With his ever-growing fanbase, Ryan Gosling’s movies have resonated with film audiences, mostly because of the actor’s versatility. Although an unpopular opinion, Ryan Gosling is one of his generation’s most talented actors. His creativity and desire for growth have seen him take on a wide range of roles.
Ryan Gosling is one of Hollywood’s successful leading men, co-starring alongside several A-list actors. The Canadian actor has starred in films that have grossed well over $2 billion at the Box Office. Gosling has starred in several memorable roles throughout his career. Here are Ryan Gosling’s most memorable roles in movies.
The Believer (2001)
Although The Believer (2001) was Ryan Gosling‘s third feature film, he delivered an astonishing performance like a seasoned actor. If anything, The Believer proves Gosling remains underrated in Hollywood. In The Believer, Gosling played Danny Balint, a born Jew who begins to question and defect from the faith. As an adult, Danny grew up to become a fanatically violent neo-Nazi. The Believer follows his antics to “destroy” the Jews living in New York while hiding the truth from his neo-Nazi friends that he’s also a Jew. The Believer was critically acclaimed, with Ryan Gosling’s performance receiving praise. The movie is a good way to start watching Ryan Gosling movies.
The Notebook (2004)
Nick Cassavetes’ romantic drama The Notebook gave Ryan Gosling international recognition. Starred alongside Rachel McAdams, Gosling plays the male lead role as Noah Calhoun. Based on Nicholas Sparks’ 1996 novel, The Notebook follows the forbidden love of lumber mill worker Noah Calhoun and heiress Allison “Allie” Hamilton. Set in the 1940s, The Notebook begins with an elderly man reading a romantic story from a notebook to a female patient. Although he didn’t receive an Oscar nomination for his performance, it remains one of the most memorable roles of his career.
Half Nelson (2006)
With his performance in Half Nelson (2006), even the Academy Awards couldn’t ignore Ryan Gosling’s talent. Ryan Gosling received his first Academy Award nomination for his performance in Half Nelson. Cast in the lead role as a drug-addicted middle-school History teacher, Dan Dunne, Gosling was nominated for Best Actor. Although he’s successful as a teacher, his personal life is a mess. After one of his students, Drey (Shareeka Epps), catches him freebasing cocaine in school, they form an unlikely friendship as she tries to help him fight the addiction. Half Nelson was commercially successful, grossing $4.9 million on a $700,000 budget.
The Ides of March (2011)
In most of Ryan Gosling’s movies, the actor often plays the romantic. However, he became an embittered junior campaign manager after he was fired from a Presidential campaign in The Ides of March (2011). Directed by George Clooney, Gosling’s character quickly understands and learns how campaigns and politics are played to win. The Ides of March proved Ryan Gosling’s versatility beyond his conventional romantic roles.
Drive (2011)
Drive (2011) is one of Ryan Gosling’s underrated movies, especially in the 2010s. Although a commercial success, grossing $81.4 million on a $15 million, the movie often gets overlooked among the Ryan Gosling movies. Gosling is cast as The Driver, an unnamed driving expert who works as a stunt double for movies, a mechanic, a stunt driver, and a criminal-for-hire getaway driver. Although Drive packed several other top actors like Carey Mulligan, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, Ron Perlman, and Christina Hendricks, Gosling’s performance held the film together.
La La Land (2016)
Many of today’s movie audiences probably didn’t watch Ryan Gosling in his first Oscar-nominated performance in Half Nelson. However, La La Land is one of Ryan Gosling’s most popular movies in the last decade. In the musical romantic drama, Gosling not only delivered a breathtaking acting performance but showcased his dancing skills. If anything, La La Land helped many audiences appreciate Gosling’s multi-faceted talents. Ryan Gosling received his second Academy Awards nomination for Best Actor. Emma Stone, who received a similar nomination, won her first Oscar for the role.
Barbie (2023)
Thanks to the Barbenheimer effect, Barbie is currently Ryan Gosling’s biggest and most memorable movie role. With Box Office earnings of $1.446 billion, Barbie is also Ryan Gosling’s highest-grossing movie. Gosling played Ken in a way most people never believed he could. Audiences watched him act, dance, and sing with jaw-dropping performances. Unsurprisingly, it earned Ryan Gosling his third Oscar nomination. Although he didn’t win, his performance of the movie’s “I’m Just Ken” song was one of the highlights of the 96th Academy Awards. If Ryan Gosling’s movies was a fun read, check out Amada Lee Gosling: The Life of Ryan Gosling’s Daughter.
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