In the realm of professional acting, where portraying intense physical confrontations is part of the job, sometimes the line between reality and fiction can blur unexpectedly.
Jake Gyllenhaal, sharing the screen with Conor McGregor in the upcoming Amazon Prime release of the revamped ’80s hit ‘Road House,’ found himself in such a situation.
Throughout the film, Gyllenhaal’s character clashes directly with McGregor’s portrayal of Knox, resulting in some adrenaline-fueled action sequences that occasionally lead to Gyllenhaal experiencing the full force of McGregor’s renowned power firsthand.
Speaking to Jimmy Fallon on ‘The Tonight Show’ recently, Gyllenhaal recounted an incident where McGregor accidentally landed a punch on him during filming. “We had, actually, by mistake, he clocked me in the face,” Gyllenhaal admitted, shedding light on the unexpected encounter.
Gyllenhaal elaborated on the circumstances surrounding the mishap, explaining how McGregor, despite being known for his prowess in the ring, was always supportive and constructive during their fight scenes. “We would do a take where we were like fighting, and fake fighting, fake fighting, and then we’d go watch the monitor to see it back, to see what worked, and he was always great with me,” Gyllenhaal shared.
“He would show me, tell me to do things, and like, ‘Oh, you know, turn your head, move a little bit more this way to try and make it look more real,’ and it was late because we shot a lot of these fight scenes at night.”
The incident itself occurred during one of these late-night shoots, as Gyllenhaal recalled. “So it was like 3 a.m., and he was talking to me really close, and he was like, ‘Yeah, like that left hook looks good, but then when you do it like, boom,’ and he hit me by mistake,” he recounted, highlighting the unexpected nature of the blow. “It was almost like… and I was like, ‘Oh!’ And he was like, ‘Oh!’”
Beyond the on-set mishaps, Gyllenhaal also shared insights into McGregor’s involvement in the film. He revealed that the producers had been actively pursuing McGregor for the role for a significant period before he finally accepted. “When I got word that he was going to be doing it, I was super psyched, because they chased him for a long time to play the part,” Gyllenhaal said, emphasizing the anticipation surrounding McGregor’s casting.
However, with McGregor on board, Gyllenhaal couldn’t help but feel a tinge of apprehension about the impending on-screen confrontations. “But then I got totally terrified and I thought, ‘Oh God, I actually have to fake fight this guy and I got to look like I can.’” Despite his concerns, Gyllenhaal dedicated himself to rigorous training, including grappling and MMA sessions for two months leading up to filming.
As ‘Road House’ gears up for its Amazon Prime release on March 21, audiences can anticipate not only the electrifying action sequences but also the palpable chemistry between Gyllenhaal and McGregor, born from their shared commitment to delivering an authentic and thrilling cinematic experience.
