Is This The Most Awkward Audition Story Ever? We Think So, Jake Gyllenhaal

Peter Jackson is NOT a fan

Jake Gyllenhaal is a pretty stellar actor, right? He was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Brokeback Mountain, and we’re still obsessed with his performance in Donnie Darko from about a thousand years ago. Well, 2001.

However some Jake’s acting talents haven’t always won him much admiration, as he hilariously revealed that Peter Jackson called him ‘the worst actor he has ever seen’ when he auditioned for the part of Frodo in The Lord of the Rings.

Speaking on The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon, Jake opened up about his audition for the blockbusting trilogy, and quite frankly, it sounds like a nightmare laced with awkwardness. 

‘So I went in to read for it [the role of Frodo] - and I remember going into this room and there was a lot of stage directions - we didn't have any lines to say, really it was just like finding the ring and you are supposed to open the thing and there is a ring there...' he said.

This reminds us of weird improvisation exercises in drama class.

'And I remember I didn't really do it because I didn't really understand - because there were no lines - so I walked up and sort of opened it up and was like: “Was that good?”

'Then I had to say the lines and I didn't do an accent for it.'

Unfortunately Jake’s lack of British accent meant the audition went from bad to worse, which the iconic director was all too keen to highlight. 

According to Jake, Peter turned to him and declared: 'You are the worst actor that I have ever seen! Did anyone tell you that you are supposed to have an accent?' When Jake responded that not one of his team of agents had told him to, the director then advised him to sack them. 

Because Jake is far too funny and so very, very handsome not to watch, watch him tell the tale here. He tells it better than we do.

OK, now all we need to someone to find the footage.