EW Profile of Ryan Gosling

AGE
20

WHY HIM?
The Canadian's performance as a cruel, self-lacerating, secretly Jewish skinhead in The Believer was the most powerful piece of acting to hit Sundance in years. (Showtime will air the film later this year.)

HOW HE WORKS
Intensely. "When I shoot something, I lose friendships," Gosling says. While playing Believer's brainiac thug, Gosling plunged relentlessly into Judaic texts. "Every morning I got up and read
the Torah," he says. "It's important to me to be that kid if you're being that kid. It's the only honest way to play someone."

CAREER LOW
One scene in The Believer--during which Gosling's character savagely thrashes a New York yeshiva student--unfolded in such a fast, bare-bones way that some onlookers didn't realize it was a film shoot. "Being in full Nazi gear and seeing the hurt and fear in their faces when I was beating this kid up was pretty hard. I was overcome with depression."

DREAM COLLABORATOR
A remake of Roman Holiday with Natalie Portman. "I love that film, and she's the only person who could do it. She's like water, that girl. She moves through everything untouched."

NEXT
The Slaughter Rule, an indie coming-of-age football drama, should hit the festival circuit soon.

- Entertainment Weekly
   June 29, 2001 / July 6, 2001