Jake Gyllenhaal Reveals Christopher Nolan Personally Called Him to Say He Lost Batman Role

Jake Gyllenhaal has revealed Christopher Nolan personally called him up after his Batman Begins audition to let him know he didn't get the role.

Gyllenhaal auditioned for the role of Batman in 2003 and came close to being offered the part, but it ultimately went to Christian Bale. It wasn't the first time Gyllenhaal had reached the final casting stages, only to be pipped to the post by another actor, as the same happened with Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge a few years prior.

When you get that far, there's a real legitimacy to you potentially getting something.

During an appearance on The Howard Stern Show, Gyllenhaal reflected on this period and admitted he felt disappointed when he lost out on the roles, but it didn't knock his confidence. He credited Nolan and Luhrmann for taking the time to follow up and share the reasons behind their decisions, which motivated him to "keep going." 

"Both of those directors called me personally to tell me [I didn't get the role]," Gyllenhaal said. "They will tell you why. When you get that far, there's a real legitimacy to you potentially getting something. It's not like they're going, 'Oh, thanks so much.' They are going, 'I saw these aspects of you that I really wanted in the role and are wonderful, but in the end, I ended up moving this way because it matches better with this person who is opposite you or would be opposite you. The color of their hair or their height, whatever it is. There are all these non-factors that really are the inexplicable stuff that, if you start to pick away at, it doesn't work. It's not healthy.

"I remember getting a call from Christopher Nolan and thinking, 'I just got a call personally from Christopher Nolan. That's pretty cool. I've gotten pretty far.' I went from them going, they aren't sure [about me] to a call saying they're really thinking about you for this maybe," he recalled. "And I'm like, 'I'll just keep going.'"

The role of Bruce Wayne went to Bale, who found his distinctive Bat-voice (albeit a toned-down version) at the auditions. Bale starred as Batman in Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight trilogy, hanging up his cape with The Dark Knight Rises in 2012. He even turned down Warner Bros. offer of a fourth movie out of respect for Nolan.

Gyllenhaal went on to star in Jarhead and Brokeback Mountain, both released in the same year as Batman Begins. He also got his chance to wear a cape, playing the villainous Mysterio in Spider-Man: Far From Home — a role he credits for challenging his outlook on acting and helping him rediscover his love for the job.

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter @AdeleAnkers.