In Italy it's called being a "figlia d'arte". It means having grown up surrounded by actors and by people of the art world and once adults, taking to this heritage with honour. Maggie Gyllenhaal represents exactly this expression.

Daughter of director Stephen Gyllenhaal (who directed several episodes of the CBS series Numb3rs, The Mentalist, Hawthorne, Army Wives), she is also the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal. After the debut in her father's film, she became famous thanks to 'Donnie Darko' (2001).

She has been in 'Sherrybaby' (2006), 'Trust the Man', (2006), 'World Trade Center', (2006), 'The Dark Knight', (2008) and played the role of Giselle in 'Mona Lisa Smile', (2003). She also acted in the stage performance of 'Closer' (2000).

She played Denise in the TV movie 'The Corrections' and in 2012 and she is the star of "Won't back down" (2012), which will be released this week on Friday September 28th, a drama about two determined mothers who want to transform their children's failing inner city school.

 

Here she is dressed with a caped lace dress DG collection FW 12/13 a few days ago promoting "Won't Back Down" in New York at "Today Show".

 

She is currently filming 'White House Down', an action movie about a paramilitary group taking of the White House.

Whatever she is up to next, Maggie won’t let us down.

Credits: Dolce&Gabbana