Ryan Gosling

Ryan Thomas Gosling was born on November 12, 1980, in London, Ontario, Canada. His father, Thomas Ray Gosling, was a traveling salesman, and his mother, Donna, worked as a secretary. The family, which included his older sister Mandi, moved frequently due to his father’s profession, settling in Cornwall and later Burlington, Ontario. He was homeschooled by his mother for a year after experiencing bullying in elementary school. Gosling’s early performing experiences included singing in talent contests with his sister and participating in his uncle’s Elvis Presley tribute act. At age 12, he successfully auditioned for “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” in January 1993, joining future stars like Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. After the show concluded in 1995, Gosling continued his television career in Canada, appearing in series such as “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” (1995), “Goosebumps” (1996), and “Breaker High” (1997-1998).

His career transitioned to film when he took a supporting role in “Remember the Titans” (2000). Gosling garnered critical attention for his portrayal of a Jewish neo-Nazi in “The Believer” (2001), which received the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival, earning him an Independent Spirit Award nomination. He gained widespread recognition with the romantic drama “The Notebook” (2004), a significant commercial success. His performance as a drug-addicted junior high school teacher in “Half Nelson” (2006) earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Over the next decade, Gosling solidified his status as a leading actor, starring in diverse films including “Blue Valentine” (2010), the romantic comedy “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” (2011), the action-thriller “Drive” (2011), and the political drama “The Ides of March” (2011). He also ventured into directing with “Lost River” (2014).

Gosling continued to receive critical acclaim and box office success with projects like “The Big Short” (2015) and “The Nice Guys” (2016). His role in the musical “La La Land” (2016) earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a second Academy Award nomination. He took on significant roles in “Blade Runner 2049” (2017), playing ‘K’, and portrayed Neil Armstrong in the biopic “First Man” (2018). More recently, he starred as Ken in the critically and commercially successful film “Barbie” (2023), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Beyond acting, Gosling is a co-owner of Tagine, a Moroccan restaurant in Beverly Hills, California, and is a member of the indie rock band Dead Man’s Bones. He actively supports various social causes, including animal welfare and peace promotion efforts in Africa.