STACK December 2016 Issue No. 146

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story because you feel very close to Mia and
Sebastian,” explains the 35-year-old Canadian
heartthrob. “I wanted to do the film because I
think it takes you on this beautiful ride.”
Having grown so used to seeing Gosling
play the dark and brooding anti-hero in dramas
Drive and The Place Beyond the Pines, it is
refreshing to see him cut loose and have some
fun. “I often take my work and myself too
seriously, so getting to do this film and
Nice Guys was a great way for me to be
able to get to talk a lot, open up more,
and make people laugh and enjoy
“I’ve always loved An American in
Paris and Singin’ in the Rain – Gene
Kelly gave us some of the single
greatest song and dance numbers ever,”
reveals an uncharacteristically wistful Ryan
Gosling, who dons his dancing shoes in
latest film La La Land. Created by Damien
Chazelle, the Oscar-nominated director of
Whiplash, the film is a glorious throwback to
old-style Hollywood musicals and is already
being touted as a major Oscar contender.
“I’m a big fan of musicals and Damien is
a serious student of the genre; his ambition
was to capture the spirit of those movies and
also pay homage to the city of Los Angeles,”
reveals the actor.
Gosling plays Sebastian, a cynical jazz pianist
who is fast becoming a star in Hollywood,
unlike his lover Mia (Emma Stone), a barista
and struggling actress who can’t seem to get
a break. The film follows the season of their
romance as they both eventually achieve their
longed-for success, only to find it threatens
their fragile love for one another. Bathed in a
nostalgic glow, the film serves to remind us of
a simpler time in Hollywood as its stars sashay
and tap dance to the song of old Los Angeles.
We are also reminded of the irresistible
chemistry between Gosling and super-babe
Stone, who have wowed us once
before in 2011’s Crazy, Stupid, Love.
“Not everyone might like
musicals, but in this case you’re
emotionally invested in the
themselves,” he says.
Whilst we don’t
associate him with
musical theatre, Gosling
actually started out
performing on The Mickey
Mouse Show when he was
a kid, but admits that the
intricate and graceful routines
were a far cry from his '90s
hip hop dancing days. “When I signed on
to the film, I foolishly expected that my
lost dance skills would come back to me pretty
quickly. But I was wrong! Nothing came back,”
he reveals with a laugh.
Currently filming Blade Runner 2049, the
long-awaited sequel to Ridley Scott’s original
1982 sci-fi cult classic, the star admits
that since becoming a father to
daughters, Esmeralda, 2, and
Amada, born in April, with girlfriend
Eva Mendes, he is less inclined to
work long hours on set, saying: “I
enjoy being a father more than I
could ever have imagined... It’s the
best thing that’s ever happened to
me. Now that we have two girls
I find myself wanting to stay
at home with them all the
time.”
No wonder he has so
much to sing and dance
about.
I often take my
work and myself too
seriously...
The Canadian actor reveals why he couldn’t turn
down the opportunity to channel his idol Gene Kelly
in romantic musical La La Land . Words Karen Anne Overton
• La La Land
is in cinemas on
Dec 26
visit
20 DECEMBER 2016
CINEMA
INTERVIEW
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Drive
RYAN
GOSLING
GOES LALA
La La Land