You've heard of power couples, but is there such thing as power siblings? Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal make a pretty convincing case that there is. The older sister and younger brother are both A-list movie stars in their own right and have each paved their own way in their acting careers, tackling gritty lead roles onscreen and even treading the boards as stars of Broadway plays. And, as with any power pair, their affection and admiration for one another are a big part of what makes them so compelling.

Related: Jake Gyllenhaal's Godmother Is This Famous Actress

Jake and Maggie each speak adoringly of one another and support each other's work, eliminating any speculation about any sort of sibling rivalry between the two. While we know them as some of their iconic characters like Donnie Darko, Lee Holloway, Jack Twist, and Nessa Stein, Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal are just a regular brother-and-sister pair behind the scenes. Well, kind of. Here's a look inside Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal's relationship.

10 They Are Kind Of Royalty

Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal aren't just Hollywood royalty, they're also kind of real royalty. They are distant relatives of Queen Elizabeth II with their shared lineage going all the way back to King Edward III in the 14th century. They are descendants on their father's side of Leonard Gyllenhaal, a Swedish military officer who lived from 1752 to 1840.

9 They Come From A Performing Family

The Gyllenhaal siblings were perhaps always destined for the silver screen. Their dad is esteemed film director Stephen Gyllenhaal, and he gave them their start by allowing them to act in some of his films. Jake recalls that family dinners often included "acting" around the table as the family told animated stories, shared inside jokes, or reenacted funny things that had happened that day.

8 Jake Admired Maggie's Acting From A Young Age

In an adorable display of sibling love, Jake remembers that he would go to see Maggie when she acted in high school plays and that his admiration for her acting stemmed from that time. Following in her footsteps, he slowly started to become interested in acting, and from there they began appearing in films together in small roles before each heading off to forge their own path.

7 They Approach Acting Similarly

When speaking about their processes, Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal describe acting in similar ways. They both speak of intense dedication to the technical work of acting, involving breaking down scenes intellectually first, by objectives, tactics, and beats, before coming to the room to work it all out in rehearsal.

Related: The Extreme Way Jake Gyllenhaal Prepared For His Role In 'Nightcrawler'

6 They Get Nervous Around Each Other - But Only Out Of Love

In 2014, Jake told Jimmy Fallon how extraordinary his sister was in the play she was in at the time, The Real Thing, alongside Ewan McGregor, and laughs as he recounts that he had to sneak in because Maggie didn't want him there during the previews. He explains that he's the same way and that they get nervous around each other because they respect each other so much and worry about what the other will think of their performance.

5 They Introduced Each Other To Love Interests

Maggie Gyllenhaal has her brother to thank for her husband and children. Jake Gyllenhaal set her up with his friend and Jarhead and Rendition costar Peter Saarsgard. The two married in 2009 and have two children together. Maggie returned the favor by introducing her brother to Kirsten Dunst. They dated for two years and even lived together, but broke up in 2004.

Related: Why Did Taylor Swift and Jake Gyllenhaal Break Up?

4 They Appeared In 'Donnie Darko' And 'Dangerous Woman' Together

The siblings first appeared onscreen together in their father's 1993 film Dangerous Woman, but the roles were small. 2001's Donnie Darko is more frequently remembered as the first time they worked together. Director Richard Kelly remembers that after casting Jake as Donnie, he had to work hard to convince Maggie to play his sister, but that the result was exquisite and well worth it.

3 Jake Is Crazy About Maggie's Daughters

The ultimate "hot uncle" type, Jake Gyllenhaal adores his nieces. Maggie's two daughters Ramona, 15, and Gloria, 9, are crazy about him too. In an increasingly giggle-filled interview segment, Jake's affection is unabashed as he tells Ellen DeGeneres about then-2-year-old Gloria's affinity for repeating her favorite line from A League of Their Own: "There's no crying in baseball!"

2 They Once Escaped Death Together

In December 2006, Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal were vacationing at Manka's Inverness Lodge, a famous restaurant and getaway in Inverness, California, when a falling tree caused a fire to break out at around 3 am. The siblings escaped with about 10 other people and the lodge's owner noted how gracious and helpful they were, helping to corral guests and pull things out of the fire.

1 They Support The Same Political Causes

Maggie Gyllenhaal is passionately vocal about the liberal causes she supports and has done extensive charity and activist work around human and women's rights. She and Jake visited the University of Southern California to film a commercial that encouraged students to vote in the 2004 election.

Next: Heath Ledger Nearly Broke Jake Gyllenhaal's Nose While Filming 'Brokeback Mountain'