Jake Gyllenhaal reveals his strange superstition

Jake Gyllenhaal has revealed he has an unusual superstition around his performances.

The 44-year-old star has been acting on screen and stage since the early 1990s and has revealed he has developed a compulsive tradition.

In conversation with fellow Broadway star Audra McDonald for a Variety interview, the Donnie Darko star shared his behind-the-stage quirk.

He explained, "I have weird superstitions. I have a thing about tying my shoelaces really tight."

He continued, "I have a quick change in the middle of the show, and people help me. When we were in the first run-through, one person had to tie my left shoe, and I had to tie the other one. I was literally like, 'Are you sure you can tie it tight enough?'"

Gyllenhaal is currently starring opposite Denzel Washington in a Broadway production of Shakespeare's Othello - where he plays the villain Iago.

Admitting he has not shied away from watching other actors in the same role, he said, "I wish I could tell the actors how much I learned and, admittedly, stole ideas from them.

"In the first weeks of rehearsal, I went, 'Wait, what am I doing?' My producer had done plays with Ian McKellen, and I said, 'Could I talk to him? I just want to ask another Iago ...'"

He revealed, "We FaceTimed and he gave me renewed inspiration. He was sharp as a tack with every moment of Iago."