Full disclosure. Many years ago, I worked at the Disney Channel at the time producers were casting a revival of the kids show “The Mickey Mouse Club.” I don’t know who did the selection of the cast members, but among the then-unknown pre-teens they chose were Britney Spears, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, Keri Russell and a gawky 13 year-old Canadian kid named Ryan Gosling. What a cast! All have gone on to great success as adults, but Gosling especially chose his own path to become one of the most respected film actors working today.
In the course of such films as “Barbie,” “Half Nelson” and “Blue Valentine,” Gosling has been nominated for three Academy Awards and two BAFTAs, as well as six nominations from both the Screen Actors Guild and the Golden Globes, which includes a Globe win for his performance in the Damien Chazelle musical “La La Land.”
Tour our photo gallery above to look back at that path and rank Gosling’s 17 greatest films from worst to best. In addition to the films above, we include “Barbie,” “First Man,” “The Nice Guys,” “Blade Runner 2049” and more.
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17. THE GRAY MAN (2022)
Image Credit: Netflix Directors: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo. Writers: Joe Russo, Christopher Markus, Stephen McFeely. Starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, Ana de Armas, Regé-Jean Page, Jessica Henwick.
Gosling is in pure action mode in this Russo Brothers thriller as “Sierra Six,” the code name for his CIA agent who uncovers corruption at the highest level of the bureau and suddenly finds himself on the run, trying to escape from both the enemy and the agency, whose chief hitman is sociopath Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans). As serious as the stakes of the story may be, Gosling and Evans are having a blast together — Evans relishing his rare villainous turn, with Gosling matching him step for step along the way. Though Gosling is celebrated for his layered performances in both drama and comedy, “The Gray Man” shows that he can excel at action with the best of them.
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16. THE BELIEVER (2001)
Image Credit: Liz Hedges/Fuller/Seven Arts/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Writer/Director: Henry Bean. Starring Ryan Gosling, Billy Zane, Theresa Russell, Summer Phoenix.
Anyone who went to see “The Believer” in hopes of watching that nice young man from “The New Mickey Mouse Club” got a rude surprise as Gosling really established his dramatic acting chops in this role as Daniel Balint, a former Jewish student in a yeshiva who becomes a virulent neo-Nazi in New York. Once primarily known as a song-and-dance kid, Gosling dug deep to bring to life this young man whose twisted views have turned him into a terrorist. Gosling received enormous critical respect for his courageous performance, which led to a career of memorable dramatic performances.
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15. BLADE RUNNER 2049 (2017)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Director: Denis Villeneuve. Writers: Hampton Fancher, Michael Green. Starring Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Robin Wright.
Set 30 years after Ridley Scott’s original film, “Blade Runner 2049” brings that cult classic to a new generation as Gosling portrays K, a blade runner (an LAPD officer who hunts down and kills rogue replicants) while being a replicant himself. The previous film, set in 2019, starred Harrison Ford as blade runner Rick Deckard, and through the plot of director Denis Villeneuve’s film, K and Deckard come face to face and work together. Gosling and Ford display a wonderful chemistry together that helps to guide the audience through the film’s complex plot.
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14. THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES (2012)
Image Credit: Focus Director: Derek Cianfrance. Writers: Derek Cianfrance, Ben Coccio, Darius Marder. Starring Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Dale DeHaan, Emory Cohen, Ray Liotta, Rose Byrne, Ben Mendelsohn.
Gosling reunited with his “Blue Valentine” director Derek Cianfrance for this ambitious crime drama in which three linear stories are told at one time. Gosling stars as Luke, an ex-bank robber-turned-stuntman who decides to support his family by returning to a life of crime. Family is of paramount importance to Luke, so he aims to make as much money as he can to ensure that his wife and son can remain safe and protected. As much as society sees Luke as a bad guy, Gosling always makes clear that his motivations are pure, giving Luke a complexity that is not always seen in crime dramas.
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13. THE NOTEBOOK (2004)
Image Credit: New Line/REX/Shutterstock Director: Nick Cassavetes. Writer: Jeremy Levin. Starring Ryan Gosling, Rachel McAdams, James Garner, Gena Rowlands, Sam Shepard, Joan Allen.
“The Notebook,” based on the Nicholas Sparks novel, turned into the cult hit of 2004, overcoming mixed critical reviews with enormously positive word of mouth by romance film fans. Most significantly for Gosling’s career, it established him as a serious romantic lead with his portrayal of Noah Calhoun, a South Carolina quarry worker who falls for heiress Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams) in the 1940s. The story is told in flashback by the elderly Noah (James Garner).
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12. THE FALL GUY (2024)
Image Credit: Universal Pictures Director: David Leitch. Writer: Drew Pearce. Starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Teresa Palmer, Stephanie Hsu, Winston Duke.
Based on the hit 1980s TV series, director David Leitch’s love letter to stunt professionals centers on veteran Cole Seaver (Gosling) who finds himself being set up for a murder that happens to involve the world’s biggest movie star (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). If that’s not enough on his plate, Cole is trying to rekindle a romance with his director Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt) who tries in vain to resist his charms. The stunt work is impressive, and Drew Pearce’s script is quick and sharp, seamlessly blending screwball comedy to the demands of an action spectacle. The film gives Gosling the opportunity to show off his considerable action chops, and his crackling chemistry with Blunt (who gives just as good as she gets) is off the charts.
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11. THE IDES OF MARCH (2011)
Image Credit: Cross Creek/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Director: George Clooney. Writers: George Clooney, Beau Willimon, Grant Heslov. Starring Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti.
Based on the play “Farragut North” by Beau Willimon, “The Ides of March” stars Gosling as Stephen Meyers, the junior campaign manager for Democratic Gov. Mike Morris (director and co-writer George Clooney), who is vying for the Democratic nomination for President. But the knowledge that Meyers has about the Morris campaign is of great interest to the governor’s opponents, who attempt to woo the young operative over to their side. For his performance as Meyers, Gosling earned his third Golden Globe nomination.
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10. THE BIG SHORT (2015)
Image Credit: Plan B Entertainment/Regency Enterprises/Paramount/REX/Shutterstock Director: Adam McKay. Writers: Adam McKay, Charles Randolph. Starring Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt.
Here Gosling plays yet another vain and egotistical character (which he does so well) — this time, he’s Jared Vennett, a young bank salesman who discovers a theory that the American housing market is in a bubble, one that could burst at any moment. So he devises a plan to sell credit default swaps, allowing him to pocket considerable commissions from their sale. As part of “The Big Short” ensemble, Gosling was nominated for his fourth Screen Actors Guild Award.
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9. DRIVE (2011)
Image Credit: Courtesy FilmDistrict Director: Nicolas Winding Refn. Writer: Hossein Amini. Starring Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan, Oscar Isaac, Bryan Cranston, Albert Brooks.
Danish filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn cast Gosling as the lead in his very stylized adaptation of the 2005 novel. As a Hollywood stunt driver, Gosling’s unnamed character also moonlights as a getaway driver for a mob boss (Albert Brooks, who is terrific). Gosling becomes involved with a neighbor (Carey Mulligan) whose ex-con husband (Oscar Isaac) decides to hatch a plot for a million-dollar heist that goes south. Besides Refn’s direction, what’s wonderful about “Drive” is Gosling’s enigmatic performance, as you’re never quite sure where his loyalties lie.
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8. LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (2007)
Image Credit: Sidney Kimmel Entertainment/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Director: Craig Gillespie. Writer: Nancy Oliver. Starring Ryan Gosling, Emily Mortimer, Paul Schneider, Patricia Clarkson.
One characteristic of Gosling’s career is a lack of fear in taking on challenging roles, and among his boldest choices was as Lars, a dweeby young man in a Wisconsin town in Craig Gillespie’s comedy/drama. One day, a package arrives containing Lars’ new girlfriend, an anatomically correct sex doll whom he names Bianca. He introduces Bianca to his indulgent family and friends, who treat the doll as a real girl. But then a genuine real girl comes into Lars’ life. For his performance as Lars, Gosling was nominated for his first Golden Globe Award and earned his second Screen Actors Guild nod.
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7. CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE. (2011)
Image Credit: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock Directors: Glenn Ficarra, John Requa. Writer: Dan Fogelman. Starring Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Julianne Moore, Marisa Tomei.
In this romantic comedy written by Dan Fogelman (“This Is Us”), Gosling co-stars as womanizer Jacob Palmer who is surprised when his advances are rejected by Hannah Weaver (Emma Stone, in her first pairing with Gosling), a rejection that eats away at Jacob’s enormous ego. In an ensemble cast filled with great comic actors, Gosling’s performance arguably stole the show. For his performance as Jacob, Gosling was nominated for his fourth Golden Globe Award.
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6. FIRST MAN (2018)
Image Credit: Universal Director: Damien Chazelle. Writer: Josh Singer. Starring Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, Corey Stoll, Christopher Abbott, Ciarán Hinds.
Gosling reunited with his “La La Land” director Chazelle for this drama, centering on NASA’s eight year-long effort to put a man on the moon. That first man would be Neil Armstrong (Gosling), who, despite his exciting profession, is a reserved family man who worries just how his mission will impact the lives of his wife (Claire Foy) and kids. At the same time, it stands as a heartbreaking portrait of a father’s grief at the death of his young daughter and what he must do to have her brief life make an impact on the world. Underappreciated at its time, much of “First Man’s” power lies in the uncharacteristically reserved performance from Gosling as a man trying to hold it together just as the eyes of the entire world are fixated upon him.
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5. THE NICE GUYS (2016)
Image Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Director: Shane Black. Writers: Shane Black, Anthony Bagarozzi. Starring Russell Crowe, Ryan Gosling, Angourie Rice, Matt Bomer, Lois Smith, Margaret Qualley.
Call me nuts, but I just love Shane Black’s “The Nice Guys,” particularly Gosling’s go-for-broke performance in this neo-noir action comedy. As private eye Holland March, who’s drinking and down on his luck in 1977 Los Angeles, Gosling sports a quizzical look, a forearm cast and a droopy mustache as he accepts a job from an elderly woman (Lois Smith) who claims to have seen her dead niece (Margaret Qualley) very much alive. But the niece doesn’t want to be found and hires enforcer Jackson Heally (Russell Crowe) to stop March, a move that turns “The Nice Guys” into a wonderfully whacked-out buddy comedy.
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4. BLUE VALENTINE (2010)
Image Credit: Hunting Lane Films/REX/Shutterstock Director: Derek Cianfrance. Writers: Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne, Joey Curtis. Starring Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams.
Derek Cianfrance’s romantic drama centers around scenes from the marriage of a young couple — house painter Dean (Gosling) and nurse Cindy (Michelle Williams). The story is told in a non-linear fashion, with scenes of the couple first meeting intercut with those of their marriage dissolving, so the actors must note where they are in the story and adjust their characterizations accordingly. For his performance as Dean, Gosling was nominated for his second Golden Globe Award.
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3. BARBIE (2023)
Image Credit: Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros. Director: Greta Gerwig. Writers: Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach. Starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Farrell, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, Kingsley Ben-Adir.
When Gosling signed on to portray Ken in Greta Gerwig’s comic fantasy film “Barbie,” fans may have wondered what he could do to bring the blandest of dolls to life. Now we know. In Gosling’s hands, Ken is a richly complex character — initially relegated to worshiping Barbie, he is transformed upon reaching the Real World and quickly assumes all of the privileges that the patriarchy can provide to men. It’s not just Gosling’s ability to land the jokes that makes Ken so appealing, but he carries over the comedy to his physicality as well, not an easy feat. For his performance as Ken, Gosling earned his third Oscar nomination. second BAFTA nod, and his sixth nomination from both the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild.
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2. HALF NELSON (2006)
Image Credit: Snap Stills/REX/Shutterstock Director: Ryan Fleck. Writers: Anna Boden, Ryan Fleck. Starring Ryan Gosling, Shareeka Epps, Anthony Mackie.
Gosling was nominated for his first Academy Award for his performance as Dan Dunne, a young inner-city middle school teacher whose style of instruction has earned him accolades. But outside the classroom, Dan’s life is a mess, as he becomes addicted to cocaine. He soon becomes more reckless in his drug use and is caught by Drey, one of his students (Shareeka Epps), as Dan is getting high in the school locker room. For his performance as Dan, Gosling also earned his first Screen Actors Guild nomination.
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1. LA LA LAND (2016)
Image Credit: Dale Robinette/Black Label Media/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock Writer/Director: Damien Chazelle. Starring Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt.
Writer/director Damien Chazelle’s much-heralded musical reunited Gosling with his “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” co-star Emma Stone. Gosling plays aspiring jazz pianist Sebastian Wilder who meets (and eventually falls for) Mia Dolan (Stone) whose dream is to become an actress. Their romance grows against the vistas of Los Angeles and the music that their residents play and sing. As Sebastian, Gosling won his first Golden Globe Award, as well as being nominated for his second Academy Award and earning his fourth Screen Actors Guild nomination.
