Maggie Gyllenhaal earns Oscar nod for 1st movie screenplay ‘The Lost Daughter’

Actress, writer and director Maggie Gyllenhaal heads into Oscar Sunday as a nominee for her adapted screenplay for “The Lost Daughter.”

The last time she was nominated, it was for her work in front of the camera, for her supporting role opposite Jeff Bridges in the 2009 film, “Crazy Heart.”

Now, more than a decade later, she is the writer, director and one of the producers of the drama, “The Lost Daughter.” The film and Gyllenhaal won big at both the Independent Spirit Awards and The Gotham Awards- best picture, director and screenplay honors. Now, she is honored to be Oscar-nominated for her adapted screenplay of the novel.

This is actually Gyllenhaal’s feature film directorial debut and her first movie screenplay.

“I’ve been making movies for 20 years. I know that, I mean, sometimes you make movies that just don’t work at all. Sometimes, you make movies that you love that nobody else cares about. And to have the two come together, I know is very, very special,” said Gyllenhaal.

In the film, Best Actress nominee Olivia Colman sets out on a beach vacation that takes a dark turn.

But–the location!

“It’s in Greece. It’s Spetses, this island, Spetses, which is actually lovely. You don’t have to have, like, the darkest moments of your life there. You can go and just have a nice time,” said Gyllenhaal.

Gyllenhaal says she loves non-formulaic movies, like hers, that engage an audience.

“I like when I’m in the audience to be respected, to be challenged, to be made to think in a way that I’m not used to thinking. So I just assume, like, let’s just get into it and have the most interesting conversation we can have,” said Gyllenhaal. “I made the kind of movie I like to watch, you know?”

FULL LIST: 2022 Oscar nominations