Jake Gyllenhaal Warned Josh Gad ‘The Book of Mormon’ was ‘Way Too Controversial’ After Hearing the Music: ‘You Cannot Do Whatever This Is’

by

In a recent interview, actor Josh Gad revealed that his “Love & Other Drugs” co-star Jake Gyllenhaal advised him against taking on a role in the bawdy musical-comedy “The Book of Mormon,” created by the minds behind “South Park”, Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

During my time shuttling between taping episodes of ‘The Daily Show’ and filming a movie titled ‘Love & Other Drugs,’ directed by Ed Zwick, an experience shared with Jake Gyllenhaal, I was once in a car ride home from set in Pittsburgh. In this moment, I asked Jake if he could listen to a new musical demo that I had recently workshopped in New York. Seeking his opinion on whether or not I should continue with it, he agreed and I played the opening number for him.

Initially, Gyllenhaal found the musical’s opening number “Hello!” amusingly innocent and humorous, but as the songs progressed, things began to change. According to Gad, his expression transformed from exuberance to sheer dread as he moved on to another track in the album.

OR

At first, Gyllenhaal found the musical’s opening number “Hello!” quite amusing due to its innocent humor, but as the songs carried on, a shift occurred. Gad recalls that his expression transitioned from joyful excitement to sheer terror and fear as he switched to another track in the album.

He pulled over the car and exclaimed, “Hey, buddy, what you’re doing isn’t acceptable. It’s bound to stir up a lot of trouble. Who on earth came up with this idea?” I muted the music and glanced at him. “The creators of ‘South Park’,” I replied.

Despite Gyllenhaal’s dislike for “Book of Mormon,” Gad decided to be part of it anyway, spending 15 months as Elder Cunningham on Broadway and earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in recognition of his performance.

Read More

2025-01-19 01:46