Jake Gyllenhaal Believes Legal Blindness Can Be Beneficial for His Career

Jake Gyllenhaal, born with a lazy eye and legally blind, has never been bothered by his limited vision. In fact, he believes it gives him an advantage as an actor. Gyllenhaal started wearing corrective lenses at the age of 6, although his lazy eye resolved itself over time. He says his blindness allows him to focus more intensely and be with himself in a unique way.

During the filming of “Southpaw” in 2015, Gyllenhaal took out his contact lenses to force himself to listen more closely in a pivotal scene where his character receives devastating news. He used his limited vision as a tool to better understand his character’s emotional state and surroundings.

In his latest film, “Road House,” Gyllenhaal plays an ex-UFC fighter alongside real-life UFC champion Conor McGregor. The actor mentioned that he seeks out roles that challenge him and push him outside of his comfort zone. He enjoys stepping into characters that require him to discover new aspects of himself through the roles he plays.