Why Cartier chose ‘bold and fearless’ Jake Gyllenhaal from its glittering fandom
Jake Gyllenhaal has come a long way from Brokeback Mountain, and that’s why Cartier cast him for its Santos watch commercial
Cartier rarely uses star ambassadors, despite the size of its celebrity clientele, from the Duchess of Windsor to actress Elizabeth Taylor. The French high jeweller and watchmaker, however, has collaborated with Brokeback Mountain star Jake Gyllenhaal to promote its Santos de Cartier Watch. Gyllenhaal also stars in a short commercial for the watch collection inspired by aviation pioneer Alberto Santos-Dumont.
This endorsement marks a first for Cartier, because the maison traditionally refers to famous people such as Sofia Coppola as “friends of the brand” rather than feature them in its advertisements.
“To have Jake Gyllenhaal as the incarnate image was interesting; he embodies the ‘bold and fearless’ spirit of the Santos collection,” says Cartier CEO Cyrille Vigneron. “We work with celebrities and artists – not to put their names on products or ask them to design logos for us – but to be inspired by what they do, their talents and their expressions.”
Gyllenhaal grew up in a family of filmmakers and actors, and made his screen debut in City Slickers when he was only 11. He made his breakthrough in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain (2005), in which he earned a Bafta Award for Best Supporting Actor and a slew of nominations, including one for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
Following his portrayal of Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman in Stronger, last year, Gyllenhaal is also rumoured to be taking on the role as Marvel’s supervillain Mysterio in the upcoming Spider Man: Homecoming.
Style caught up with Gyllenhaal during Cartier’s launch party for the Santos watch in Los Angeles. The actor discusses working with Cartier, his theatrical ambitions and taking risks.
Style: How did this project with Cartier come about?