Jake Gyllenhaal Reflects on Auditions for ‘Moulin Rouge’ and ‘Batman’

At one point, Jake Gyllenhaal had his sights set on ‘Moulin Rouge!’ In an interview with SiriusXM radio host Howard Stern, the 43-year-old actor disclosed a few of the parts he nearly landed.

Gyllenhaal revealed that he went through an audition for the part of Christian in the musical film ‘Moulin Rouge!’ directed by Baz Luhrmann. Although Gyllenhaal revealed that it was up to him, McGregor, and the late Heath Ledger, the role ultimately went to Ewan McGregor.

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He told Stern that this was the first time he had ever heard of Ledger, who would go on to be his co-star in ‘Brokeback Mountain.’ Gyllenhaal reflected on the audition process and said that actors eventually realise they compete with other actors, even if they make it to the last stages, such as the screen test.

In a 2022 interview with The Playlist, Luhrmann acknowledged Gyllenhaal’s talent and said that he was very near to landing the role, despite his disappointment at not receiving the part.

Gyllenhaal remained upbeat and emphasised the necessity to keep looking for new chances despite the losses.

Stern continued by bringing up a part that Gyllenhaal was unable to play: that of Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman, in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight’ trilogy. Gyllenhaal verified that he was personally called by Luhrmann and Nolan to let them know he didn’t receive the parts.

Despite his disappointment, Gyllenhaal emphasised the good parts of the encounter, saying that getting a personal call from Christopher Nolan was “pretty cool”. He reminded himself to keep going forward and stressed the need to not dwell on failures but rather on the progress that has been made.

– Farheen Ali