If Jake Gyllenhaal ever somehow reads this post, I will totally deny that I wrote it.

Photo courtesy of IHeartJake.com

Back when I was a freshman in high school, my friend Laura made me watch Donnie Darko for the first time. Little did she know that she was about to change my world forever. As a hormonal and boycrazy teenage girl, I was immediately enamored the movie's star, Jake Gyllenhaal.

Now, eight years later, not much has changed. Sure, I have a wonderful boyfriend who I love very much now, but in all fairness, Jake was in my life first. And yeah, I could give you some more intelligent reasons for why Jake is one of my favorite actors other than "omg he's so cute!!" but I won't get into it here. Overall, my admiration has just grown stronger. This is true love here, people.

So anyway, a few weeks ago my friend Ali forwarded me this email:

After reading, I had a slight heart attack, argued with myself about being logical (shouldn't spend more money when I have terrifying student loans looming over my head) and following my heart (it's TRUE LOVE, c'mon!) In the end, of course I could not resist and so we bought tickets. Next thing I knew, it was Saturday night and Ali and I were sitting in the theater, right in the center, three rows from the front.

The event was fantastic. I know I've been sarcastic and poking fun at myself throughout this post, but I mean this part in complete seriousness. The event was put on by the New Yorker, so I admittedly felt out of place in such a potentially pretentious crowd, but everyone was so pleasant. Jake is such a charming, classy and down-to-earth guy. For example, when director Ed Zwick first came up, they didn't have a chair for him and Jake immediately offered to stand and leapt to his feet. (Don't worry, they found an extra chair.) Plus, he's hilarious. If you haven't seen interviews with him before, get to Youtube right now - after you finish reading my post, of course.

The New Yorker's film critic, David Denby, started out asking Jake questions about growing up in a show business family and about college. Then the questions moved on to different points of his career, starting with City Slickers, and touching on films like Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain and Zodiac (they showed clips from all three). Jake discussed how he chooses movies that make him feel something when he reads the script ("At the end of reading Love and Other Drugs, I was crying. At the end of reading Brokeback Mountain, I was crying. At the end of Donnie Darko, I was throwing up.") He discussed how he makes decisions about his character, different parts of the acting process, etc.

They were discouraging camera use but pfff, like that would stop me:

Then they started talking about Love and Other Drugs, Jake's new movie which will come out in November. Now, I normally try and act like I don't care about romantic comedies (even when I totally do) but let me just say, I am so excited for this movie. Besides, it's supposed to actually be good, so hopefully I won't regret admitting this later. Anyway, during this part, director Ed Zwick came up. He seemed like a chill guy, so I liked him.

Then it was time for the audience to ask questions (props to that girl who declared Bubble Boy as her favorite movie!), and then sadly, time to leave. One lucky old man managed to lean across the stage and shake Jake's hand before he left, but that was it. (Okay I confess, I was seething with jealousy. Lucky bastard.)

Oh and finally, about the beard. I hate it in pictures but it is honestly more forgivable in person. Jake's beauty shines through all the fur. But still, the dude needs a razor right away.

So Ali and I went home, giddy and disbelieving that the night had actually happened. Now that it's over, I am seeing the world in a whole new way. It's like Jake's brilliant beauty has made everything else seem a little bit duller. I look forward to our wedding. (Just kidding. Maybe.)