X-press Dispatch #1: Donald Mowat and Jake Gyllenhaal

Throwback pic is from the Nightcrawler set, circa Fall 2013

Another day, another use of a second degree of separation Instagram post to keep Jake Gyllenhaal relevant and in the public eye. A shared moment from a professional colleague that nudged Narnia Dispatches to take a quick second look at Donald Mowat's truncated biography page on IMDb. 

What leaps out immediately is how only a mini-biography, that abruptly ends in 2012, is presented. In other words, Mowat's abridged bio curiously ends just when he begins to start working with Jake routinely.  In fact, after 2012, Mowat has been stuck like glue to Jake Gyllenhaal movie projects in much the same way that Nick Payne seemed attached at the hip to Jake when it came to his theater productions (Constellations; If There Is I Haven't Found It Yet; Seawall/A Life?

https://narniadispatches.blogspot.com/2019/08/weekend-musings.html

https://narniadispatches.blogspot.com/2019/09/jake-gyllenhaals-four-year-project-of.html


No, really.  Out of Jake Gyllenhaal’s 14 wide released films since signing with WME in 2012, Mowat has been the makeup designer for 6 of them. That’s right. If we include Prisoners, which began filming in 2012, Mowat has worked as Jake’s make-up artist in nearly 50% of his projects in just six years.

[We've crossed through misleading entries such Accidental Love, which was actually filmed in the spring of 2008, the video short and the TV series appearance.]

So one has to wonder what essential component might a makeup artist possess that would inspire Jake to forge such a deep and abiding relationship with one? Maybe Mr. Mowat is a person Jake  can trust. A person who knows how to keep secrets. 

A CAVE OF SECRETS

The hair and makeup trailer is notorious as Ground Zero for set gossip, and every actor knows it. Says Scott, “Especially on the first day, I’ll never name names when I tell stories. I hardly even bring up examples of other people I’ve worked with. [Actors] pick up on the fact that you respect privacy in general. Then they start to trust that you’re going to respect their privacy.”
“Everything is about trust,”  Filmmaker Magazine

In other words, the makeup trailer is like a sanctuary for an performer in production.  A place where an actor can go to decompress, to hideaway from the hustle and bustle on set, and to perhaps have some quiet time away from others that NDAs may protect you from, but just don't provide the kind of separate physical spaces needed to truly feel safe. Since so many artists are in the closet that alone would not explain Jake's deep attachment to Mowat. Which means that the secrets being hidden away from the world must be much larger than that. Like maybe those children Jake keeps reminding everyone that he doesn't have, yet continues to lament year after year how much he wants. Those kids he just never seems to have time to get around to having. At least not publicly.

As a result, there may have been a more personal reason why access to Jake on set in New Mexico was so tightly controlled when filming Brothers in December 2007. And guess, what? A makeup artist was the excuse for the seclusion even back then.

 Jake near his trailer with an unidentified woman.

A mystery woman that the strategically well-timed story published in the PR go-to rag, Popcrunch (November 2007), easily fit the bill for this concocted battle between Jake and Tobey Maguire. Although we here at Narnia don't know too many makeup artists who "stay with the actor" during a shoot, we do know a few live in nannies who might fit the bill.

..."he'll let her stay with him during the shoot"???? Reeally?

Given that this makeup artist story appeared just a little over a month after the rumor of Jake and Austin Nichols having a surrogate baby together in October 2007, a nanny would be an essential companion for a working actor. Particularly, since Mr. Nichols had been flown to Uruguay, of all places, to provide just the proper cover distance to convince the public that no there-there existed after all. In normal closeting times, it's important to make sure those OTPs are not on the same continent, even while working. Even more so, when a secret baby is involved.

Perhaps this mystery woman, might also explain Just Jared's snarky comment back in the day when he still had some gumption to go rogue every now and then. So the woman holding that big black diaper bag is not Reese Witherspoon. Got it, Jared.

Now we don't know if Donald Mowat likes to wear pink beanies on set *sarcasm intended*, but we do know that he continues to enjoy a special relationship with Jake Gyllenhaal throughout the years. One of those rare individuals he has actually allowed inside that circle of trust. Year after year, hidden away from the world. After working with Jake on six movies in just eight years, who knows what kind of secrets Mowat might hold which could inspire him to be hired over and over again. All we do know, is that children do like familiarity and Jake does have a history with secret rendezvousing and movie trailers. How reassuring to have an ally around who can be trusted at all times; where no explanations are necessary whenever under the radar meet ups are needed, or that private phone call, just to check-in, needs to be made.  Just sayin'.


https://narniadispatches.blogspot.com/2017/04/dont-come-rockinyet-day-5.html  


From TMZ.com, April 10, 2007, 1:30pm PDT:

Jake's New BFF

Forget Matt and Lance, Jake Gyllenhaal has a new buddy.

Jake was spotted in San Diego last week, visiting the set of HBO's pilot "John from Cincinnati," where his pal Austin Nichols plays the lead. Gyllenhaal arrived and was immediately escorted to Nichols' trailer, where they spent most of the day. Austin left the trailer only to grab some grub for the two from catering tables. This photo shows the best friends at a Lakers game in 2006.  

Pic/research sources:  Just Jared; TMZ; PopCrunch; IMDb; Mowat Instagram

Our Playlist:  Dress You Up (Live 1985 Tour) - Madonna

                      Queen of My Double-Wide Trailer - Sammy Kershaw

                      What Makes You Beautiful - The Piano Guys

                      Lipstick on Your Collar - Connie Francis

Sunday Musings: Make Up, Face Masks and Living in Your Discomfort Zone

Good morning, everyone!  September morn...as Neil Diamond would say, eh?  lol.  We just had a northerly front blow through and temps dropped about twenty degrees so this is a nice break.  What else is breaking?  Who said anything about breaking?  Nah, we have just a couple of news items to go over.  Let's get going.

Well, this interview appeared on Twitter via You Tube and so it's current and we're told took place during the Toronto International Film Festival last weekend.  While there was the usual shoehorning of the sister and generic word "family", there were some interesting quotes and phrases which seemed to crop up several times.  Again, The Sisters Brothers is based on an historical novel which takes place in Oregon and California, yet for some reason, filming took place in Spain, Romania and a country you don't see mentioned in the press nearly as often - France.  Yes, France.  

Jake says at different points in the interview:

"Oftentimes, people say things to me like 'you don't seem American' and I take that as a compliment"

"searching and searching and going out in the world"

"feeling like a foreigner"

"be a part of the world"

"I love the opportunity that making films in other parts of the world gives you." 

Reminds this long time Jake follower of the time when Jake was a judge at Berlinale and was obsessed with the number 5.  In particular, he was asking for giveaways/items in quantities of five.  As in five Baby Tiles who would all want a souvenir from Papa?  As some may be familiar with this trait of Jaker's, he can be a tad on the obsessive side and reckless.  After all, how do you think we have been able to accumulate so many clues pointing towards the existence of the legendary Baby Tile(s)??

Here's the You Tube video where the interviewer asks him why he had been obsessed with the number 5:

And so now, if you've been paying attention, Jake seems to have been in a grand mood for several years, dropping plenty of bread crumbs along the way that he is not in the United States much anymore.

Notice too that this morning, now comes another French publication where Jake has granted an interview that will busy his timeline today because he mentions "Marvel" and "Tom Holland".  Add this interview to the GQ France issue which gave more chatter and several new pictures of Jake in afghan sweaters which has occupied his social media search for weeks.  The lucky French!  One might think Jake has gotten more comfortable and familiar with this area of the world.

Uh yes, it is very much becoming so, for some of us, buddy.  LOL!

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And who says couples can't groom together?  With some additional testimony that PR teams borrow from the same book, we have Jared Padalecki and his beard enjoying mask-time together. 

 

 

Hmmm, where have we seen this Maybelline Bonding before? Oh, yes...

Austin and his previous beard, Chlo Bennet.  Aaah, the memories, the memories.  More like, the emasculation of it all, huh?

 

Oh, and how about a two-fer?  There has also recently been this Padackles/Jaustin beams crossing moment.  Here's a flashback - Jake and his closet enabling make up man:  Donald Mowat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mowat has been beneficial to Jake helping to place him in a "state of filming" or "filming completion".  He also helps to geographically place him in Los Angeles, London, etc. in addition to (and this is the important one), owning an Instagram account where he can post all of this Jake whereabout information.

The Padackles foursome seem to have found their own make-up artist enabler by the name of Billy Mercer.  Mr. Mercer is the lead artist and co-owner of Austin, TX's "Lip Service Beauty Concierge".   Seems he is supposed to have turned the big 4-0 recently and a big party ensued. Of course, everyone there was visible, except for Jared.  That's right. Jared was supposed to be preoccupied attending a college football game.  I think we all know how that one goes....

https://positivexcellence.tumblr.com/post/178148004932/danneel-ig-story

Trying to explain where Jared was...

http://acklesforlife.tumblr.com/post/178169374056

Of course, a popular narrative has been that Jared cannot tolerate his hired beard whatsoever, causing him to actually stay away from this big 4-0 wing ding.  Fans should be careful where they are very obviously being led though, because when it comes to the tricky Hollywood closet, the divining rod rarely leads to the water hole so easily.   

All remains still to be seen, but with this crew, the words Proceed With CAUTION don't even seem strong enough, lol.


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For the Outlook Calendar or anyone in a traveling mode:  Austin Nichols is scheduled to be at the Walker Stalker convention in Atlanta GA the weekend of October 26, 27 and 28th.  Nice, accessible east coast location, isn't it?

Jake's movie "The Sisters Brothers" has been added to the line-up at the London Film Festival which runs from October 10 through the 21st.   And Big Sis Maggie has been added as a speaker to the same festival.  Hey, look at that....October 10 through the 21st over in London; why, seems that means the festival window is going to overlap Baby Tile Number One Son's birthday.   Should be an interesting time period with a lot of deflection and distraction, don't you think?  

And to wrap this short post up, let's send everyone off with one of the brightest smiles which exists - that which belongs to King Louis Tomlinson!  Here he is from an X Factor moment.  What a smile!

pic sources:  Daily Express, Keysmash, Steven Universe wiki,
                     The Weather Continues, The Hollywood Reporter
our playlist:  The Creationist - Kerli
                     I Love Your Smile - Shanice