Jake Gyllenhaal discusses working with Michael Bay in latest film

By Gabriela Acosta, MWN

Jake Gyllenhaal returns to the screen in “Ambulance” as a man of action with his character Danny Sharp, who, along with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Will Sharp), act in a thriller directed by renowned filmmaker Michael Bay.

“I think within the action genre it’s very important that the film is solid. The foundation has to make you feel like there’s enough to make you hang your character’s hat on, and ‘Ambulance’ worked from the moment I read it. Also, I’ve wanted to work with Michael Bay for a long time because his movies really excite me, and I was very eager to have fun. I liked the idea of putting three different characters with intentions,” Gyllenhaal said.

In the movie, in a desperate act to get money to cover his wife’s medical debts, veteran Will Sharp turns to the one person he knows he shouldn’t, his adopted brother, Danny. Danny offers him a part in a bank robbery, the biggest in the city’s history. And Will can’t say no.

“Danny Sharp is a complex human being. He grew up in a family where bank robberies and heists were normal, which is sad and crazy, but true. He was very close to his adopted brother, Will, and I think they both found a lot of comfort with each other in this family that had so much chaos. Then, in the years leading up to Will’s departure, they grew apart. And I think, in many ways, Danny is desperate to regain his brother’s love and that connection,” he added.

The 41-year-old actor revealed that he likes to take his characters to the extreme.

“I like how crazy Danny is! Also very funny and unpredictable, something I always love in characters, because it leaves a lot of room to make different choices as an actor. I also like the idea of the audience feeling like they know a character, only to later realize they were wrong.”

Gyllenhaal believes that action is a great way to have fun, especially in this project with Abdul-Mateen II.

“Yahya is adorable. He’s an actor who is curious and asks questions in the same way that I do because we’re always looking for something deeper. And that was fun because it’s possible in a movie like this not to ask those questions; but we both knew that the deeper we went together, the more interesting the film would be. Plus, he has a wonderful energy about him because he’s very positive and frankly, that’s what matters most today. I love working with Yahya,” he stated.

Gyllenhaal worked with Eiza Gonzalez on the animated film “Spirit Untamed,” and now they are reunited in “Ambulance.”

“[We were] in ‘Spirit Untamed’ and we didn’t really shoot any scenes together until we were in a Michael Bay movie. I think Eiza is amazing in this Cam Thompson role, and we had a lot of fun being thrown into a vehicle with sharp edges. From the moment we meet the lifeguard played by Eiza, the movie picks up speed and becomes a completely different story. She begins to develop a relationship with both brothers, and that’s how she becomes the ballast on which the whole movie can rest,” Gyllenhaal said.

Lastly, the actor pointed out that he became a fan of Michael Bay during filming.

“Like many of the great directors I’ve worked with, Michael looks for what feels present and alive. He shoots with extraordinary operators and a minimum of three cameras in almost every setup, which gives him the ability to capture moments, improvise and move in a fantastic way. I think the energy is contagious in his films, which is what makes them so alive. Sometimes the simplicity of a comment can open worlds, and that’s what happens with great filmmakers like him.”