30 Days and 16 Years: A Pin Up History of Jake Gyllenhaal and Austin Nichols - Day 7

Largely filmed in Montreal, Canada between November 2002-March 2003, The Day After Tomorrow was epic for both visual effects as well as for the cinematic love story that blossomed behind the scenes, on camera, and inside that cozy trailer the two lovebirds co-stars shared on set. Day after day, after day, after day.  

Whether celebrating Jake's birthday, just "fooling around" with one another while filming, or during those innumerable outtakes from the movie, neither man could hide how smitten and completely gone for one another both of  them were...from start to finish. 

Much too young to care to be coy or ashamed of who they loved, Jake was a mere 21 at the beginning of the TDAT shoot (turning 22 in December), and his "old man" Austin, had just turned 22 back in April, right before they met at TDAT auditions in May 2002. Hard to believe but now, nearly 38 years old, they have lived their entire adult lives together.

Awwww,  look. There's protective Austin making sure Jake doesn't burn himself with all those candles. And there's his special Jakey smile openly directed at the camera lens. You guys are just so embarrassing.

And even though management has tried to erase everything related to Jake and Austin's relationship on the Internet, we here at Narnia have special access to an treasure trove archive of TDAT material. 

An Interview with Austin Nichols, from YM Magazine, April 2004:

Hardest part to film: His scenes with Jake. "He was always making faces at me, trying to crack me up," says Austin. "It usually worked too. I was trying to be all serious and I'd see him sticking his tongue out and I'd lose it."

Fave on-set pastime: Cooking with Jake. They usually make Mexican food, but Austin's most proud of their make-it-up-as-you-go-along chicken dish. "We put three full chickens in a huge pan with shallots, garlic, onions, radishes, and seasoning."
  
An Interview with Jake Gyllenhaal, from YM Magazine, June 2004:

Jake : I especially love messing with Austin [Nichols, who plays a rich kid who also wants to date Laura]. He'll do a take and I'll say, "you're not reallly going to do that are you?"


Cooking? Messing around? Making-It-Up-As-You-Go-Along?  That sounds delicious, naughty, and delightfully spontaneous. Sort of just like how young love should be.

pic sources:  IHJ, TDAT screen caps, YouTube
our playlist:  Snow Patrol = Chasing Cars
                     John Mayer - Your Body is a Wonderland