Jake Gyllenhaal talks being a doting uncle and the rumors that he doesn't bathe: 'I’ve never been accused of being smelly'
Jake Gyllenhaal wants to clear up a rumor: He does actually bathe.
In a new interview with the Times, the actor, 40, addressed comments he made that suggested his showers were somewhat sporadic.
“I don’t know!" Gyllenhaal answered, when asked how the viral story gained traction. "I think someone asked me about my bathing routine — which I found to be a bit invasive. And so my response was that I do it all, sometimes. And what I got back was that I don’t bathe."
However, Gyllenhaal said he doesn't really mind the rumors, since he's never received any complaints.
"That’s OK — I’ve never been accused of being smelly. It’s fine. Of course I bathe. In the Luna Rossa scent, daily,” he joked, since the interview was to promote his role as the face of the new Prada fragrance, Luna Rossa Ocean.
Video: Jake Gyllenhaal claims not showering often is better for your skin
Gyllenhaal's statements about bathing stem from his recent interview with Vanity Fair, where he said, “More and more I find bathing to be less necessary, at times. I do believe ... that good manners and bad breath get you nowhere. So I do that. But I do also think that there’s a whole world of not bathing that is also really helpful for skin maintenance, and we naturally clean ourselves.”
His statements came shortly after Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher spoke about waiting until they see “dirt” on their kids before giving them a bath. Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell also admitted that they, too, don’t always bathe their children on a regular schedule, Yahoo Life previously reported.
When it comes to raising kids of his own, Gyllenhaal has yet to settle down. However, he does enjoy being an uncle to his two nieces, who are the children of his sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and her husband, Peter Sarsgaard. The couple are parents to daughters Ramona, 14, and Gloria Ray, 9.
Gyllenhaal referred to his nieces as "two of the most incredible people," and clarified that "I’m not just saying this because it’s an interview." He added that the girls "come from a long line of incredible women and they’re even more incredible than the ones before them.” But he consciously chose to become more active in their lives as an uncle by having the girls “coming to stay with me, you know, when my sister and my brother-in-law need a break, and actually having the time to say let’s spend five days together. Getting to know them and watching them grow up and actually sitting and listening to their experiences and the things that they’re going through.”
Luckily, it sounds like the girls are always on their best behavior with Uncle Jake.
"They are the farthest from being a handful that you could imagine. And they’re really not on their phones. Their father taught them a lot about the outdoors and the country, it’s very important to him. So they find trees more interesting than phones, which is a rarity,” said Gyllenhaal.
However, he's satisfied with having the girls avoid watching his films, responding “No!” when asked if they do.
As for his own future as a parent, Gyllenhaal has spoken in the past about his hopes of becoming a father one day.
"I definitely do [want kids]," he told People last year.
Back in 2017, he also spoke candidly on the topic, telling People "I want to continue becoming more of an adult than I already am. Hopefully with a family of my own.”
