Jake Gyllenhaal is a celebrated, versatile actor in Hollywood. He recently hosted the Season 49 finale of Saturday Night Live (SNL). As the actor opened up the show, he could not resist joking about his co-star Conor McGregor from their newest release, Road House.
On this note, Gyllenhaal cracked a joke on the “unintentional” hits that the former UFC champion threw during the shooting of this action-packed redo. This confession came as a surprise from Gyllenhaal. The movie was a success as it broke several streaming records.
49 is the number of times Conor McGregor ‘accidentally’ punched me during Road House. People ask me what it’s like to work with Conor, and I always say, ‘Oh, so great!’ Because I’m scared he’s nearby.
Jake Gyllenhaal at the 49th finale of SNL
Gyllenhaal was obviously joking about the number of real punches he received during filming. The Road House remake is a reimagining of the 1989 cult classic. It features Gyllenhaal as a former MMA fighter named Dalton, who finds himself embroiled in a brutal fight with McGregor’s character, Knox.
According to both actors, Gyllenhaal repeatedly reminded McGregor not to hit him during their rehearsed fight scenes. This was due to the professional fighter’s instincts that would occasionally kick in.
This was McGregor’s acting debut. Moreover, Conor McGregor was widely praised as the film’s best part. In spite of the risk of injury, Gyllenhaal didn’t seem to mind any metaphorical punches. He displayed his sense of humor and ability to make fun of himself.
Jake Gyllenhaal recounts getting punched in the face
In their quest for realism, actors occasionally go above and beyond. However, actor Jake Gyllenhaal’s dedication to reality took an unexpected turn. The star ended up receiving a punch in his face from none other than ex-double champion Conor McGregor.
Jake Gyllenhaal recalls being punched for real (via Sports Illustrated)This happened during their shooting of the highly anticipated remake Road House. According to him, one day McGregor’s instincts kicked in and Jake found himself getting a real punch on his cheekbone.
We were shooting a fight scene late at night, around 3 a.m., and Conor was giving me pointers. He was like, ‘Yeah, that left hook looks good, but when you do it, you should go like this,’ and then bam! He accidentally clocked me right in the face. It was almost like… and I was like, ‘Oh!’ And he was like, ‘Oh!’
Jake Gyllenhaal via The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon
Gyllenhaal appeared slightly dazed yet took it like a man. The appreciation shown for McGregor’s profession spoke volumes. Having maintained professionalism throughout this movie undertaking, Gyllenhaal acknowledged how committed ‘Notorious‘ was towards ensuring that these fight scenes seemed realistic. A sequel is in the works, but the involvement of McGregor remains uncertain.
