strawberrybumfluff: but being able to turn it off is the real skill?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: It's hard to answer these questions so quickly- sorry if I'm slow

Tom O'Neil: Tell us about doing the World Trade Center role. You were really raw and powerful -- yeowsa

babypook: did you speak with the actual woman in WTC?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I did meet Alison Jimeno

Tom O'Neil: Tell us more

babypook: wow

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I spent some time with her, but I thought it was important that I not imitate her

Tom O'Neil: Why?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I wanted to honor her and what she went through but I guess I thought the best way to do that was by allowing anything to happen in the scenes I was in. There were so many people paying such close attention to what the actual facts were

K-Dogg: maggie, what could you call your motivation for playing Sherry Swanson in "Sherrybaby"?

Cederick: I just noticed, while skimming thru my copy of variety, a whole page FYC just for you in Sherrybaby! Congrats, and best of luck too!

Maggie Gyllenhaal: How about Sherrybaby...

Maggie Gyllenhaal: My motivation

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Well … I think, at least, in retrospect, that what is so important about a movie like Sherrybaby is that it's about somebody that isn't simple or easily likeable. She does things that we sympathize with and she hurts a lot of people around her, but watching a movie about someone like that is a way of practicing - and I mean practicing like learning to do something - compassion

strawberrybumfluff: That's a cool way of thinking about it

babypook: compassion is what binds us as a species...

Maggie Gyllenhaal: if Sherry were your mother, or your sister or your friend, I imagine it would be very difficult to find compassion for her, but watching her in a movie as a made-up person, it's a little easier

Tom O'Neil: those kinds of movies are dangerous, though, because aren't filmgoers supposed to root for the main character? If they're not heroic, that's hard

Maggie Gyllenhaal: They are dangerous, that's true, but that doesn't mean you shouldn’t make them

Cederick: Do you feel overwhelmed by all the praise you've received for "Sherrybaby?" I mean, just read what Entertainment Weekly ("one of the most authentic and moving journeys the movies have offered this year!") The NY Times ("extraordinary"), NY Daily News ("You can't take your eyes off her"), and US Weekly ("An Oscar-Worthy Perf!") all have to say about you...

Tom O'Neil: take a stab at Cederick's question

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Ok Cederick. Mom?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: : )

BabsonLacrosse: lol

babypook: haha

Jessestlr: cute

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Well. I'm really proud of these movies. I have made movies that I'm not proud of, but I think these are important ones -- to me at least, and I'm glad that they're getting a little attention Especially Sherrybaby, which really needs it

K-Dogg: you should guest star on "Grey's Anatomy" :)

Maggie Gyllenhaal: K-Dogg- my mom has a crush on Dr McDreamy

K-Dogg: lol -- who is your celebrity crush, maggie?

BabsonLacrosse: Maggie – Are there any specific films or performers you would like to see nominated this year for the oscar?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Yes Babson Lacrosse -- I loved Ryan Gosling in Half Nelson

BabsonLacrosse: great choice!!!

babypook: I think you may have been pretty challenged in Secretary; you pulled it off seamlessly///

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Thanks, babypook

daniel: what movies aren't you proud of?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Daniel - can't really say which movies I'm not proud of, but of course it happens that you find yourself in projects that aren't working. I think I've gotten better at being really careful about choosing

Paul Sheehan: happy belated birthday - your mother is such an accomplished screenwriter - what was your reaction when you read Stranger Than Fiction, one of the most buzzed about scripts of the year?

Tom O'Neil: Paul's a real fan of "Stranger" -- MAJOR fan

Maggie Gyllenhaal: OK Paul...

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I usually know within 10 pages whether a script is right for me or not, though I probably shouldn't say that...

Tom O'Neil: I have ONE BIG PROBLEM with Stranger's script. Is it OK to nitpit with you?

Tom O'Neil: Why doesn't Will's character fight back in "Stranger"? He roars in frustration, but doesn't rebel. For example, in the guitar shop, when he hears Emma say that he'll buy the guitar, why doesn't he refuse? That way they could fight back and forth and the conflict could've kicked up a notch

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I agree with you, Tom. That would have been great -- especially at the end once he's learned how to rebel

Tom O'Neil: yeah, maybe that's the answer

Tom O'Neil: I know -- Think of what could've happened on screen. Emma writes that he'll buy the guitar. When he doesn't, she sees the words vanish off the page she just typed. She types again. It vanishes ... etc. You could take this fight to all kinds of fun, higher levels

daniel: I read recently an article in EW about hollywood and women. All these years, there are great roles for men, but since 2002, with the hours and chicago, and far from heaven.. anyway, do you feel that hollywood is still an industry for men?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Daniel -- not really. Aside from the fact that my brother and my boyfriend make a lot more money than I do, I actually feel like that there are a lot of great roles for women and a lot of interesting women playing them

Maggie Gyllenhaal: and a lot of them are named Kate

K-Dogg: maggie, it would be awesome if you would team up with your brother (again) in a film written by your mom (Naomi Foner, oscar nominee) and directed by your pops

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Maybe awesome for you, but probably a little dramatic for me.

daniel: what's the importance of your brother in your life?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I love my brother

strawberrybumfluff: Exclusive! Maggie loves her brother.

redsunc: if you win an oscar would you do comedy?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I thought I'd done some comedies

K-Dogg: take note of everyone in this forum maggie, make sure to mention us in your Oscar acceptance speech

Maggie Gyllenhaal: OK K-dogg and strawberrybumfluff.

daniel: and daniel

daniel: and babypook

BabsonLacrosse: As younger actress, what actresses do you most admire and have looked up to?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: The actresses I admire...

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Laura Dern, Holly Hunter,Ellen Burstyn, Kate Winslet. Probably not a lot of surprises

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Emma Thompson

daniel: Tell me: who did you vote last year: brokeback or crash?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: brokeback. C'mon

babypook: ok!!

Tom O'Neil: brokeback waz robbed at the Oscars

Jessestlr: that's for sure

babypook: no kidding!!

daniel: of course. totally agree

Guru: Any plans on hosting SNL?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I'd be terrified to host SNL

Maggie Gyllenhaal: So I probably should

pepe_tamayo: you should

Tom O'Neil: OH, COME ON!!!!!!!! No wimping out allowed!

Jessestlr: What director would you really like to work with?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Pedro Almodovar

babypook: he is awesome

Jessestlr: Awesome, I'd love to see that

Maggie Gyllenhaal: and the guy who directed Sexy Beast

Maggie Gyllenhaal: What's his name again?

Jessestlr: Jonathan Glazer

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Right.

Paul Sheehan: jon glazer who did sexy beast did birth with nicole kidman who just did fur with steve shainberg

pepe_tamayo: i'd love to see that

Paul Sheehan: six degrees of Maggie

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Right. How was Fur?

Paul Sheehan: let's say interesting shall we

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Really?

babypook: i'm sorry to see fur not getting better reviews for shainberg

Paul Sheehan: :)

pepe_tamayo: bad reviews

daniel: How did you find time with a child to talk with us right now?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: It's hard. My mom is holding her

Tom O'Neil: Luvved Cecil B. Demented. I was Patty Hearst's date at the NY premiere

Tom O'Neil: She took me to the Pecker premiere, too

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Nice. It was crazy making Cecil B. Demented

Tom O'Neil: why?

K-Dogg: because john waters is crazy genius

strawberrybumfluff: Indeed!!!

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Great people, lots of young kids in a hotel together. Baltimore.

moneymoneymoney: i can't imagine that any john waters film is "just another day at the office."

strawberrybumfluff: lol

Maggie Gyllenhaal: True.

Tom O'Neil: Did you get to see his crazy house in Baltimore? The one with the electric death chair?

dumbo1: Baltimore and crazy?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I did.

babypook: omg...

Tom O'Neil: What was it like?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Actually, seeing Baltimore through the eyes of John Waters and all his friends made me think it was a pretty interesting place

Roberto_Orellana: Maggie, is there one role you turned down that you wish you could have done after?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Hmmm. Yes there was a play recently that I was offered that I went to see and wish I'd done

Roberto_Orellana: which play?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I probably shouldn't say, but the girl who did it was astonishing

pepe_tamayo: say her name at least

pepe_tamayo: kidding

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Easy, pepe

Paul Sheehan: your first film waterland starred real life couple jeremy irons and sinead cusack - would you like to work with peter in a movie?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: First of all, I working for about three hours on Waterland - mostly just to see my dad - I would like to work with Peter on almost anything

moneymoneymoney: gotta say it....just going to put it out there.....peter's smoking hot.

Maggie Gyllenhaal: but it would probably be silly to watch us in a romance

moneymoneymoney: good job, girlfriend.

Maggie Gyllenhaal: we should play people who hate each other

dumbo1: Probably but do it anyway

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Yes he is smoking hot, thank you

redsunc: i would love to see you in a remake of to have and have not like bogie and bacall,

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Yes- that's the kind of thing I'd like to do with him

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Old time 40s stuff where the people hate each other but really love each other deep down inside

BabsonLacrosse: maggie- do you prefer nyc to la?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Yes, but LA is nice with a young baby

Roberto_Orellana: Maggie, what do you think is the most important movie you have made thus far?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Important? How

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Probably Secretary. Maybe Sherrybaby. Both are trying to say something new

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Both of those are most important to me too

K-Dogg: how was james spader to work with? I just "love" him in Boston Legal and miss his movie days

Maggie Gyllenhaal: James Spader was bizarre and awesome

strawberrybumfluff: Secretary is presented as such a ... I dunno, whatever way it was put out there, it surprised me that it is actually clearly a love story.

daniel: your thoughts on thi year's oscars: dreamgirls or the departed?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I haven't seen either- I have a six week old

dumbo1: Some of the words you've used to describe people you've worked with are bizarre and crazy, is it important to have that type of creativity in a project for you

Maggie Gyllenhaal: It is important to me to have real relationships with the people I'm working with, especially actors It makes the scenes wake up

daniel: will you advise jake and peter to enter this chat some day?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Sure

babypook: congratulations on becoming a new mom, maggie

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Thanks

Jamie: Do you think having a child will influence the type of roles you pick in the future? Or will you try to keep the two aspects of your life separate?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Hard to say I remember coming home from working on Sherrybaby and thinking how hard it would be to do this movie with a baby

moneymoneymoney: what actors, who are less experienced than you, do you have your eye on as emerging talents?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Bryce Howard

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Alison Pill

KatieA: Maggie, so you think we might see you on the London stage at some time? - we'd love to see you here.

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I'd love to do a play in London

Maggie Gyllenhaal: The problem with theater is that you're doing the same material every night so you have to really really love it

redsunc: Would you vote for Bond?

K-Dogg: you should be the next bond girl

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I'd love to be the next Bond girl!!!!!

Tom O'Neil: YES

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Tell all your friends

strawberrybumfluff: lol

redsunc: we will

pepe_tamayo: i will

Tom O'Neil: We'll starting spreading the dish RIGHT NOW

K-Dogg: no offense intended...but i think that you have just the right amount of sex appeal to do it

JoshY: Maggie, I am a huge fan. What do you usually look for in a script?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: In a script...

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I look for people who talk like real human beings

Maggie Gyllenhaal: and some kind of extra life, something that's a little scary to me, or especially exciting

bildo10: i'm sure this was said before i entered the room, but what do we have to look forward from you down the pipeline, maggie? or are you just focusing on the baby for a while

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Yes- nothing in the pipeline so far

Roberto_Orellana: What would you say is the most emotional role that you have done?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Most emotional role... Probably Sherrybaby or Secretary, mostly because I was in every moment of those movies and had to go through so many different feelings

Maggie Gyllenhaal: World Trade Center was very intense too

babypook: i've never seen you in anything tawdry or without conviction..that seems integral in the films i've seen or heard you in...

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Tawdry?

babypook: o-o..you got me..

KatieA: Is there a reason why you prefer to live in NYC to LA?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: All my friends live in NY

KatieA: Good reason!

Paul Sheehan: were you concerned about press reaction to your casting in WTC after the tempest in a teapot doing press for great new wonderful?

redsunc: i couldn't take the emotion so I'm waiting for World Trade Center, Maggie is NY the same after 911 and the movie?

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Yes.

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Oh no- that yes was to Paul's question

Maggie Gyllenhaal: you're going to get me in trouble again

redsunc: sorry

Tom O'Neil: maggie -- will you ever try a stab at producing? Let's say you find a project that's GOTTA be made and it might not happen unless you PUSHED

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I have a lot to say about that

Maggie Gyllenhaal: It's hard to type fast enough..

Tom O'Neil: yeah, this is chaotic

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Actually I feel like feeling the lead in a tiny independent movie is a lot like producing, and I wouldn't do it again without being an actual producer

Tom O'Neil: If you want to keep hanging here, we luv it

strawberrybumfluff: We do!

redsunc: yes we do

babypook: agreed!

redsunc: go maggie go i mean stay

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Thanks so much you guys I have to get back to my little girl

Maggie Gyllenhaal: How about one more question

strawberrybumfluff: Would you be interested in working on a French film? You'd be great with Yvan Attal/Charlotte Gainsbourg

BabsonLacrosse: maggie- what is the best movie you've seen this year

Tom O'Neil: yeah, what OTHER movies are you rooting for at the Oscars?

Tom O'Neil: not your own

Maggie Gyllenhaal: I'd love to work on a French movie Thanks so much, you guys. And I haven't seen any movies. I have a tiny baby

daniel: bye, thank you so much. we will prepare a thank you speech for you

Maggie Gyllenhaal: Bye!