Peter Sarsgaard Explains Why Taking on New Roles Is 'Some Type of Sacrifice for Me': 'I Have a Family' (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard on Sept. 9, 2023.Photo:Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty

Elisabetta A. Villa/Getty

Marriagebetween two working actors has its own set of challenges.

WhenPeter Sarsgaard, 53, sat down with PEOPLE recently to discuss his new movieSeptember 5, the actor, who is married toMaggie Gyllenhaal, said he purposefully takes on fewer roles for his family’s sake while sharing that that he and Gyllenhaal, 47, “take turns in terms of our work.”

“I think at one point I used to think that I would work more if I could. But I think that’s wrong,” he says. “I think I would’ve done a lot more things that I was not proud of. So when I say yes to do something, it’s some type of sacrifice for me. Not a big one. Everyone else has got bigger sacrifices in the world, but just talking artistically — I can’t work constantly. I have a whole other life. I have a family.”

Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal on Oct. 19, 2024.Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

Taylor Hill/FilmMagic

The actor points to meetingSeptember 5director Tim Fehlbaum for the first time as an example of his approach to choosing projects. He portrays Roone Arledge, the late ABC News executive, in the movie, a recollection of the Munich massacre at the 1972 Olympics in Germany from the perspective of the ABC Sports broadcast team. “I am not shy about kicking the tires and making sure he’s as serious as I am about making this thing the best thing it can be,” Sarsgaard says.

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“But I don’t know if I have couple advice,” he adds. “I think every couple is as unique as every person. I think it would be a lot more difficult to be married to someone who had a more consistent type of employment in one place.”

Peter Sarsgaard and Maggie Gyllenhaal on Sept. 7, 2024.Jamie Squire/Getty

Jamie Squire/Getty

Both Sarsgaard and Gyllenhaal have enjoyed successful acting careers. Gyllenhaal has even dipped her toes into directing with 2021’sThe Lost Daughter, which her husband appeared in. She is currently working on a new film titledThe Bride, which is based on Mary Shelley’s classicFrankensteinand also features Sarsgaard and her brotherJake Gyllenhaalalongside leadsChristian BaleandJessie Buckley.

“I’ve seen several cuts of it and I just think it’s absolutely phenomenal,” Sarsgaard tells PEOPLE. “I can’t wait for people to see it.”

September 5is in limited theaters now and expands everywhere Jan. 17.

source: people.com