Ryan Gosling might be regarded as one of the finest actors of his generation, racking up a string of acclaimed performances that have landed him two Academy Award nominations, and a Golden Globe win from five nods, but he’s never really been interested in proving himself as an action hero.
The closest he came was taking top billing in the star-studded Gangster Squad, which underperformed significantly on both a critical and commercial level, although his fantastic odd couple buddy dynamic with Russell Crowe in The Nice Guys didn’t deserve to bomb as hard as it did.
That’s all set to change in the very near future, though, with Gosling taking top billing in the Russo brothers $200 million Netflix blockbuster The Gray Man. The actor takes plays Court Gentry, a CIA operative who goes on the run, only to find himself pursued to the ends of the earth by Chris Evans’ mustachioed adversary Lloyd Hansen.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the Russos explained why Gosling was the ideal candidate for the part, even though action extravaganzas haven’t really been part of his oeuvre.
“He’s a genius with minimalism. He knows how to make small moments very meaningful and resonant and exciting to watch. There are not a lot of actors that can do that, especially to the extreme. So, he just lines up perfectly with this idea of the Gray Man — somebody who has to be very hidden and cloaked and know how to disappear.”
The Gray Man comes to Netflix in July, where it’ll be looking to put in a performance similar to that of Red Notice, which we’re inclined to believe it’ll pull of pretty easily based on the talent involved.