Ryan Gosling has been a familiar presence in movies for over two decades now, and though he’s always taken on different types of roles in a variety of genres, his presence came to mean certain things on screen. He has an old-school, masculine magnetism. The romcom charm can be dialed up or down, but no matter what, he draws you in with stillness. He was always capable of outright silliness (see: The Nice Guys), but for much of his career, the brooding stoicism of his performance in Drive remained a touchstone.
Barbie seems to have unlocked a new phase of his career. His canny casting as Ken was fueled by how it drew on his star image while also subverting it, even parodying it, and it was such a memorable, impactful part that it changed how audiences see him. He’s freed up to be a different kind of male lead now – still holding the screen, but more open-hearted and self-effacing.
And, coincidentally, he just might be developing into the exact kind of movie star that younger audiences are looking for.
Gen Z & Gen Alpha Want Hollywood’s Masculine Archetypes To Change, & Ryan Gosling Is Delivering
Hollywood has championed the strong, silent male movie star for decades, and Gosling’s own career is proof that it connected as recently as the 2010s. But a new UCLA study of Gen Z and Gen Alpha viewing preferences suggests that may be changing. A survey of 1,500 young people, ranging from 10-24 years old, concluded that the next generations are “eager for a version of masculinity rooted in connection.” Nearly 60% of respondents want to see more fathers enjoying parenting and showing love to kids in their entertainment, as well as men who more generally help others and are willing to ask for help:
While our survey specifically measured “fathers,” the intensity of the response suggests a much broader hunger for connected masculinity. Young people are not just asking for better dads; they are asking for a reimagining of how men show up in the lives of others. Whether it is a father, mentor, coach, or teacher, the message from the audience was the same… For decades, media has relied on the “stoic provider” or the “distant hero” as the default for adult men. Our data shows that by primarily showing men in positions of power or physical strength, we ignore the roles that young people value, defined by empathy, patience, and emotional availability.
Just a few years ago, “distant hero” could’ve described the archetypal Ryan Gosling role, but that appears to be changing. Ken’s lack of power is arguably his defining trait, but emotionality is a close second. Colt Seavers, Gosling’s character in The Fall Guy, similarly draws on his action hero persona and plays with it. After being knocked down by an injury and a subsequent breakup, he starts his journey on his back foot, hoping to win back both his career and his ex. The charm of his role is predicated on him not being the kind of guy to be the lead in his own action movie (while metatextually absolutely being that guy).
Now, Gosling has Project Hail Mary releasing on March 20, in which he plays a teacher who finds himself in the position of having to manage a deep-space mission with world-saving consequences on his own. Another unlikely hero. The trailers emphasize not the way his natural leading man-ness kicks in to save the day, but the way he must trust who he is and feel his way through the situation. Empathy and cooperation are critical to his chance at success.
It feels like Gosling is embracing exactly the traits that younger audiences are looking for in men on-screen, and in the process, setting himself up to be a star they connect to. After Project Hail Mary, he’s set to lead a Star Wars movie, giving him the perfect opportunity to put himself in front of those viewers. Hopefully, that project is built around his newly developing persona.