Jake Gyllenhaal appeared in a few very minor television and movie roles as a child, but he didn’t star in his first lead role until the release of “October Sky” in 1999. Gyllenhaal was 18 at the time.
Had the Academy Award nominee’s parents been more open to the idea of their son starring in “The Mighty Ducks,” Gyllenhaal may have become a household name sooner.
During a recent appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Gyllenhaal recalled how he felt after he landed the lead role in “The Mighty Ducks” at age 11 and his parents wouldn’t allow him to take it.