It’s a surprise that someone at Disney hasn’t revived “The New Mickey Mouse Club.” After all, the show’s early 90s incarnation produced quite the list of future stars – Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Keri Russell, JC Chasez, Justin Timberlake, and acclaimed actor Ryan Gosling. Gosling is unique in the bunch, as his recent on-screen efforts have given him not only fame but wide critical acclaim. His performance in the 2006 indie “Half Nelson” has earned him Independent Spirit and SAG nominations for Best Actor.
Gosling called Ontario, Canada home, and was born in the town of London on November 12, 1980. Though he was raised in a Mormon household, Gosling nonetheless was a rambunctious kid, and his mother pulled him from middle school and taught him at home after his many schoolyard altercations. He began performing with his sister Mandi at talent shows when he was young, and his rabid interest in acting led to an audition for “The New Mickey Mouse Club” when he was twelve. Cast in the show alongside a handful of future superstars, Disney’s popular children’s variety show brought him to the attention of Hollywood.
After his tenure at the Mouse House was complete, Gosling found somewhat steady work in television, appearing in shows including “Goosebumps” and the quickly-cancelled but well-liked “Breaker High.” His big break came in 2000 with a small part in the Denzel Washington-starring football hit “Remember the Titans,” which also featured Kate Bosworth in an early role. He soon came to the attention of critics with the lead role in the powerful, morally complicated film “The Believer,” which won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival and scored Gosling an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Actor. He received more acclaim for starring alongside then-girlfriend Sandra Bullock in “Murder by Numbers,” and particularly for 2004’s “The Notebook,” an enormously satisfying weepie that became a massive hit, thrusting both Gosling and his gorgeous co-star Rachel McAdams (his current girlfriend) onto the A-list.
“Half Nelson” has proven to be another milestone for Gosling. As a well-meaning but troubled high school teacher addicted to heroin, Gosling has received the best reviews of his career. His upcoming films include the thriller “Fracture” with Anthony Hopkins and the quirky comedy “Lars and the Real Girl” with Patricia Clarkson.