‘Baby Goose’: Ryan Gosling’s rockstar alter ego
The past few decades have been very kind to Ryan Gosling, who has crafted a successful career by perfectly balancing roles in independent movies and popular blockbusters. Known for roles in Blade Runner 2049, La La Land and Drive, Gosling is one of contemporary Hollywood’s most celebrated actors.
Yet, the beloved actor began his career as a child, starring in The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse with future stars Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and Justin Timberlake. On the show, Gosling frequently demonstrated his singing abilities, although he ultimately decided to follow acting as his primary pursuit, landing his first major film role in The Believer, playing a Jewish neo-Nazi, in 2001.
Funnily enough, Gosling was invited to become a member of The Backstreet Boys in the 1990s when his neighbour, AJ McLean, asked him to join his band. However, the actor snorted at McLean’s claims that The Backstreet Boys would be the next big thing, believing them to be a New Kids on the Block rip-off.
Instead, Gosling honed his acting skills and found acclaim from early roles such as Noah in The Notebook and Dan in Half Nelson, which earned him his first Academy Award nomination. Over the following years, the actor took on roles in films such as Lars and the Real Girl, Blue Valentine and Crazy, Stupid, Love, further establishing his star status. However, his portrayal of a stunt performer and getaway driver in Drive gave him even wider recognition, which he continued to achieve in the 2010s with a mixture of dramatic and action performances.
Alongside his acting endeavours, Gosling also found the time to utilise his musical skills by forming the gothic rock band Dead Man’s Bones in 2007. Created with Zach Shields, the pair released one self-titled album in collaboration with the Silverlake Conservatory Children’s Choir. As a musician, Gosling goes by the name ‘Baby Goose’, a play on the meaning behind his last name.
Inspired by a fascination with the macabre, Dead Man’s Bones created music influenced by gothic, ghostly themes, opting to play every instrument themselves. Following the release of the album, the duo toured the United States, bringing a different local children’s choir to perform alongside them.
Talking to Pitchfork about the band’s decision to use a children’s choir, Gosling explained, “We’d rather see a high school play as opposed to a Broadway show any day. Not that Broadway shows aren’t great, but there’s just something about a high school play… you’re not distracted by the achievements, you get to watch the process, the will to make something.”
Shields added, “Kids are the best. The line between their imagination and what they know is possible, the older you get, the clearer that line gets. You’re trying to make something from that perspective, a more imaginative place, I guess.”
Dead Man’s Bones haven’t been active since 2012, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t reunite in the future. Yet, with the amount of high-profile acting gigs Gosling has worked on as of late, including The Gray Man and Barbie, it seems unlikely that we’ll see the return of Baby Goose anytime soon.
