Sony Pixel Power calrec Sony

Jake Gyllenhaal and Antoine Fuqua Open Up About The Guilty's' Many Unique Challenges

29/09/2021

Back to All News

Jake Gyllenhaal and Antoine Fuqua Open Up About The Guilty's' Many Unique Challenges

Netflix Staff

Entertainment

29 September 2021

GlobalUnited States

Six years after the boxing drama Southpaw, actor Jake Gyllenhaal and director Antoine Fuqua reunite for the new Netflix thriller The Guilty. Based on the 2018 Danish film of the same name, Gyllenhaal stars as a troubled police detective who is demoted to 911 operator duty and scrambles to save a distressed caller during a harrowing day of revelations - and reckonings. Because of the unique premise - with many dramatic scenes taking place with Gyllenhaal on the phone - the entire shoot only required 11 days and three on-screen cast members, including Gyllenhaal, who also produced the film with Fuqua. Ahead of The Guilty's Oct. 1 Netflix release, the duo discussed what brought them to the project, their behind-the-scenes research and the film's many unique challenges.

How did each of you get involved with the film?

ANTOINE FUQUA: I got a phone call from my friend Jake, and he said he had a script that he thought I was perfect for. I read it that night and called him, I think, the next day and said, Im in. Obviously, to work with Jake again was a big plus. I love the guy, and the subject matter was as perfect as he said it would be for me.

JAKE GYLLENHAAL: Antoine and I share something really special, sort of indescribable. We have an instinct together when theres a piece of material. There was something I felt I understood about The Guilty, something underneath that I always related to very deeply, it thrilled me and inspired me. And so, it was a no-brainer and also no surprise that Antoine committed as quickly as I did. He was the only other person besides me, who, as soon as he read the story, was like, Im in. Thats how I felt too. And that bond that we have, thats hard to put into words, comes through in the film. Its so wonderful being able to work with someone more than once and know that you trust them already, to know that theyll go as far as youll go and vice versa.

What kind of research did you do for the film?

FUQUA: Myself and Jake both have friends in this world that weve known for a long time, and what I needed to do was go to a 911 call center, so I went to one in West Valley and the captain there Dave Storaker he helped us a lot. He walked us through the call center and introduced us to some of the people, and gave us some insights on what they go through daily on a personal level, and a lot of technical things, obviously, we needed to learn about the headsets and how it works.

What was most striking was just the human connection when you go to a place like that and you see people that look like your mom, or your brother, or your cousin - and youre not just a voice on the phone- who had to live with someone elses trauma every day, listen to people calling obviously, on the worst day of their lives. And the people that they call at the 911 center take on that stress as well.

What were some of the unique challenges that you had to work through in the film from working in one location, working with the actors that Jake speaks to on the phone?

FUQUA: It is a film about sound, about listening, about what you hear, and what the reality is. Capturing that is a whole other story, practically, because at that time we were filming, it was during the height of COVID, so we couldnt have actors going to a regular stage and record, so we had to come up with a system with our sound guy on how to get these special boxes to actors who were all over the world, and then get their recording, but then do it live with Jake while hes in a room performing, without any glitches.

Well, that didnt happen at all. I think he had about five or six different voices in his ear at the same time because of the technical issues. We had to work off of the Zoom system as well. We figured it out eventually. I think Jake had probably performed each scene like it was a play, constantly, over and over and over, because the calls were coming back-to-back. Theres not a lot of cuts in between each call, so we had to almost do the entire script, in certain sections, as a play, with voices in his ear. It was challenging but it was amazing because of what happens naturally: it makes you lean in more because it was so difficult to hear. We use a lot of the dialogue from the first Zoom calls, cause the performances are just so raw, and, and a lot of Jakes performance was so intense.

GYLLENHAAL: When I first sent the script to Antoine, what I said was, Lets shoot this movie in five days. That really got us going excited, the idea that we could shoot the movie in a very short period of time, the pressure would be on, just like its on Joe Baylors character. And if theres anything I know about Antoine, he loves that pressure, and we both thrive in that space.

So, we set this goal for ourselves, and slowly, that 5 days turned into 11 days. So we shot the movie and scheduled it for 11 days, and we designed this idea that we break it up into five sections and each one would be around 15 to 20 pages, and wed shoot one of those sections every day. So, I would prepare Section 1, 2, 3, 4, and I would call Antoine as a secret and Id say, I have 1 to 4 memorized. He said, Dont tell anybody. We still have 11 days. Maybe we can shoot it in 9.

The Guilty is available to stream Oct. 1 on Netflix.
LINK: https://about.netflix.com/en/news/jake-gyllenhaal-and-antoine-fuqua-op...
See more stories from netflix

More from Netflix

03/07/2025

Get ready for even more action! Netflix has confirmed the third season of the Brazilian original series Criminal Code

Back to All News Get ready for even more action! Netflix has confirmed the thir...

01/07/2025

Feel the Beat: Glass Heart' Main Trailer and Title Song Revealed

Back to All News Feel the Beat: Glass Heart' Main Trailer and Title Song RevealedPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 01 July 2025 GlobalJapan Link co...

01/07/2025

Watch: A Line Crossed: Netflix Drops Explosive Trailer for New Series, 'Marked'

Back to All News Watch: A Line Crossed: Netflix Drops Explosive Trailer for New...

30/06/2025

Netflix Releases Trailer for Petra Costa's New Documentary 'Apocalypse in the Tropics,' Premiering on July 14

Back to All News Netflix Releases Trailer for Petra Costas New Documentary Apoc...

30/06/2025

Netflix releases trailer for Petra Costa's new documentary Apocalypse in the Tropics, premiering on July 14

Back to All News Netflix releases trailer for Petra Costas new documentary Apoc...

30/06/2025

Beln Cuesta and Karra Elejalde Star in 'El nio', the New Film by Mariano Barroso

Back to All News Bel n Cuesta and Karra Elejalde Star in El ni o, the New Film ...

30/06/2025

A New Dangerous Troll Awakens: Netflix Unleashes Teaser for 'Troll 2'

Back to All News A New Dangerous Troll Awakens: Netflix Unleashes Teaser for Troll 2Play Video Play Video Entertainment 30 June 2025 GlobalNorwayDenmarkSwe...

29/06/2025

A Secret Society, Ritualistic Killings, and a Century-Old Curse Netflix and YRF Entertainment's 'Mandala Murders' Premieres July 25

Back to All News A Secret Society, Ritualistic Killings, and a Century-Old Curs...

27/06/2025

Let the Final Games Begin With Squid Game' Season 3 Complete Coverage Guide

Back to All News Let the Final Games Begin With Squid Game' Season 3 Complete Coverage Guide Entertainment 27 June 2025 Global Link copied to clipboar...

27/06/2025

'Squid Game: Unleashed': Celebrate the Epic Series Finale With New Games, Characters and Rewards

Back to All News Squid Game: Unleashed: Celebrate the Epic Series Finale With N...

25/06/2025

'It's Worth It by Dani Rovira' Arrives at Netflix on July 11th

Back to All News Its Worth It by Dani Rovira Arrives at Netflix on July 11thPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 25 June 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to cl...

25/06/2025

Step Into the Game IRL With 'Squid Game' Season 3-Inspired Products, Games and Experiences as the Global Phenomenon Returns June 27

Back to All News Step Into the Game IRL With Squid Game Season 3-Inspired Produ...

25/06/2025

Teaser for Action Thriller Series Trigger' Unleashes Tension as Firearms Surface in a Gun-Free Nation - Premieres July 25

Back to All News Teaser for Action Thriller Series Trigger' Unleashes Tens...

25/06/2025

Love, Conflict and Family Drama: Netflix Drops The Trailer For Aap Jaisa Koi' - a Melodic and Visual Masterpiece

Back to All News Love, Conflict and Family Drama: Netflix Drops The Trailer For...

25/06/2025

The Ripple Effect of K-Content: How Netflix Viewers Are Embracing Korean Culture

Back to All News The Ripple Effect of K-Content: How Netflix Viewers Are Embracing Korean Culture A giant Young-hee presides over the Red Light, Green Light g...

23/06/2025

'Squid Game' By the Numbers: How Player 456 Took Over the World

Back to All News Squid Game By the Numbers: How Player 456 Took Over the World From left to right: Park Sung-hoon, Kang Ae-shim, Lee Jung-jae, Hwang Dong-hyuk...

22/06/2025

'Fall For Me' - Erotic Summer Drama by Sherry Hormann Starts August 21

Back to All News Fall For Me - Erotic Summer Drama by Sherry Hormann Starts August 21 Netflix / Julia Terjung Entertainment 22 June 2025 GlobalGermany L...

22/06/2025

Wall to Wall': Gripping Thriller Set in an Apartment Complex Premieres on July 18

Back to All News Wall to Wall': Gripping Thriller Set in an Apartment Comp...

20/06/2025

Turn Your Netflix to "Fool" Volume: Vir Das Drops a New Special on July 18!

Back to All News Turn Your Netflix to "Fool" Volume: Vir Das Drops a New Special on July 18! Entertainment 20 June 2025 GlobalIndia Link copied to clipboar...

19/06/2025

A Father. Two Kids. And the Videos She Left Behind. 'Catalog' to Premiere on Netflix on July 17

Back to All News A Father. Two Kids. And the Videos She Left Behind. Catalog to...

18/06/2025

'Fria', the New Netflix Series Starring Vinicius Neri, Fabio Lago and Alice Carvalho, Starts Shooting in Rio de Janeiro

Back to All News F ria, the New Netflix Series Starring Vinicius Neri, Fabio La...

18/06/2025

One Man Against All Odds: Ziam' Trailer Teases Thrilling Thai Martial Arts Zombie Combat

Back to All News One Man Against All Odds: Ziam' Trailer Teases Thrilling ...

17/06/2025

WIF Welcomes 2025 Fellowship Class

Back to All News WIF Welcomes 2025 Fellowship Class WIF 2025 Fellows Class Photo Social Impact 17 June 2025 United States Link copied to clipboard Today,...

17/06/2025

'My Brilliant Career' Series Adaptation Now in Production in South Australia for Netflix

Back to All News My Brilliant Career Series Adaptation Now in Production in Sou...

17/06/2025

Netflix And TF1 Group Join Forces To Bring TF1 To Netflix Members In France

Back to All News Netflix and TF1 Group Join Forces to Bring TF1 to Netflix Members in France Entertainment 17 June 2025 GlobalFrance Link copied to clipbo...

17/06/2025

'Two Graves' Arrives on Netflix on August 29

Back to All News Two Graves Arrives on Netflix on August 29 Entertainment 17 June 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard Download the first images Net...

12/06/2025

'Brick': No Way Out - Mystery Thriller With Matthias Schweighfer, Ruby O. Fee and Frederick Lau

Back to All News Brick: No Way Out - Mystery Thriller With Matthias Schweigh fe...

12/06/2025

Irresistibly Cute Trailer for My Melody & Kuromi' Unveils a Stop-Motion Adventure Through Mariland, Premiering July 24

Back to All News Irresistibly Cute Trailer for My Melody & Kuromi' Unveils...

12/06/2025

Netflix Gets Animated at Annecy!

Back to All News Netflix Gets Animated at Annecy! Top row from left to right: Fixed (Film), In Your Dreams (Film), Long Story Short (Series) Bottom row from ...

10/06/2025

La Puerta de Alcal Shines for Netflix's 10th Anniversary in Spain

Back to All News La Puerta de Alcal Shines for Netflixs 10th Anniversary in Spain Entertainment 10 June 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard Downloa...

10/06/2025

Better Late Than Single': Unpredictable Dating Reality Show Featuring Eternal Singles Premieres July 8

Back to All News Better Late Than Single': Unpredictable Dating Reality Sh...

10/06/2025

Netflix Will Invest More Than 1 Billion in Spain Between 2025 and 2028

Back to All News Netflix Will Invest More Than 1 Billion in Spain Between 2025 and 2028 Pedro S nchez and Ted Sarandos Business 10 June 2025 GlobalSpain ...

09/06/2025

Netflix ISP Speed Index for May 2025

Back to All News Netflix ISP Speed Index for May 2025 Product 09 June 2025 Global Link copied to clipboard Two percent of Internet Service Providers (ISPs...

06/06/2025

Steampunk Anime Adaptation Leviathan' Takes Flight on July 10

Back to All News Steampunk Anime Adaptation Leviathan' Takes Flight on July 10 Entertainment 06 June 2025 GlobalJapan Link copied to clipboard From t...

06/06/2025

A Tender Tale Unfolds: The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignity' Premieres July 6

Back to All News A Tender Tale Unfolds: The Fragrant Flower Blooms With Dignit...

05/06/2025

Netflix Presents the Documentary 'The Many Deaths Of Nora Dalmasso'

Back to All News Netflix Presents the Documentary The Many Deaths Of Nora DalmassoPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 05 June 2025 GlobalArgentina Link co...

05/06/2025

Ginny & Georgia': Return to Wellsbury With Tudum's Season 3 Complete Coverage Guide

Back to All News Ginny & Georgia': Return to Wellsbury With Tudums Season ...

04/06/2025

Russell Crowe, Jacob Tremblay, Shailene Woodley, Annabelle Wallis to Star in Thriller Feature 'Unabom'

Back to All News Russell Crowe, Jacob Tremblay, Shailene Woodley, Annabelle Wal...

04/06/2025

Netflix Presents the Final Trailer of 'Olympo'

Back to All News Netflix Presents the Final Trailer of OlympoPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 04 June 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard Discov...

04/06/2025

Netflix presents the final trailer of Olympo

Back to All News Netflix presents the final trailer of OlympoPlay Video Play Video Entertainment 04 June 2025 GlobalSpain Link copied to clipboard Discov...

04/06/2025

Becoming Santi: The Thunder Express Leader Takes on Giants in Netflix's Mad Unicorn'

Back to All News Becoming Santi : The Thunder Express Leader Takes on Giants i...

03/06/2025

Netflix Acquires Shih-Ching Tsou's Cannes Critics' Week 'Left-Handed Girl'

Back to All News Netflix Acquires Shih-Ching Tsou's Cannes Critics' Wee...

03/06/2025

'The Trap' - New Psychological Thriller Series in Production

Back to All News The Trap - New Psychological Thriller Series in Production Friederike Becht as Lisa Konrad and Hans L w as Robert Lenzen / Netflix Entert...

02/06/2025

Latino Film Institute Fellows Debut Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre

Back to All News Latino Film Institute Fellows Debut Short Films at the Egyptian Theatre The Inclusion Fellowship and Spark Animation Grant uplifts 13 emergi...

02/06/2025

Netflix Announces the Production of 'My Sad Dead' ('Mis muertos tristes')

Back to All News Netflix Announces the Production of My Sad Dead (Mis muertos t...

02/06/2025

Netflix Unleashes the Trailer of 'Rana Naidu' Season 2 More Family Drama, More Dhamaka!

Back to All News Netflix Unleashes the Trailer of Rana Naidu Season 2 More Fami...

02/06/2025

The Summer Hikaru Died' Set to Bring Eerie Anime Thrills on July 5

Back to All News The Summer Hikaru Died' Set to Bring Eerie Anime Thrills on July 5Play Video Play Video Entertainment 02 June 2025 GlobalJapan Link ...

02/06/2025

Netflix Begins Production of 'La desconocida' With Candela Pea, Ana Rujas and Pol Lpez

Back to All News Netflix Begins Production of La desconocida With Candela Pe a,...

01/06/2025

Tudum 2025: The Live Event' Celebrates Our Biggest Fandoms With Members Around the World

Back to All News Tudum 2025: The Live Event' Celebrates Our Biggest Fandom...