Jake Gyllenhaal doesn't mind being ''manipulated'' by a director.

The 'Nightcrawler' star has insisted he has no problems being given ideas from the person at the top as he feels that is their job.

He said: ''Well, that's the job of a director. They should be the best manipulator in the world. I love the idea of playing, knowing you are being manipulated. Yeah, that's the point. I love it.

''I'm looking for ideas. And a lot of the time, if you've thought it through so much, you're looking for someone to come at it from a different angle. I appreciate things, because what I wanna do is give them something they never expected, even if that means them pushing me.''

The 34-year-old actor also opened up about what he learnt from the boxers he worked with for his role as a light heavyweight champion in 'Southpaw'.

He told Empire magazine: ''A lot of people say that when you get into the ring, you need to be some sort of animal. And I think that's probably true, though I feel that technique and the scene of things is really what's at play, you know.

''But I don't know how to boil it down to one thing or a few things. You just pick up the molecules of the environment you're in, the people you're with, the energy they have.''