Throughout its dealings with time-travel, the end of the world, and Frank the mysterious bunny figure, Donnie attempts to understand everything that is happening around him, while Elizabeth continues to seemingly live her life as normal.
The Deuce (8.1)
From George Pelecanos and David Simon - the creators of The Wire - comes the HBO television drama, The Deuce. The Deuce centers on the sex-trade industry in New York's Times Square in the early 1970s.
Gyllenhaal stars in the series as Eileen 'Candy' Merrell, a sex-worker who starts out working on the streets and eventually migrates into the porn industry to become an actress and director. Gyllenhaal stars alongside James Franco, who plays twins, Vincent and Frankie Martino.
The Honourable Woman (8.1)
Maggie Gyllenhaal stars in Hugo Blick's BBC political thriller miniseries, The Honourable Woman, as the title character Nessa Stein. Gyllenhaal won a Golden Globe for her portrayal of the Anglo-Jewish businesswoman.
After the unexpected death of a business partner, Stein becomes involved in a conspiracy that is much larger than her family's business. This puts Stein at risk and threatens to uncover many of her own hidden secrets, while she advocates for reconciliation between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
The Dark Knight (9.0)
The Dark Knight is the second installment in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight Trilogy and stars Christian Bale as Bruce Wayne. Among the films star-studded cast, Maggie Gyllenhaal features as Rachel Dawes - replacing Katie Holmes, who played the character in Batman Begins.
Dawes is Wayne's childhood friend who goes on to become an assistant district attorney and the girlfriend of Harvey Dent. Dawes functions as a love interest for Batman, as well as his moral and legal guide.