Ryan Gosling (b. 1980)

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Biography

Ryan Thomas Gosling is a Canadian actor. His work includes both independent films and major studio features, and his accolades include a Golden Globe Award, in addition to nominations for three Academy Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and two British Academy Film Awards.

Timeline

The story of Ryan Gosling, told in moments.

1980 Birth

Born in London, Ontario. His father was a traveling paper mill salesman. His mother was a secretary. Mormon household. Parents divorced when he was 13. He and his sister lived with their mother. He credits her with "programming him to think like a girl."

What did your mother mean by 'programming you to think like a girl'? Did the Mormon household shape your worldview? Was Dick Tracy really the spark?

1993 Event

Cast on Disney Channel's All New Mickey Mouse Club at 13. Fellow cast members included Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. Gosling had seen Dick Tracy as a kid and decided he wanted to act.

What was the Mickey Mouse Club actually like behind the scenes? Did you sense the talent around you -- Timberlake, Spears, Aguilera? Were you the odd one out at thirteen?

2004 Event

Starred in The Notebook. The audition was unconventional. Director Nick Cassavetes picked him partly because he wasn't handsome in the conventional sense. The film grossed $117 million and made Gosling a household name.

How did being picked because you weren't conventionally handsome feel? Did The Notebook change who you were or just who people thought you were? Is $117 million a measure of the film or the audience?

2016 Event

Starred in La La Land. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He'd already earned a nomination for Half Nelson in 2006. La La Land grossed $446 million worldwide. He also played drums and piano in the film.

Did learning piano and drums for La La Land change how you approach roles? Which Oscar nomination meant more -- Half Nelson or La La Land? Is acting craft or transformation for you?

2023 Event

Played Ken in Barbie. "I'm Just Ken" was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. The film grossed $1.4 billion. Gosling received his third Academy Award nomination. He co-owns a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills called Tagine.

Was playing Ken a risk or a liberation? Did you expect 'I'm Just Ken' to become an anthem? Is co-owning a Moroccan restaurant the most surprising thing about you?

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