Jake Gyllenhaal: 'It's OK Now' to Be a Gay Actor in Hollywood

It has been 10 years since Jake Gyllenhaal climbed Brokeback Mountain with co-star Heath Ledger.

And since the release of the acclaimed film of two cowboys in love, Gyllenhaal said Hollywood has made its own strides toward allowing gay actors to be open about who they love.

"I think it is changing," he told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published online Wednesday. "And it's pretty amazing how it's changing. And one of the things that I'm so proud of [about] that movie, was to see, within the past basically 10 years, how much has changed."

The 34-year-old actor added that, in a small way, the film's ability to change hearts and minds may have extended to the nation's highest court.

"When the Supreme Court [issued a ruling] just a little while ago, I felt like we had been part, a little part and parcel of that movement," he said. "I was proud, you know? To me that's really a pretty incredible moment. We had to wait a little while for it."

"But when will it be OK for an actor to be gay? I mean, it's OK now."

The Southpaw actor reflected on his own decision to play Jack Twist in the 2005 film. The part that had been passed on by other high-profile actors, due to the character's sexual orientation as well as a sex scene between two men.

Gyllenhaal, however, said he was unfazed at the time.

"And when that opportunity came, I was a young actor. I was like, 'Yeah, I'm in.' I know a lot has been made of the choice to do it, but it just didn't seem like something that was scary to me," Gyllenhaal said.

"You know, it was binding, because sometimes a lot of that character is very specifically the more overtly gay character of the two," he added. "The one who's struggling with it less. And I didn't really realize that. And that was an interesting journey for me, giving into that idea. Being the one who tries to push the relationship."

Read the full interview here. And watch it below.