After four long years, Ryan Gosling returns to the movies, starring in the Netflix action Flick “The Gray Man.” The last we saw of Gosling, he was playing another notable “man,” as Neil Armstrong in Damien Chazelle’s moon movie “First Man” back in 2018. Now, he’s back in action, beefed up in his best Bourne/Bond mode for the Russo brothers (“Avengers: Infinity War,” “Avengers: Endgame”), facing off with a mustachioed Chris Evans as a secret CIA assassin on whom the government has suddenly turned in “The Gray Man,” streaming on Netflix Friday.
In honor of his return to the (small) screen, and in celebration of those remarkable paparazzi photos of him in costume as Ken for Greta Gerwig’s forthcoming “Barbie” movie, it’s an opportunity to run down the best of Gosling’s long career and take a look at his ability to transcend genre in his leading man roles.
Now, you’d have to head to YouTube to check out Gosling’s very first TV role at the age of 12 on “The All New Mickey Mouse Club” aka “MMC,” alongside Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears, JC Chasez and Christina Aguilera. And while that is a worthy Google (add “Goosebumps,” “Are You Afraid of the Dark?” “Breaker High” and “dancing” for more young Gosling fun), we’re here to focus on his film work, and the variety of roles he’s played.
