Ryan Thomas Gosling (born November 12 1980) is a Canadian actor.
Gosling was born at St. Joseph's Hospital in London, Ontario to Mormon parents Thomas and Donna Gosling. He was raised in Cornwall, Ontario, and received his start in show business singing with his older sister, Mandi, at local talent shows. He credits his mother for turning him around from a troubled youth. She quit her job to home school him when Gosling got into too many fights at school. As a child, he was diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and treated with Ritalin. He luckily found an outlet for his energy in the Mickey Mouse Club season six and seven. Gosling was selected from a pool of thousands to join the New Mickey Mouse Club in 1993 alongside the likes of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, JC Chasez and Justin Timberlake, with whom he lived while working on the series. He apparently caused an uproar among the mothers of young Mouseketeers when it was discovered that Britney and Christina had asked Gosling about sex and he enlightened them about various sexual positions[verification needed].
Gosling became well known after his roles in the television series Young Hercules and Breaker High, and his fame spread to the United States after he'd starred in such films as The Slaughter Rule, Murder by Numbers, Remember the Titans, The United States of Leland, The Notebook, and The Believer (which was the 2001 Grand Jury Prize winner at the Sundance Film Festival). His performance in the 2006 film "Half Nelson" has generated Best Actor buzz. Gosling has not had formal training as an actor but has been praised for his intense and heartfelt performances.
Gosling says of his Mormon upbringing, "My parents were more Mormon than I was." Gosling now considers himself "religious but nondemoninational".[1] In 2004, he was named one of People magazine's Fifty Hottest Bachelors, and named the Show West Male Star of Tomorrow.
Other activities
With two of his friends, Gosling has opened a Moroccan restaurant called Tagine in Beverly Hills, California. He is also involved with the ONE Campaign, which works to help the poorest people of the world overcome AIDS and extreme poverty.
Gosling is an accomplished jazz guitarist and singer, and has performed at The Cat Club on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood. He was also a backing singer on Canadian band soulDecision's 2000 album, No One Does it Better. Gosling picked up his love of music from his father who plays the piano. He has mentioned that he plays the guitar as hobby on a frequent basis.
Gosling is an animal-rights activist, and wrote a letter to Kentucky Fried Chicken on behalf of PETA, urging the company to improve its treatment of animals. [1] A celebrity with a social conscience, Gosling has traveled to Darfur and Katrina-devasted areas to assist in relief efforts.
Gosling is currently dating, and supposedly engaged to his The Notebook co-star, fellow Canadian Rachel McAdams.
He and McAdams famously re-enacted their smouldering kiss on stage at the 2005 MTV Movie Awards where they won the Best Kiss award for their passionate rain soaked kiss. Much to the delight of The Notebook fans, the couple nicknamed "McGosling" and "McRyan" have been photographed grocery shopping and walking their dogs together.
Selected filmography
- Guerrilla (2007)
- The Good Heart (2007)
- The Last Face (2006)
- Half Nelson (2006)
- Fracture (2005)
- Stay (2005)
- The Notebook (2004)
- The United States of Leland (2003)
- The Slaughter Rule (2002)
- Murder by Numbers (2002)
- The Believer (2001)
- Remember the Titans (2000)
- Young Hercules (1998) (television series)
- Breaker High (1997) (television series)
- Goosebumps (1995) (television series)