From acting in cheesy teen romances and being decked out in pink as a plastic doll, to heartbreaking, real-life stories, Ryan Gosling has done it all. Starting his career at 16 years old in a film called “Frankenstein and Me,” Gosling has since broadened his horizons, becoming a highly regarded actor in the years following. Garnering highly prestigious awards and nominations along the way, Gosling’s career has taken him to quite a level of fame. While he has starred in several great films, this list compiles some of his best and most popular works. 

“The Notebook” (2004)

Considered a classic among many, “The Notebook” was Gosling’s breakout role. Based on the book by Nicholas Sparks, the film follows the love story of Noah Calhoun (Gosling) and Allie Hamilton (Rachel McAdams), as retold by Noah when the two are older. Mainly set in the 1950’s on Seabrook Island, S.C., their summer romance is considered a forbidden love by Allie’s parents due to their social class differences. Allie and her family are of a higher class, only visiting the town because they have a summer mansion. Noah, however, lives in the town, working at the nearby lumber factory rather than going to school.

After a summer of teenage romance and fun, their relationship eventually blows up, leaving Noah by himself when Allie leaves for college. The main plot point of the movie is how the story’s retelling, later in life, comes at a time when Allie is suffering from dementia. An older Noah (James Garner), tells Allie (Gena Rowland) the story of their life and love. 

The heartfelt performance given by Gosling in this film made audiences fall in love with his acting. Though he didn’t gain any major awards for the film, it set up his career for success. The most notable films Gosling was cast in after this include “Half Nelson” and “Blue Valentine.” 

“La La Land” (2016)

Based in current-day Los Angeles, Gosling plays Sebastian, a small piano player with dreams of opening his own jazz club. When he runs into Mia (Emma Stone) after she stumbles upon one of his small gigs, their relationship is off to a rocky start when he blows her off. They later see each other at small parties, and as they gain more trust in each other, their worlds slowly become one. Sebastian learns that Mia is an aspiring actor, though she currently works at a coffee shop to keep herself afloat in a city full of actors.

They both inspire each other to follow their dreams in a world that seems to push them away from their respective careers. At the start of their romantic relationship, everything is good. They each get small roles or gigs, allowing them to slowly work their way up to the jobs they’ve pined for their whole lives. As Sebastian plays bigger gigs and is away from home more often than not, their relationship slowly deteriorates. They’re faced with the decision of living a life together, or one of fulfilling the dreams they have worked so hard to get. 

“La La Land” is one of Gosling’s most critically acclaimed and fan-loved films, gaining Academy Award nominations for both Best Actor and Best Picture. Although the film lost in both categories, Gosling’s performance speaks for itself. Not only is his acting incredible but also the music, which is mainly performed by Gosling and Stone. 

“Barbie” (2023):

As the actor’s most recent work, “Barbie” is a major change from most of his previous roles. Gosling plays the classic plastic doll, Ken, in his journey with Barbie (Margot Robbie) out of Barbieland and into the real world. “Barbie,” although based on the doll, is truly a film that comments on patriarchy and feminism in the world.

Ken is representative of men in society and the gender roles that surround him. While his character is complex in relation to Barbie, his true attitude and role in the film is meant to be comedic. His ditsy manner and aloof sense of wonder contribute to both the comedy of the film and the sadness of Barbie’s role to the Kens. 

The role of Ken gained Gosling his third Academy Award nomination in acting, and first Academy Award nomination in music for the song, “I’m Just Ken.” Though, once again, Gosling lost in both categories, the actor is on the cusp of an Academy Award winning role. 

Gosling has been a prominent name in the film industry for more than 20 years, but his fame is ever-growing. In fact, he’s currently at a new height of both fame in the entertainment industry and on TikTok. While he still has yet to win an Academy Award, Gosling is incredibly deserving and hopefully, this highly coveted award is in his near future.