Ryan Gosling Says He Was 'This Close' to Becoming ‘Ryan Reynolds’ as a Teenager

HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 30: Ryan Gosling attends the Los Angeles Premiere of Universal Pictures "The Fall Guy" at Dolby Theatre on April 30, 2024 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)

Ryan Gosling joked that he was “this close” to having the same name as another Hollywood star during a recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live!

While stopping by the late night show on Wednesday, May 1 to promote his new movie, The Fall Guy, the 43-year-old actor first spoke with host Jimmy Kimmel about his “I’m Just Ken” musical performance at the 2024 Academy Awards and his recent hosting gig on Saturday Night Live before their conversation turned to his first-ever movie, 1996’s Frankenstein and Me. Gosling was a young teenager when he appeared in the film, which starred Burt Reynolds.

When Kimmel asked the Canadian actor if he’d had an opportunity to spend time with the Deliverance actor outside of filming, Gosling paused before telling Kimmel the situation had been “complicated.”

“I thought he took a shine to me,” Gosling said of the Gunsmoke actor. “I thought he thought there was something special about me. And then I realized that I have a really beautiful mom.”

While his mother had Reynolds’ main focus, Gosling himself was receiving a “secondary shine.”

“I wish I had found out sooner,” Gosling said as the audience laughed. The Oscar-nominated actor quickly clarified that while his mother “loved” Reynolds’ attention, “nothing happened” between the two.

Kimmel then quipped, “You could have been Ryan Reynolds, had that worked out.”

Gosling chuckled at the idea of sharing a name with the Deadpool star. “This close,” he joked.

Though the Barbie actor never became a Reynolds, he did receive what he described as an “odd piece of advice” from his co-star while they filmed Frankenstein and Me years ago.

“He was like, ‘Let me tell you something, kid. Don’t spend your whole life stepping over diamonds to live with a cubic zirconia,’” Gosling recalled. “I was like, ‘I’m 13. I don’t know what any of those things are,’” he laughed.

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