Jake Jake Jake!

[MaineWriter]

I'm not sure how to explain in English what I think he meant by it. But I'll give it a shot. There has been so much "controversy" and expressions of hatred coming from certain social groups against not just BBM but all gay themed movies and  the fact that young hollywood "hearthrobs" like River, Keanu (he also played a hustler in MOPI), Heath and Jake went ahead and played gay, and even kissed on screen (River did much more than that) it is safe to say some of them after learning about either River or Heath's  death said it was "punishment from God for playing gay". Given the fact that, as Chrissi says, Rufus was deeply moved by River's death and was involved in the making of Brokeback Mountain, I can only imagine he was being sarcastic. And maybe that comment was addressed to someone in particular as a criticism. That's the only rational explanation I can think of and I hope you understood me!

BTW, I was also very moved by River's death. I had a crush on him since he starred in Stand By Me. I loved River Phoenix.

I understand what you mean, Natali. I think this makes sense.

I also think it is important to remember that Rufus himself is gay. I see his statement as having an undertone, an unspoken part: "Look at what happens when you play gay...you end up dead. Think of what it's like for those of us who aren't playing, who live with the reality of being gay, every minute of our lives..."

L

[delalluvia]

Well,I agree and I don't with what you've said,I'll explain myself:everybody when loses somebody closer is allowed to quit job in order to go to the burial; and Jake,even working in his movie,is known that got an aeroplane as soon as he knew it.So maybe the filming was not a problem so unavoidable...you've gone once,you can do it twice,mostly if it's for something so important to give the last farewell to a close friend,huh?.
I understand that friends could have taken him out for some relief,mainly if they saw him very devastated and even in spite of his own feeling like going out...Right,when my mother died my partner took me few days after to "celebrate" that my football team was the Spanish League's Champion.I'm aware that any known person who saw me could think that my behaviour was unacceptable;but I was weak enough as not to messing myself between a lot of persons jumping and shouting,since I went by car following the fans caravan and crying when I felt like doing it-it´s rather more intimate  than being on a concert...-.I'm also aware that everybody has their own way to overcome sadness when they're in public and that Jake doesn't have to react the  same than me,but...
As regards as making a public statement,why should he do it?Yes,atz75,it's strange that Daniel Day-Lewis-a man who didn't know Heath,but all a gentleman in my opinion-has made an statement and Jake hasn't.But the point is this,that Daniel DIDN´T KNOW HIM and,in spite of this,cried for his loss,but he was strong enough as to speak publically,do you understand what I mean?.Jake's grief is supposed to be greater than the one of all these actors who have spoken about.Of course,paparazzi expected him to talk,why? to say how sad he was?Or seeing him attending the burial,also why?.To,as somebody said,seeing him throwing to the coffin by shouting"Don't go,don't go?".To throw against them a lot of shit by gossiping about their relationship?NO.For me,this is not the real question.
Simply,I don't understand his reaction,not as much as being in silence,as not being by his friend side in his last journey and behave as if nothing had happenned afterwards.Bearing in mind,however,that tabloids speak a lot and not always with the truth.That's all.

It's easier for people who didn't know Heath to wax eloquently about the man.  Look at all of us here on this board.  Not a single one of us knew Heath as a person, but we can write pages and pages about him and talk about him.  Yet - like Daniel Day Lewis - if any reporter came to ask us personal questions about Heath, all we could do is shrug and say "I dunno, I didn't know the man."

Jake isn't the same boat as DDL.  He actually knew Heath and does know personal things about him that could be chiseled out by a persistent reporter.  So he has more reason to stay away from the press - and like was pointed out - he may not want to associate too closely with Heath, no matter how close a friends they were because he doesn't want to be known as - and possibly Heath didn't either - the next media duo darlings forever joined at the hip and forever hinted and gossiped about.

As for Rufus Wainwright...who knows what he meant?  His tribute was lovely, but if he meant it literally then it was a bit melodramatic "Dead after playing gay" - he forgets all the others who have played gay who are still alive and kicking -

Robin Williams
Michael Caine
Naomi Watts
Leonardo DiCapro
Terence Stamp
Hugo Weaving
Guy Pearce
Hugh Grant
Hugh Jackman
John Leguizamo
etc.

[Ellemeno]

As for Rufus Wainwright...who knows what he meant?  His tribute was lovely, but if he meant it literally then it was a bit melodramatic "Dead after playing gay" - he forgets all the others who have played gay who are still alive and kicking -

Plus Ennis wasn't Heath's first gay character.  His very first character on film was gay, Snowy Bowles in the Australian TV show "Sweat."  That was in 1996.

[Brown Eyes]

This is what I've been feeling too. Thank you for expressing it. Especially the missing eulogy, - just a few words, could be in writing, through his publicist - now that Jake is obviously out and going about his life...

I've actually had a look a while back to see who will be Oscar presenters. It hadn't been published yet. Someone launched the idea that Jake Emight do an introduction to the "In memoriam" section - I totally discounted that idea as inconceivable at the time, but now after having seen the BAFTA tribute I'm hoping that it might actually happen despite all odds. I think there's a case for singling out Heath in a few sentences over everyone else who passed, because his death was so untimely; - the rest of the people to be remembered died after living longer, fuller lives - most of them in old age.  If something like that is in the works, it might explain Jake's silence at this point.

ETA: The Oscar presenters have just been announced now. Just had a look, and.. Jake is not among them (but Anne Hathaway is). So that idea has been shot down, then. Oh well.


I must admit I've been worried that Jake is at a place where he's quite tired of everything Brokeback and "fears" he won't be allowed to/ able to move on as an actor. (IMO; the appearance he made in the Jonathan Ross (?) show hinted at that. He was there to promote the (in all honesty) mediocre "Rendition" and the interviewer first spent half the time praising Brokeback - Jake actually seemed miffed, for him.) I've been wondering whether his absence in everything to do with Heath's passing is not only because he's mourning his friend (I don't doubt that for a second) but also because he's in a place coming to terms with the fact that Heath's passing means he'll have to talk Brokeback all the time - again - because future interviews etc. will of course bring up Heath and their roles and the film etc, and he'll not be able to escape it...

As a Brokie, of course I'm maybe too sensitive to this issue,  - but I do hope this is not the case, and that I'm wrong in my impression, and that he continues to be nothing but immensely proud of Brokeback (well, I don't at all doubt that, honestly), but also happy and ready to discuss it, and ready to talk about Heath in that context.

And before anyone starts blasting me for this post; Yes, I still love Jake and will continue to follow his career and his movies as I have for the past 2 years. I think the guy's human, is all.

Thanks for this post Mikaela.  I think what you said at the very beginning of your post makes sense.  It's sort of hard to see Jake going on about daily life without some acknowledgement that this has happened to Heath.  And, I agree with what others have said here that Jake is probably very, very aware of this as a super sensitive issue.

It's definitely true that Jake now sort of carries the BBM torch alone as the other main character.  So, there's certainly a lot of pressure on him.  I can see why professionally he'd want to move on a bit.  But, much like Heath, BBM is undoubtedly Jake's best movie so far... so I can also see why he'd want to be mindful of looking out for the legacy of BBM to a certain extent.  He probably knows that BBM fans are looking to him right now.  How could he not?  I mean, Brokies are a really important element of his fan base.  So I'd assume he's thinking about this very seriously in terms of the best ways to proceed.

When it comes time for interviews/promotions for Brothers or any other future projects, I think that will be a very telling and interesting moment.  Will he be able to move forward with publicity and not address the Heath situation at all?

And, I'm much like Mikaela here... my continuing interest in this issue I think is a major reflection on how much I really care about Jake and what's going on with him.  So, I'm not meaning to be critical or negative. No matter how this all turns out, I'll continue to be interested and engaged with what's going on with him... again, mainly because he's one of the main bearers of the BBM torch at this point.

[LauraGigs]

Simply,I don't understand his reaction,not as much as being in silence,as not being by his friend side in his last journey and behave as if nothing had happenned afterwards.

I'm just having a really hard time understanding where people are coming from here.

1) GRIEF IS A PRIVATE THING.  Unique to each person.  And it obviously comes from a place of emotion, not logic (or not what we — a bunch of fans and strangers on the outside looking in) decide is "logical".

2) Do we know for a fact Jake attended no memorial service? He could have been at the L.A. one.  Might even have visited the family in Perth. WE DON'T KNOW.

3) A lot of how we react to a close one's death depends on what we feel happens after death. (Has the person 'moved on to a better place'? Been reborn? Have they simply ceased to exist? Are they hanging around, ghost-like, seeing who 'pays respects' and who doesn't? Do they have awareness of our thoughts and feelings – a semi-godlike state?)
Your guess on all these is as good as mine. But the point is, our feelings on this probably hugely influence our theories on how the bereaved should behave.

4) Jake comes from a spiritually diverse upbringing (Jewish mother, Swedenborgian father). He studied Eastern religion/philosophy at Columbia. And he had sufficient inner depth and emotional intuition to plumb for the part of Jack in such a way as to break our hearts. Doubting his grief or sincerity at this time just seems out of the question to me.


If Jake were to say something, would it just make all our pain go away?  We all have our reactions to this situation: our own grief, thoughts and wishes.  I just respectfully ask: isn't this kind of a big burden, a big expectation, to put on Jake?  That a few words from him should have to be some miraculous balm for all our grief?
Personally, I'm thankful that he has some space. I hate that he's under so much pressure to say something so perfectly moving and classy as to completely soothe the hearts of every single grieving stranger.

[souxi]

Your quite right Laura. Jake MAY have attended the memorial service in LA,and/or the funeral in Perth, we simply DON,T KNOW.
All any of us can do is guess and wonder and speculate. No it won,t make our pain go away and certianly won,t make his go away. He doesn,t HAVE to say anything if he doesn,t want too, and if he doesn,t then he shouldn,t be pressed into doing so.
Whatever he is doing, I just hope he,s ok. He MAY say something in the future, he may not, who knows?

[Mikaela]

Doubting his grief or sincerity at this time just seems out of the question to me.

If Jake were to say something, would it just make all our pain go away? 

Just a brief follow-up to the above 2 quotes that I've taken from your post, Laura;

I have never doubted Jake's grief nor sincerity when it comes to Heath. I do think Jake may be a bit ambivalent at present about Brokeback; that's not the same thing.

And I certainly don't for a minute expect that if he were to say something, the "pain would go away". I'm not certain where that impression comes from, I haven't seen anyone here saying anything like that, nor implying it.

Otherwise I for my part have had my say and see no reason to go on about it in post after post.

[myprivatejack]

LauraGigs,I don't doubt and never have doubted that Jake is not obliged to say anything about this topic, and I think I've said it quite clearly in my post.I only said that IF IT´S TRUE THAT HE DID´N´T ATTEND HEATH´S BURIAL it was illogical according to my point of view and to what is usual for respect to the family,at least.How could I know if he has really attended?Well, of course I couldn't,because news here arrived lately and badly and I only can suppose what you explain here,or not?.
Excuse me,but as English is not my mother language,sometimes I don't understand what people are saying-and sometimes people don't understand what I say,as I see...-:what did you mean by "I'm just having a really hard time understanding where people are coming from here."Can you explain it,please?.Because if it's said to me and because of me,well,I repite,I'm only quoting what people say here,not in my country,and I can secure you I'm not the gossip kind.Thanks.

[delalluvia]

3) A lot of how we react to a close one's death depends on what we feel happens after death. (Has the person 'moved on to a better place'? Been reborn? Have they simply ceased to exist? Are they hanging around, ghost-like, seeing who 'pays respects' and who doesn't? Do they have awareness of our thoughts and feelings – a semi-godlike state?)
Your guess on all these is as good as mine. But the point is, our feelings on this probably hugely influence our theories on how the bereaved should behave.

4) Jake comes from a spiritually diverse upbringing (Jewish mother, Swedenborgian father). He studied Eastern religion/philosophy at Columbia. And he had sufficient inner depth and emotional intuition to plumb for the part of Jack in such a way as to break our hearts. Doubting his grief or sincerity at this time just seems out of the question to me.

Excellent points, Laura.  Heath himself said over on the Heath in his own Words thread that he didn't believe in Jesus, so who knows what his personal belief system was or if, indeed, he even had one?  Jake is, as you said, from a diverse background himself, religiously speaking, so if Heath - for example - thought religion in general was the opiate of the masses, was atheist or agnostic and thought all the life after death stuff was foolishness, Jake may be trying to respect that but at the same time not being very open about it, lest he hurt Heath's family/friends, who may not believe the same and are taking comfort in the belief that they will see him again in another life.

Does anyone know if Heath had a belief system or not?

[j.U.d.E.]

Laura, I agree with what you said!

I don't think for a minute that Jake is being disrespectful! No way! I am sure there is a reason for what he did, didn't do, didn't say. Maybe, if he hasn't said anything nor taken part in the tribute or wake for Heath, it is because he can't/won't say good-bye to his friend just yet. We'll see in time, but right now, I think we just should all leave him be! I hope he is ok, supported by loved ones and in good spirit.

j. U. d. E.