Maggie Gyllenhaal

Born on November 16, 1977, in New York City, into a distinguished filmmaking family—the daughter of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, and older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal—Margalit 'Maggie' Gyllenhaal studied literature and Eastern religions at Columbia University while training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Gyllenhaal captured international critical attention in 2002 with her daring, breakout performance as Lee Holloway in the provocative romantic comedy-drama 'Secretary', earning her first Golden Globe nomination. Demonstrating an appetite for complex, nuanced, and morally ambiguous characters, she delivered acclaimed performances in 'Sherrybaby' (2006) as a recovering addict struggling to reconnect with her daughter, and starred as Assistant District Attorney Rachel Dawes in Christopher Nolan's blockbuster cultural milestone 'The Dark Knight' (2008). In 2009, Gyllenhaal earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her poignant performance opposite Jeff Bridges in 'Crazy Heart'. In 2014, she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Miniseries for her tour de force performance in the BBC/Sundance political thriller 'The Honourable Woman'. Expanding her creative prowess behind the camera, Gyllenhaal wrote, produced, and directed the 2021 psychological drama 'The Lost Daughter', adapted from Elena Ferrante's novel. The film premiered at the Venice International Film Festival to rapturous acclaim, winning Best Screenplay at Venice and earning three Academy Award nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay for Gyllenhaal, cementing her reputation as an extraordinary auteur director.