Does Ryan enjoy being The Sexiest Man Alive?

MANILA, Philippines - So what do you ask an actor once proclaimed as The Sexiest Man Alive in the world when you have a 20-minute interview with him? Do you first ask about his role in the movie that he is currently starring in? Or, do you ask about his thoughts on his onscreen chemistry with an actress whom he was paired with to great acclaim previously? Or, do you go for the obvious? For what his core fans want to know — his status as a leading sex symbol to women all over the world?

This writer met with Ryan Gosling a couple of weeks before Christmas last year during the junket of his new movie Gangster Squad in Los Angeles. The actor is part of an impressive cast of actors in the movie based on the real-life exploits of a group of undercover cops during the turbulent period in Los Angeles’ history when gangsters and criminals ruled the city. Oscar-winner Sean Penn, Josh Brolin, Nick Nolte and Emma Stone also star in the movie directed by Ruben Fleischer, who helmed the cult hit Zombieland.

Gangster Squad is Emma and Ryan’s second movie together. Emma, who is one of the hottest actresses in town these days, and Ryan most recently appeared together in the hit 2011 romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love. Fans remember the movie for one memorable scene when Ryan famously showed off his naked body to Emma. The reaction by Emma’s character on seeing Ryan’s naked body must have represented the collective thoughts of nearly every woman who watched that movie. “Seriously? It’s like you’re photoshopped,” Emma’s character exclaimed.

During our roundtable interview with Ryan, it didn’t take more than five minutes before someone — a male journalist, yes, snicker all you want — asked the actor what he feels about his status as a sex symbol.

Ryan smiled at the question and initially replied, “I am as uncomfortable with it as I am uncomfortable talking about it.”

But the journalist was insistent and asked Ryan if he found it surprising at all.

“It’s not really a real thing,” Ryan finally obliged. “It’s some kind of a cosmic joke. It’s going to be revealed pretty soon.”

“I never was considered that way. I think a lot of it has something to do with the stigma that attaches to you from film. I think anybody who was in The Notebook would be receiving similar comments. It’s just the nature of it, you know. I know, from just being a guy and you’re looking at a billboard and you’re like, ‘That guy is not a sex symbol! And you are trying to sell that guy on us? No way, that’s never gonna stick!’ And, suddenly, he’s a huge deal and I used to hate on those guys and now I am one.”

Ryan, who started acting at age 12, was part of the Disney television show Mickey Mouse Club that produced many of today’s superstars in music and film including Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Keri Russell and Britney Spears. His breakthrough role came in the romantic drama The Notebook with Rachel McAdams. His critically-praised work includes an Oscar-nominated turn in Half Nelson but it was his roles in two 2011 movies that further cemented his sex symbol status among women. He was a charismatic and brooding stuntman in the movie Drive and a dashing and sexy playboy in Crazy, Stupid, Love.

“Film is romantic. It romanticizes people and then the roles that you choose,” he explained. “Then people associate you with those roles. They cut out all the bad bits. They put make-up on you. They put nice clothes and they put music underneath what you are saying. It’s not fair! It’s not fair to everyone else.”

This writer joked that he had to admit that those roles and the image it brought him are part of the reasons why he is among today’s biggest stars in Hollywood.

Ryan charmingly replied, “It’s the only reason for it!”

The roundtable erupted in laughter and it only made the other journalists eager to ask him more questions related to his body and less about his body of work. Ryan was never annoyed even if a good portion of the interview focused on his abdomen.

And, to satisfy the curiosity of everyone, yes, the scene in Crazy, Stupid, Love was photoshopped, Ryan admitted this himself.

This year, the title of The Sexiest Man Alive was awarded to Bradley Cooper. So, naturally, a journalist from Taiwan had to ask Ryan for his thoughts on this apparent “snub” — yes, in Taiwan, they are curious about these things, too!

“Oh my, god!” Ryan exclaimed. “You show me someone who really thinks that and I’ll show you a liar. That’s not true. No one believes that.”

The journalist told Ryan that he could still regain the title next year, to which Ryan quickly replied: “It’s 2012, so, I guess, that will be decided at the end of the world.”

In Gangster Squad, Ryan takes on the role of Sgt. Jerry Wooters, a war veteran who joined the squad to avenge the death of an innocent boy. “He’s not trying to be a hero,” the actor said of his character’s motivations. “He doesn’t have any fantasies about that.”

Ryan infuses his character with his usual dedication including altering his voice to capture the high-pitched voice of the real-life person whom his character was based on. “Ryan is so charismatic, so fun to watch,” director Ruben Fleischer said in a previous interview. “He really brought dimension to this guy.”

Of course, there is a scene where Ryan shows off his body in the movie. He just can’t get away from it — well, not yet. But it’s just business, after all.

Gangster Squad, released by Warner Bros., opens tomorrow, Jan. 30.