Jake Gyllenhaal, who stars in the Apple TV+ thriller alongside Ruth Negga, Lily Rabe, and his brother-in-law Peter Sarsgaard, surprised his Presumed Innocent costars with a sweet treat!
At the Tribeca Film Festival premiere of the series on June 9, Gyllenhaal’s costar Kingston Rumi Southwick shared with PEOPLE that the 43-year-old actor brought ice cream trucks to the set, creating a fun family atmosphere for the cast and crew.
“Jake brought ice cream trucks, making it a great family environment with everyone on set. It was phenomenal,” said Southwick, who plays Gyllenhaal’s on-screen son Kyle Sabich.
Southwick also mentioned that Ruth Negga was the “trickster” on set, helping the cast relax during the intense shoot. She would make paper airplanes and write notes to make everyone laugh, especially O-T Fagbenle. It was a nice way to balance the intense moments with some fun and laughter.
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The eight-episode show, based on Scott Turow’s 1987 New York Times bestseller, stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Ruth Negga, O-T Fagbenle, Bill Camp, Elizabeth Marvel, Peter Sarsgaard, Lily Rabe, and Renate Reinsve.
Gyllenhaal is also the show’s executive producer, along with J.J. Abrams and David E. Kelley.
Presumed Innocent follows Rusty Sabich (played by Gyllenhaal), a Chicago prosecutor who is accused of the murder he was investigating after having an affair with the victim just before her death.
The book was previously made into a 1990 film starring Harrison Ford. Similarly, Gyllenhaal recently remade Road House, taking on the role originally played by Patrick Swayze in the 1989 film.
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Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE at the premiere, Jake Gyllenhaal shared that playing Rusty Sabich was an “interesting challenge” and “not that easy.”
“He is a very particular character, and David Kelley sets up a really complex situation,” Gyllenhaal said. “That’s what drew me to it—the many questions it raises. Another big draw for me was the family aspect of the story and how everyone gets involved.”
Earlier this month, Gyllenhaal told The Hollywood Reporter that he based some of his character’s habits on his godfather, Paul Newman. For example, Newman often tucked his glasses midway down his buttoned dress shirt and sometimes wore them hanging from his ear.
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As an executive producer, Jake Gyllenhaal helped with casting and told CNN he knew his brother-in-law, Peter Sarsgaard, would be perfect for the role of an antagonistic prosecutor who suspects Sabich is guilty. Sarsgaard, 53, is married to Gyllenhaal’s sister, Maggie Gyllenhaal.
“Peter is an incredible actor because he demands honesty in his acting and in real life,” Gyllenhaal said.
The first two episodes of Presumed Innocent will be available on Apple TV+ starting Wednesday, June 12, with new episodes released every Wednesday until July 24.
