Director Ryan Gosling described it as “unique”

(Image credit: Far Out / Alamy)

Mon, July 29, 2024, 9:15 p.m., UK

After Ryan Gosling made a name for himself with his portrayal of the adorable Noah in The notebookit seemed he was on his way to becoming one of Hollywood's most popular romantic leads. In a way, he did. He played a flirtatious womanizer in Crazy stupid loveas tap dance lead actor of LaLaLandand how Barbie's long-term long-distance boyfriend with no major commitments. But he has also carved out a place for himself in the independent world.

In between his romantic comedies, Gosling endeared himself to film fans by appearing in dark thrillers such as DriveBig budget science fiction films like Blade Runner 2049, and offbeat comedies like The nice guyswho defies stereotypes at every turn. He's played an action star, an astronaut, a failed musician, a sleazy salesman, and everything in between. He's also amassed an impressive list of directing collaborations along the way.

Gosling has worked with some of the biggest and brightest names in the business, from ambitious blockbuster fan Denis Villeneuve to the indie darling who becameBarbiedirector Greta Gerwig to neon light enthusiast Nicolas Winding Refn, but there is one filmmaker he considers incomparable: Derek Cianfrance. In conversation with Pop entertainmentGosling described him as “different from any other director I've worked with.”

Gosling first worked with Cianfrance in 2010 on Blue Valentine's Daya realistic romance that brought the star together with Michelle Williams. Although Gosling had acted in romantic films before, he had never attempted anything as dark and real as Blue Valentine's Daywhich offers insight into the failure of a relationship through flashbacks.

Gosling was obviously impressed by Cianfrance's film style and worked with him again just two years later. In 2012 he took on a role in The place Beyond the Pines alongside an all-star cast including Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes and Mahershala Ali. This project further cemented Gosling's love for Cianfrance's directing approach, particularly his ability to make films feel naturalistic.

“It's hard to explain how much effort he puts into making a film that seems so effortless,” Gosling enthused. “Although his films are cinematic and beautiful, they are also somehow invisible.” The star praised his ability to remove the camera from the view of the audience in front of the camera and the audience in the theater.

“He makes it a point to make the actors seem natural because he puts so much work into the environment,” Gosling concluded. This certainly seems like the ideal environment for an actor. Knowing that the cameras are rolling, the intimidating presence of the other actors and crew can affect the quality of a performance and make it seem artificial or forced. With Cianfrance's attempts to remove this pressure, Gosling and his stars were able to immerse themselves in their roles.

This process is clearly noticeable in the final product. The place Beyond the Pines shone through his performances and how natural and genuine they came across on screen. Between tender scenes with Mendes' Romina and exciting action scenes, Gosling embodied the blond-haired, tattooed Luke perfectly.

Cianfrance may not be the best known or most lauded director in Gosling's catalog, but he is one of the most inexperienced. Their work together proves that Gosling is capable of far more than big-budget toy box adaptations and epic love stories, and showcases a much more naturalistic side to his acting chops.