During an appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, actor Jake Gyllenhaal shared a touching moment involving a note his sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, left for him. This Jake Gyllenhaal sister note was mentioned after Maggie made a surprise visit to the show the previous day, where she placed the message without explaining its meaning.
Colbert admitted he did not know what the note said, prompting Jake to reveal the simple phrase his sister had written: “You’re a beast.” This short message carries a special significance for the Gyllenhaal siblings.
The Origin and Tradition Behind the Note
Jake recounted how the phrase began years earlier when Maggie was performing in a Broadway play. He visited her dressing room before one of the preview shows and wrote “You’re a beast” to encourage her during a challenging time. This gesture evolved into a meaningful ritual between them.
“My sister did a show on Broadway that she was acting in,”
Jake explained,
“and it was an amazing experience for her, but also she was going through things. I went into her dressing room before opening night — one of the previews maybe — and I just wrote, ‘You’re a beast.’”
Since then, they have made a habit of exchanging the phrase, with Maggie ensuring the message appears on Jake’s mirror each opening night as a token of support and strength.
“She’s written it on my mirror every opening night,”
Jake shared during the interview, highlighting the ongoing bond between them.
Connection Between the Note and Maggie’s New Film, The Bride!
Jake also suggested that the phrase “You’re a beast” ties into the themes of Maggie’s latest movie, The Bride!, which she directed. The film, a horror-romance starring Christian Bale as Frankenstein and Jessie Buckley as the Bride, premiered in theaters on Friday.
Jake described the movie as exploring the idea of recognizing something powerful in each other and sharing meaningful experiences together, such as going to a rock concert or watching a film.
“I think that’s part of what her movie is about,”
Jake said.
“And I think it’s also about all of us seeing that in each other and communally going out together experiencing life, like you would here or like you would at a rock concert, or why you’d go to the movies, to go experience something together and feel that part of yourself.”
Adding a moment of humor, Jake joked that Maggie had told him to say this during the interview but forgot to mention it to the audience during her own appearance, prompting laughter.
Decades of Shared Talent and Artistic Achievement
Stephen Colbert jokingly remarked that Maggie was “directing this interview right now,” reflecting the close relationship between the siblings. Both Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal started acting as children and have enjoyed successful careers spanning more than two decades.
They have each earned Academy Award nominations for their work—Jake for his role in 2005’s Brokeback Mountain, and Maggie for 2009’s Crazy Heart. Beyond acting, Maggie has also gained recognition for writing and directing, including a nomination for co-writing and directing the 2021 film The Lost Daughter.
Maggie’s latest directorial effort, The Bride!, continues to showcase her artistic vision, with a story centered on well-known characters and themes aimed at audiences in theaters this weekend.
