Santa Barbara

Crowding the Red Carpet for Ryan GoslingRyan Gosling being interviewed on the red carpetRyan Gosling Accepting the Independent Award 

Before screen actor and Indie film favorite Ryan Gosling even got out of the black car delivering him to the Lobero Theatre, the girls were outside waiting. With DVD cases in hand (many from The Notebook), other paraphernalia to collect a signature, and cameras overhead to snap an image as the heartthrob exited to step onto the red carpet.

to see a gallery of images from the red carpet, view:

http://www.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?id=847&event=08SBIFF_gosling

It was a night of screams, of “I love you,” of flashes flickering, but when Gosling spoke, he revealed a sense of humor about it all. When asked by a journalist where he tapped in the depth of the emotion in his roles, he turned away, “Come on,” he said, “You've got to be kidding me.” And then he walked away to enter the theater.

Once on stage, he remarked: “If I could have imagined my worst nightmare, this would be it. Sitting on stage, in front of a room full of people, watching my films and having to answer questions.” In the midst of his worst nightmare, he was funny, only self-deprecating enough to be endearing, and even insightful. Throughout the evening, he was engaged in a dialog with more than just the interviewer (Jenelle Riley, editor at Backstage West) he frequently spoke to the audience. When he answered that he prepared for his role in The Notebook by spending time in the Carolinas learning how to make furniture, he challenged the muted laughter that ensued. “You think that's funny?” something he frequently asked the audience. Well, maybe a little.

Gosling was gracious throughout, frequently praising his agent, his manager, and his coworkers. He praised the acting skills of costars including Sir Anthony Hopkins, who helped shape his command of the craft. The coworkers he named also included the crew, and he described how he would reveal his process on the set, engaging the team atmosphere. And, in a poignant tribute to the team atmosphere in the filmmaking world, in his acceptance speech Gosling gave a heartfelt tribute to the recently deceased Heath Ledger, even though the two had not met. “He left big shoes to fill.” After the evening with Gosling's work and persona, it was no surprise that he stopped at the edge of the stage to pose again for a few pictures before leaving; gracious to the final exit.