Maggie Gyllenhaal's Real Name: Margalit Ruth Gyllenhaal

Quick answer: Maggie Gyllenhaal's birth name is Margalit Ruth Gyllenhaal. She was born on November 16, 1977, in New York City. The Guardian reports that she learned her legal first name was Margalit only when she requested her birth certificate as an adult. She starred in Secretary and Crazy Heart, then wrote and directed The Lost Daughter (2021) and The Bride! (2026) (The Guardian; Britannica).

Real name and early life

The Guardian's 2021 profile says that "Margalit Ruth Gyllenhaal" was born in New York on November 16, 1977. Margalit, a nod to her mother's Jewish heritage, appeared on her birth certificate, and she discovered it only when she asked for the certificate in order to take her husband Peter Sarsgaard's name. Britannica lists her as Margalit Ruth Gyllenhaal, and the Golden Globes biography calls her Margalit "Maggie" Gyllenhaal. The Library of Congress name authority files her as "Gyllenhaal, Maggie, 1977-." One of its citations records "birth name: Maggie Ruth Gyllenhaal," which differs from the birth certificate account above.

She is the daughter of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter-director Naomi Foner, and the older sister of actor Jake Gyllenhaal. The Guardian says her parents raised her to be politically engaged, and she has called political activism "incredibly important to me."

Career highlights

According to the Golden Globes biography, she acted with her brother in Donnie Darko (2001). Her breakout was Secretary (2002), opposite James Spader. She went on to Mona Lisa Smile (2003), Sherrybaby (2006), Stranger Than Fiction (2006), and Crazy Heart (2009) with Jeff Bridges. The Guardian describes her as an Oscar-nominated actor whose career has been built on complex, challenging characters. She also played Rachel Dawes in The Dark Knight (2008).

On television she starred in The Honourable Woman (2014), which won her the 2015 Golden Globe for best actress in a limited series or TV movie, and in HBO's The Deuce (2017–19). She made her directing debut with The Lost Daughter (2021), adapting Elena Ferrante's novel herself. The Guardian called it a "stunning debut film." She has said she is drawn to "troubled women. The ones that are a real challenge."

Her second feature as writer-director, The Bride!, is a new take on the Bride of Frankenstein starring Jessie Buckley and Christian Bale. Britannica says it was released on March 6, 2026.

Name notes for searchers

Maggie is the name she has always used, while her birth certificate reads Margalit. Searchers may also find "Maggie Ruth Gyllenhaal" in library records. Learn more about her family on our Jake Gyllenhaal real name page.