Despite his many on-screen successes and Ken-worthy accolades, actor Ryan Gosling is continuing to focus on what matters most.
In an interview for a recent Men’s Health cover story, the Barbie star was asked if he has a "motto" or "north star" that helps guide him when making decisions.
In response, Gosling revealed that while he doesn't live his life by any "motto," he considers his wife, Eva Mendes, and their two daughters to be something of a guiding light when he is faced with a difficult or perplexing choice.
“It puts things into perspective,” the actor told the publication. “It always comes back to family first. I don’t think I’ll regret anything professionally, but I do think when it comes to Eva and the girls, they come first.”
“I don’t know, it’s probably not a good thing that I go deathbed, but it’s helpful for me," he continued. "Anytime I’m struggling, I just think about whether it’s going to matter to me then because, yeah, this whole thing can be distorting.”
Gosling went on to call his wife his hero, along with his uncle, Bill, who the actor said always believed in him when he was younger.
Gosling and Mendes first met on the set of the film The Place Between the Pines in 2011, and have been together ever since. They share two daughters—Esmeralda Amada, 9, and Amada Lee, 7.
In January, while accepting the Kirk Douglas Award for Excellence in Film at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Gosling gave his wife and children their much-deserved flowers during his acceptance speech.
"Most importantly, I got to meet the girl of my dreams, Eva Mendes, and have two dream children," the actor said at the time, and after sharing how his profession as an actor has enabled him to play multiple, diverse and multifaceted roles.
"I dreamed of one day making movies, and now, movies have made my life a dream," he added.
And in 2017, after receiving a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy for his work in La La Land, Gosling once again credited his wife for making his professional pursuits and goals possible.
“While I was singing and dancing and playing piano and having one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer,” Gosling said at the time.
“If she hadn’t taken all that on so that I could have this experience, it would surely be someone else up here other than me today," he continued. "So, sweetheart, thank you."
