Jake: Mom tried to fatten me up

Jake Gyllenhaal's mother tries to force feed him when he's in a bad mood.

For his role as Lou Bloom in Nightcrawler, the 33-year-old actor lost more than 2st. In the dramatic thriller, he portrays an emaciated man who stumbles upon the world of freelance crime journalism in LA.

And while his weight-loss was applauded in Hollywood, his concerned mother had other ideas.

"Whenever I was in a bad mood, my mom would say, 'Come on, eat something!'" he laughed to German magazine TV Movie, adding he was surviving on crackers, meat and salad.

"I felt like a starved coyote - but that worked well for the role."

Jake is one of the biggest names in the industry and even scored an Oscar nomination for his role in 2005's Brokeback Mountain.

Fans might think he's rolling in it, but finances aren't Jake's strongest suit.

"I don't understand money," he admitted. "Without my agent, I'd be broke."

But luckily the star doesn't have a penchant for expensive cars anyway.

"I live in New York, so I don't need a car," he shrugged. "I walk or ride my bike - or borrow my mom's old Toyota. Our whole family uses it."

Luckily, Nightcrawler filming has now wrapped, with the movie due out next month. It means Jake, who ate flavoured chewing gum to trick his brain into thinking it had eaten while he was fasting, can now get back to a normal diet.

“I would try to eat as few calories as possible. I knew if I was hungry that I was in the right spot. Physically, it showed itself, but chemically and mentally, I think it was even a more fascinating journey. It became a struggle for me," he confessed.