Is Ryan Gosling a Disney kid? Everything you need to know

For those who didn't know, Ryan Gosling, the famous Ken from 2023's Barbie, is a Disney kid. In 1993, 13-year-old Ryan starred in The Mickey Mouse Club on the Disney Channel along with Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, and Christina Aguilera. He moved to Orlando, Florida, to complete the two-year contract as a Mouseketeer.

Half Nelson, Gosling's 2006 film, earned him a Best Actor nomination for the Oscars. He portrayed a junior high school teacher who is hooked on drugs and develops a relationship with a young student.

The movie brought about $4 million at the box office globally. From then on, he was often nominated in the Best Actor category for different awards.

---

Ryan Gosling went from a Disney kid to a Disney adult

In 1993, going into his audition for The All-New Mickey Mouse Club, Gosling had big dreams of becoming a dancer. However, speaking on the Ellen Show in 2019, the actor said he couldn't compete with the other talented performers at the time. But he was grateful for the experience.

In the Late Show With David Letterman two years ago, Ryan spoke about how he became the Disney kid. Gosling said he had aspired to become a dancer since he thought he was good. However, when he was cast in the show, they soon realized that it was a mistake and that he wasn't skilled enough.

An important period in Gosling's early years was spent on The All-New Mickey Mouse Club. As he grew up, Ryan Gosling became a skilled performer whose abilities were often acknowledged.

After leaving the Mickey Mouse Club, he appeared in several Canadian TV series, such as Breaker High and Are You Afraid of the Dark?

Margot Robbie and RyanGosling in Barbie (Image via barbiethemovie@Instagram)

The La La Land actor gradually landed more significant film roles, building a more stable and well-known career. He starred in Crazy, Stupid, Love, and the production that won our hearts, The Notebook, in addition to being a member of the cast of The Big Short.

Gosling is still fascinated with Disney and is found visiting Disney Park with his wife and kids. American actor Stamos revealed to Keke Palmer in her podcast, Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, last year how Ryan was embarrassed by his obsession with the theme park. He was often seen at the park and reportedly admitted to being a Disney adult.

---

Ryan Gosling's musical history

Ryan Gosling's love for music remained even after his Mickey Mouse Club stint. Lars and the Real Girl, his quirky 2007 film, was Gosling's first singing-based acting role.

In 2009, Gosling and his friend Zach Shields released their Album Dead Man's Bones. In 2010, they performed at the FYF Festival in Los Angeles. In the 2012 motion picture The Place Beyond the Pines, he even attempted to sing in Spanish.

Gosling and Stone in La La Land (Image via IMDb)

Next followed La La Land, Gosling's major musical, for which he was nominated for a second Oscar in 2017. He played Sebastian, a jazz pianist who develops feelings for Emma Stone's character, Mia, an aspiring actress. For this film, Ryan studied tap, ballroom, and jazz dancing and practiced the piano for two hours a day, six days a week.

Ken (Gosling) sang a solo number on Margot Robbie's 2023 Barbie soundtrack, asking, "Is it my destiny to live and die a life of blond fragility?" Mark Ronson wrote and produced the song, which includes Slash. Barbie was a Box Office hit, and Ryan's song peaked at No. 87 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the first week.

---

Watch Ryan Gosling perform at the Oscars 2024 on ABC or Hulu Live TV.