Ryan Gosling
My uncle was an Elvis impersonator - his name was Perry, and he went by 'Elvis Perry' - and my work as a wedding singer landed me a spot in his act.Collection: Wedding
I never was that boy who loved gangster films, but when I was growing up, I was obsessed with the detective Dick Tracy. It was one of my favourite movies as a kid, and he really inspired me. I would have loved to be part of that golden age of Hollywood in the 1940s. It made me want to become an actor.Collection: Movies
Women are better than men.Collection: Women
What's nice with comedy is that you know it's working if it's funny.Collection: Funny
It's not easy to leave your hometown and your family and your support system and come out to Los Angeles to - to pursue a dream where the odds are not in your favor.Collection: Family
I really feel like if they'd have let me just pace in the back of the classroom while the teacher was talking, I'd have done much better. I have to move. But you know, that's disruptive for the class, and as a result, there was a ripple effect of having to sit still that found its way into every aspect of my life.Collection: Teacher
Freedom is such a gift.Collection: Freedom
Most movies, you have to try and forget you're making a movie, because there are trailers and booms and lights and marks, and it's everywhere.Collection: Movies
I danced a little as a kid here in Canada: in Ottawa at the Elite Dance Studio and at the Top Hat Dance School in Cornwall where I grew up. So I had some experience of having to learn routines.Collection: Experience
If the character is true, the movie will fall into place. Or at least that's what you hope.Collection: Hope
This is going to sound ridiculous, but I remember watching 'Boyz n the Hood,' and there is a scene where Cuba Gooding, Jr. gets pressed against a car by a police officer, and he starts crying because it's so humiliating. I remember thinking in that moment that I could totally identify with him, and I'm a little white kid from Canada.Collection: Car
I think we're very complicated and we're capable of all kinds of things, and movies don't reflect that.Collection: Movies
For now, I'm just going to keep doing the work and hope I don't get fired. If people want to put me up on their walls, I'll love it.Collection: Hope
I think about death a lot, like I think we all do. I don't think of suicide as an option, but as fun. It's an interesting idea that you can control how you go. It's this thing that's looming, and you can control it.Collection: Death
If I eat a huge meal and I can get the girl to rub my belly, I think that's about as romantic as I can think of.Collection: Romantic
When my mother and I walked to the grocery store, men would circle the block in cars. It was very, very scary, especially as a young boy. Very predatory - a hunt.Collection: Car
It's not good just to have life experience of film-making and that's all. It's hard to play a real person when you've been in jets and town cars for three years.Collection: Car
I grew up on Mel Brooks films. That was film to me until I got a little bit older and realised there were other kinds of movies.Collection: Movies
My mom was really cool.Collection: Cool
I grew up in a family of strong women and I owe any capacity I have to understand women to my mother and big sister. They taught me to respect women in a way where I've always felt a strong emotional connection to women, which has also helped me in the way I approach my work as an actor.Collection: Respect
A car is only trouble at a certain point.Collection: Car
My home life now is mostly women. They are better than us. They make me better.Collection: Home
I sometimes forget to have breakfast in the morning, but when I actually buy a box of cereal, I will probably eat it not only for breakfast but also as a snack later on.Collection: Morning
It was a strange experience, making a love story and not getting along with your co-star in any way.Collection: Experience
I'm Canadian, and so American politics aren't really in my wheelhouse.Collection: Politics
I've wanted to make films since a really young age. It's always been my passion.Collection: Age
Cars can have a hypnotic effect. You can get in a car and get out and not really remember the trip.Collection: Car
I know that I'm with the person I'm supposed to be with.
When I was a kid, I saw 'Rambo First Blood', and the next day, I took knives to school and threw them at everybody. So I was definitely influenced by violent films before 'Drive.'
I'm from Canada, and I think, like everyone growing up anywhere else in the world, you are very aware of America - it sort of looms large in its legend, and so did Detroit.
There used to be a candy called 'Bonkers,' which I believe to be the greatest candy of all time.
I didn't want to make a literal film about Detroit, because it felt like what they were experiencing was more universal than that.
It's weird to have no control over something that you're involved in.
If Russell Crowe says that he's Noah, he's Noah. You never doubt it. If he says that he's the Gladiator, he's the Gladiator. He's every character that he says he is. I've never doubted anything that he's done.
If people want to put me up on their walls, I'll love it.
I had a lot of romanticised ideas of what Detroit was like, but I didn't get there until I was 30, and it was very different than I had imagined it.
Anybody could write a bad script, and I'm one of them, you know?
I feel it's important to show that one thing that you do doesn't define you as a human being. It doesn't mean there aren't ramifications or you shouldn't pay for that but its not who you are.
I think we just knew that we had a movie when Rachel walked in the room.
I got a Twitter because some guy was pretending to be me.
Working with someone is the best way to get to know someone, especially if it's a creative endeavor.
I felt like I was going crazy as a kid. I wanted to be man, get a job.
We should get a Roomba for our Roomba. I feel bad for it because it works tirelessly, and at night I can hear it cleaning, and I just feel bad for it.
I don't really have that much angst to get rid of.
If I have any particular appeal to women, maybe it's because I listen more than other guys do and appreciate how they think and feel about things.
In New York, you're forced to deal with life; it's there in front of you on a daily basis.
My mother had to tailor what I watched.
The '70s just seemed dirty, honestly, and not in an interesting way. It's not the '80s. In fact, it's 10 less. I grew up in the '80s, so that's more of an interesting time to me.
I still go to Disneyland as much as I can. The Haunted Mansion is my favorite ride.
There's a lot of pressure to be the lead of a film. I have done it. It's not my favorite way to work.