by Ryan Gosling is now considered one of Hollywood’s most sought-after leading men, but his rise to fame and critical acclaim has an unlikely origin story – the 2004 romantic drama ‘The Notebook’.
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Before ‘The Notebook’, Gosling was primarily known for more independent and art house films. He had received praise for powerful performances in 2001’s ‘The Believer’ where he played a Jewish neo-Nazi and 2002’s ‘Murder by Numbers’ alongside Sandra Bullock. However, he had yet to headline a major mainstream film or have any significant box office success.
All that changed when Gosling was cast alongside Rachel McAdams as Noah in Nick Cassavetes’ film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ best-selling novel ‘The Notebook.’ The film was a surprise smash hit, grossing over $115 million worldwide on a budget of only $29 million. Critics praised both Gosling and McAdams’ undeniable chemistry, which carried the old-fashioned romantic tale. Audiences, especially women, flocked to the film, turning it into the must-see romantic movie of 2004. McAdams and Gosling’s iconic rain-soaked kiss has become one of the most enduring images of movie romance.
Almost overnight, Gosling became one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood. His brooding good looks and ability to project an aura of sensitivity and passion made him a perfect leading man for the romantic genre. However, unlike many actors who get pigeon-holed into certain kinds of roles, Gosling leveraged the success of ‘The Notebook’ to take on more challenging parts and cement his reputation as a versatile, serious actor.
His First Steps Towards Serious Drama
In 2007, Gosling reunited with ‘Murder by Numbers’ director Barbet Schroeder for the legal thriller ‘Fracture’ opposite Anthony Hopkins. Gosling held his own against the legendary actor, playing a prosecutor trying to convict Hopkins’ cunning murderer. The film gave Gosling a chance to showcase new facets of his talent. His performance was described by critics as “smart, riveting and astonishingly layered.” The film grossed nearly $100 million and marked an important transition point for Gosling towards more serious, complex dramas.
Later that year, Gosling took on another grittier role in ‘Lars and the Real Girl’ as a disturbed young man who forms an emotional attachment to a life-sized doll. Critics praised Gosling’s fearless embrace of such an offbeat, challenging role. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for best actor in a musical or comedy. The film helped reinforce that Gosling was an actor that could take risks and avoid being typecast even as a romantic lead.
Gosling again demonstrated his dedication to inhabiting complex characters with 2010’s ‘Blue Valentine’ opposite Michelle Williams. The raw, emotionally brutal portrait of a failing marriage earned Gosling some of the best reviews of his career to date. He received his first Oscar nomination for best actor for his performance. Director Derek Cianfrance would become a key collaborator for Gosling and both ‘Blue Valentine’ and their later film ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ would cement Gosling as one of the preeminent character actors of his generation.
Blockbuster Successes and La La Land
Even as he earned acclaim for his acting talent in smaller independent films, Gosling was also able to achieve box office success in bigger budget, more commercial projects. In 2011, he starred opposite Steve Carell in the satirical comedy ‘Crazy, Stupid Love’. Gosling played a smooth womanizer who attempts to teach Carell’s hapless character his tricks. The film was both a critical and commercial success, cementing Gosling’s reputation as a versatile performer who could excel equally in comedy and drama.
No film demonstrated this better than Gosling’s next team-up with ‘Blue Valentine’ director Derek Cianfrance – 2013’s ‘The Place Beyond the Pines.’ An ambitious, generations-spanning crime drama, Gosling played a motorcycle stunt rider turned bank robber. The film required him to undergo an extreme physical transformation and perform nail-biting stunts. Critics called the film a “criminally under-seen gem” and praised Gosling’s “volcanic” performance. Though not a mainstream hit, the film further reinforced Gosling’s artistic credibility.
Gosling would alternate between such critically acclaimed indies and bigger budget mainstream fare over the next few years. In 2013’s ‘Gangster Squad’, he starred as a 1949 LAPD sergeant taking on Mickey Cohen’s mob operation. Despite mixed reviews, the film proved Gosling could draw audiences in a more commercial crime thriller.
In 2014’s ‘Lost River’, Gosling made his debut as a director while continuing to take risks as an actor starring as a troubled Detroit hustler. That same year, he starred opposite Russell Crowe in the brooding crime drama ‘The Nice Guys’ displaying notable comedic chops.
In 2016, Gosling achieved massive critical and commercial success starring opposite Emma Stone in ‘La La Land’, the nostalgic musical about a jazz pianist and aspiring actress chasing their Hollywood dreams. Gosling wowed critics with both his singing and dancing abilities in addition to his now trademark sensitive acting style. The film became an award’s season juggernaut, winning six Oscars including best director for Damien Chazelle. Gosling received his second Oscar nomination for best actor for his performance as brooding musician Sebastian. Both his first musical role and one of his most demanding acting roles, ‘La La Land’ demonstrated the breadth of Gosling’s talents and how far his career had come since ‘The Notebook’.
Dramatic Transformations in Recent Years
Never one to rest on his laurels or fall into predictable roles, Gosling has continued to transform himself both physically and emotionally to inhabit distinct, often unsettling characters in recent years.
In 2017’s ‘Blade Runner 2049’, the long-awaited sequel to the sci-fi classic, Gosling played Officer K, a replicant blade runner tasked with hunting down Harrison Ford’s Deckard. To portray the manufactured man, Gosling adopted a hollow, near-emotionless persona, bringing an eerie stillness to his performance. Critics praised the risks Gosling took in his portrayal, with the Chicago Sun-Times calling it “the best performance of his career.” The film cemented his ability to succeed in any genre from musicals to science fiction.
In 2018, Gosling re-teamed with ‘La La Land’ director Damien Chazelle for the Neil Armstrong biopic ‘First Man’. Gosling underwent intense astronaut training and learned to play piano and fly planes to capture Armstrong’s stoic, interior character. Critics called his performance a “subtly clenched, inward turn” that captured both Armstrong’s legendary stillness and explosive emotional turmoil. Gosling earned his third Oscar nomination for the transformative role.
Most recently, Gosling underwent another physical transformation to portray an unhinged CIA agent in Netflix’s ‘The Gray Man’. He packed on pounds of muscle to perform incredible action sequences as the government assassin turned target. Re-teaming with ‘Captain America: The Winter Soldier’ directors Joe and Anthony Russo, the $200 million film represents Gosling’s first full-fledged action movie. Though reviews were mixed, critics praised Gosling’s dedication to creating “a portrait of physical instability” in his portrayal of the unpredictable killer.
An Authentic Actor Now And Forever
From ‘The Notebook’s’ Noah to ‘First Man’s’ Neil Armstrong, Ryan Gosling has transformed himself again and again to inhabit his roles, becoming one of Hollywood’s most chameleonic leading men. Though his career first launched with a romantic blockbuster, Gosling has shown a continuous dedication not to fame or fortune but to his craft as an actor. He has leveraged his industry clout to work with great directors and take creative risks in roles ranging from unstable criminals to splashy song-and-dance men. Nearly 20 years after ‘The Notebook’, every performance still feels like a revelation precisely because Gosling doesn’t cling to any one image or persona as a star. Much like the movies, he aims to show us life in all its variations, contradictions, and complexity. Whatever his next act, one suspects Ryan Gosling will continue to challenge himself and surprise audiences – a leading man who insists on staying authentic.
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