Maggie Gyllenhaal is an American actress and filmmaker. Part of the Gyllenhaal family, she is the daughter of filmmakers Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs and the older sister of fellow actor Jake Gyllenhaal.
Maggie debuted in Stephen's film Waterland (1992). She had sporadic roles throughout her teenage years, though she stepped away to receive a degree in literature from Columbia University in 1999. In addition, she studied briefly at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London, which helped with her post-graduation transition back into acting.
After graduation, Gyllenhaal appeared in supporting roles in Cecil B. Demented (2000) and Donnie Darko (2001) with her brother Jake. Her breakout role came later when she took on the daring, sexy title role in Secretary (2002). That part wound up earning her a Golden Globe nomination, and Gyllenhaal followed that with supporting turns in 40 Days and 40 Nights (2002), Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2002), Adaptation (2002), and Mona Lisa Smile (2003), among other movies.
Gyllenhaal received her second Golden Globe nomination for playing a recent prison parolee in Sherrybaby (2006). She followed that with roles in World Trade Center (2006) and Stranger Than Fiction (2006), and then replaced Katie Holmes in the role of Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight (2008).
In 2009, Gyllenhaal earned her first Oscar nomination for her role opposite Jeff Bridges in Crazy Heart (2009). Since then, Gyllenhaal has been seen in Nanny McPhee Returns (2010), Hysteria (2011), and Won't Back Down (2012).
Gyllenhaal has two children with her husband, Peter Sarsgaard, whom she married in 2009.
