Ryan Gosling turns 46 with a career that began in front of television cameras during his childhood and has led to roles in some of the most talked-about films of the past two decades. He was born on November 12, 1980, in London, Ontario, and his first professional appearances were in „The Mickey Mouse Club,“ where he performed alongside Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.
His major breakthrough came in 2004 with „The Notebook.“ In Nick Cassavetes’ romantic drama, Gosling plays Noah Calhoun — a young man whose love story with Rachel McAdams’ character became one of the most popular screen romances of its generation.
From independent cinema to his first Oscar nomination
After the success of „The Notebook,“ Gosling did not limit himself to romantic roles. In 2006’s „Half Nelson,“ he plays a teacher struggling with addiction. His performance earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Films such as „Blue Valentine,“ „The Place Beyond the Pines“ and „Drive“ followed. In the latter, Gosling creates a character with almost no explanation and few words — a silent driver drawn into a dangerous criminal world. The role cemented his interest in characters who rely more on presence and behavior than on lengthy dialogue.
In 2016 came Damien Chazelle’s „La La Land.“ Gosling plays jazz pianist Sebastian Wilder alongside Emma Stone. For the role, he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy and received his second Oscar nomination.
Ken, who stepped out of Barbie’s shadow
In „Blade Runner 2049,“ Gosling takes on the role of Officer K — a character searching for answers about his origins in Denis Villeneuve’s bleak future. A few years later, the actor completely changed tone with his role as Ken in Greta Gerwig’s „Barbie.“
The character, conceived as a secondary figure revolving around Barbie, becomes one of the comedy’s driving forces. Gosling sings „I’m Just Ken,“ and his performance earns him nominations for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and the Screen Actors Guild Awards. This is his third Oscar nomination.
In 2026, Gosling returns in a leading role in the science-fiction film „Project Hail Mary,“ an adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel. He plays science teacher and astronaut Ryland Grace, who wakes up alone in space and must find a solution to a threat facing Earth.
„No film has ever exhausted me this much, but nothing has ever been more worth it,“ Gosling tells Reuters about working on the film.In addition to acting, Gosling is a musician and performs with the band Dead Man’s Bones. On screen, he continues to alternate major studio productions with more unusual projects — a journey that began with the sensitive hero of „The Notebook“ and has led to Ken, who sings about his own identity, and to an astronaut seeking salvation among the stars.
Sources: upi.com, apnews.com, whbl.com