You'd imagine that if you were the parent of an A-list movie star then you'd be pretty sorted financially, wouldn't you? And then if your star son had a sister who was also an actress (and who played the lead female role in the most successful film of the year) then you'd be wiping your backside with fifty dollar bills and driving a diamond-encrusted car. Well, not the parents of Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal, who are claiming that they barely have a pot in which to piss.

Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Foner (what a name) are a bit strapped for cash, it seems and their famous children don't appear to be rushing to help out with those winter fuel bills. Somehow the couple have managed to accumulate vast debts throughout their marriage, mostly (get the hankies ready) through mortgage payments on their two luxury homes and from huge credit card bills.

 

This led to their separation in January and Naomi's claim that her screenwriting career was so affected by the Screen Writers' strike that she had to take out a loan, though maybe taking out a real job might have helped their financial woes. Luckily, Stephen was there to dish out his wisdom on financial management.

 

"I have been clear that worse comes to worse I will let all of this collapse into ruin, just as I believe letting the markets crash and burn are the right approach."

 

Fucking hell, he's really given up, hasn't he? No wonder no one will offer him any more loans - he's hardly a cast-iron candidate to repay the things. Come on, Jake and Maggie - wipe those smug grins off your faces. Offer to set them up in a cheap but respectable neighbourhood where they can live like normal people, they're bound to snatch your hand off, aren't they?

 

by Ian McShane