‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ Caused Jake Gyllenhaal Serious Anxiety On Set

On the set of Spider-Man: Far From Home, Jake Gyllenhaal suffered anxiety as a result of the unconventional approach that Marvel Studios takes in its movies.

Speaking in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the actor recalled the events of his first day working with director Jon Watts and the rest of the production team on the movie. "That world is enormous," he said. "And I joined that world way into that run; a train that was already moving. Normally, I come in way early on and I get to figure it out."

Playing Mysterio, a former Stark Industries employee masquerading as a warrior from another reality, the duality of Gyllenhaal's performance was a hit with critics and fans. So, given his innumerable years of experience on the screen and the stage, it's surprising to learn that he was struck with a sudden bout of anxiety.

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As Gyllenhaal explained, a Marvel movie asks its employees to think off the cuff. Ergo, if there's a better idea that emerges from the back and forth on the set, then that's what the team will try out regardless of what the schedule looked like before. "If someone has a good idea, they will shift an entire day around that idea. For me, I loved it," continued the actor.

However, it wasn't what he was expecting from the get-go. "I was freaking out," confessed Gyllenhaal. "It was a scene with [Samuel L.] Jackson, Tom ... there were a number of actors in that scene. And I remember not being able to remember my lines. I was the wooden board."

"And they were like, 'Whoa.' And I went up to Tom Holland and was like, 'Dude, help me out.' He's like, 'It's all good, man. Just relax,'" he said. "It was like he was me in so many situations. And I finally did. I just put a lot of pressure on [myself] because I love that world."

To know that there was a supportive space for Gyllenhaal to express his emotions is uplifting, and props to Holland and Watts for taking the time to understand where the actor's anxiety was coming from. While Mysterio's fate in Far From Home was difficult to deny, there's always room in the Marvel Cinematic Universe for a return. We'll have to wait and see what the next Spider-Man movie has in store.

Featured Image Credit: Marvel Studios

Topics: Disney, TV and Film, Marvel, Spider-Man