Whoever said dreams don’t come true in Hollywood?
Owen Cooper got his wish of meeting acting idol Jake Gyllenhaal as the Donnie Darko actor paid a surprise visit to the Adolescence star in a sweet video shared by Netflix. The 15-year-old, who made history as the youngest nominee in the Limited Series Supporting Actor category, was interrupted during an interview by Gyllenhaal, a fellow nominee in the Limited Series Lead Actor category for Apple TV+’s Presumed Innocent.
Just days ago, Cooper appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! to reiterate, “I want to get there [to the Emmys], do all the media and then just chew Jake Gyllenhaal’s ear off all night,” adding that meeting the Brokeback Mountain star is his “number one” priority.
In a clip compilation preceding the two’s eventual meeting, Cooper called Gyllenhaal his “favorite actor of all time,” saying he “can’t wait to meet him” and would “love to” collaborate with the Nightcrawler star.
Cut to: Gyllenhaal walking down a carpeted hotel hallway en route to meet Cooper. With gift in hand, he admitted, “Now I feel nervous. I’m excited.” As he entered the room, yet unseen by the young actor, the interviewer prompted Cooper by asking him what he would say if he met his inspiration in real life: “I don’t know. I’ll just stare at him. I don’t really know. I’ve got no words,” Cooper answered.
Upon noticing Gyllenhaal, Cooper was certainly struck speechless, turning away to process his shock at the reveal. The two then shared a hug as Gyllenhaal presented him with a token featuring an inscription on the bottom, saying, “I made this movie [Brokeback Mountain], and I got nominated for an Academy Award, and a friend of mine sent me this before. Something just like this. It’s just a ‘Lucky Duck’ to keep in your pocket. To give you a little bit of luck.”
“I just came by because he’s just been talking about me too much, so I just figured I’d stop it, I’d stop it and get it done,” Gyllenhaal joked as the two took pictures and Cooper thanked him for his time.
Nominated alongside Javier Bardem (Monsters: The Lyle And Erik Menendez Story), Bill Camp (Presumed Innocent), Rob Delaney (Dying for Sex), Peter Sarsgaard (Presumed Innocent) and co-star Ashley Walters, Cooper is seen as the frontrunner and favorite to win his category.
The Emmys air tonight on CBS and Paramount+ with Showtime at 5 p.m. PT.
The post Jake Gyllenhaal Gives Owen Cooper Sweet Gift During Surprise Visit After ‘Adolescence’ Star Said He “Can’t Wait” To Meet Him At Emmys appeared first on Deadline.
