Equity Magazine October 2017

COVER STORY
He’s been the star of the year with La La Land
winning the Academy Awards. Now, Ryan Gosling
keeps the flame burning heading into the future,
with the second version of Blade Runner. To get an
exclusive interview with him, we flew out to Las Vegas before
the launch presentation of the futuristic blockbuster, to talk
about what else? The future, just like his movie.
You starred in “the” movie of 2016 and now you’re going
to be in “the” movie of 2017. How does that feel?
I feel so lucky to be able to work right now, with the
people that I’m working with, and making the kind of
films I’m making.
And with that feeling of lucky, does it feel like work when
you travel to Las Vegas to literally talk about the future of
the new Blade Runner movie?
I’m not even sure if I’m allowed to say that I had a fun time
making it (laughs). It’s fun to be in Vegas and to be premiering
this now, because a big portion of the films was shot in Las
Vegas (the year being 2049). It was incredible to watch them
try to recreate Las Vegas.
You moved from Canada to Hollywood? What was it like
and what future were you expecting?
It was scary because as much as I’d seen L.A. in the movies
and I knew I needed to come here, it’s a big city and it’s hard
to find your way in it when you don’t know anyone. It took
me probably five years before I started to feel like I was
getting to know it, but the beauty of Los Angeles is that you’re
constantly getting to know it. I’ve lived here since I was
sixteen and I’m always discovering a new area or a new level
or a new element to it that I didn’t know existed.
How easy was IT beginning as an actor, coming from
another country?
I spent a lot of time trying to work here and not having a
permit, so it was hard for a long time before I finally got a
green card. And even more difficult because people wouldn’t
hire you for smaller roles because it wasn’t worth it for them
to pay for your permit. In a way, it helped because you could
only audition for big roles. Because those were the only roles
that if you got them, people would pay for your permit. So, it
kind of forced me to aim high. I feel very lucky to have gotten
to make films in United States about the country showing the
different facets of it. There’s the aspect of it where you’re just
driving around at night, sort-of isolated in your car and we
tried to capture that feeling in Drive and there’s this part of La
La Land where you’re surrounded by history and now, I’m
into the future with Blade Runner.
Are you coming back with another film as a director?
Yeah, I have two films that I’m getting ready to direct. I’m
figuring out which one. One is a musical, which I was
going to do before La La Land. I’ve had this Busby
Berkeley project for a long time, it’s just taken a while to
develop it. It’s an incredible experience to direct a film
because making movies, I think, is the greatest job there is.
When you’re an actor, it’s incredible, but the ride only goes
so far. As a filmmaker, you have the full experience.
Did fatherhood changed your future forever, too?
It changes it for the better, your life becomes better than you
ever thought it could be. And...
More protective?
Protective of what?
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EQUITY