As Ryan Gosling turns from a series of serious films to comedy, James Mottram talks to the actor whose star continues to rise
An actor can choose a film for many reasons. A big paycheque or a tropical island shoot, perhaps. Or sometimes it's just the perfect antidote to what's gone before - which is what led Ryan Gosling to Crazy, Stupid, Love.
A performer not known for prodding our funny bones, the 30-year-old seems most comfortable in emotionally wrenching, low-budget movies such as Half Nelson in 2006 (for which he won an Oscar nomination) and last year's Blue Valentine.
"I can't imagine going back and doing another independent drama for a while," he says earnestly at a London hotel.
A marital drama in which he and Michelle Williams tear strips off each other, Blue Valentine's authenticity was such that, in order to prepare for their roles, the actors lived together like a family for a month. While Gosling won a Golden Globe nomination for his work, it's no surprise that he felt the need for levity straight afterwards. And who better than comic actor Steve Carell to raise a smile?
"When I first moved to Los Angeles, I did a pilot TV show when I was 17," Gosling says. "I had a small part and so did Steve Carell. I remember watching him shoot one day and he was so funny that they couldn't make it through the takes. The crew was laughing - the guy had to put down the boom and laugh! It was the first time it had ever occurred to me that you could be so good that it was a problem. I made a promise to myself that I would work with Steve one day, that we would make something together."
In the wake of Blue Valentine, along came Crazy, Stupid, Love, arriving like a blast of laughing gas. "It was just a completely different experience," says Gosling. One of the smartest Hollywood comedies made this year, it sees Carell play a middle-age father whose wife (Julianne Moore) suddenly divorces him. Crying into his beer, he then meets Jacob (Gosling), a designer-wearing Lothario schooled in the art of flirting with the opposite sex. "I try and teach him the ways of ... how to pick up women," smiles Gosling, flicking his blue eyes mischievously.
Needless to say, Gosling spent most of his time with Carell in stitches. Turns out the star of The Office is just as funny off camera. "He's an assassin. He just finds what your button is and presses it. And he keeps a straight face, but he's always trying to sabotage you. He'll just find out a way to look at you. A lot of his stuff is really straight. He hits you in this way, and you can't really tell that it's coming. It's like a sucker punch. You start laughing, you get in trouble."
Interestingly, when he first met Carell, the teenage Gosling was already an industry veteran. Born in Canada to a blue-collar family (mother Donna is a secretary; father Thomas worked in a paper mill), Gosling and his sister Mandi spent their early years singing at weddings. Performing in his uncle's Elvis Presley tribute act, he then beat 17,000 other hopefuls when he was just 12 to win a role as a Mouseketeer on Disney's The Mickey Mouse Club, starring alongside the likes of future stars Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears.
He spent two years on the show, and I ask whether Gosling's parents were supportive of this unconventional childhood. "My father [was] for the wrong reasons," he nods. "He wanted to be famous, and thought I could give him a different life. It was terrible. It made me hate it because it wasn't about me at all, and my happiness, it was about him getting out of this life that he didn't like. It was why I stopped doing things that he could brag about. I wanted to do movies that he couldn't brag about. I think it was a rebellion thing."
It's why Gosling found his way into playing a neo-Nazi in The Believer and murderous teenagers in The United States of Leland and Murder by Numbers. The only outright commercial vehicle was 2004's romance The Notebook, which introduced Gosling to Rachel McAdams, the co-star he then dated for three years.
Not everything has gone his way, though; he gained 60lb to star in Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones, only to leave the project after he and his director didn't see eye-to-eye.
"I was fat, bald and unemployed," he recalls. "It was not a fun time."
Now it's different. In more demand than ever, Gosling is on the verge of genuine stardom this year with two career-making performances. Forthcoming is the superlative Drive, a violent and stylish thriller he describes as a "cross between Blue Velvet and Purple Rain", in which he plays an unnamed getaway driver (a role destined to draw comparisons with Steve McQueen). Moreover, Gosling hand-picked Danish-born filmmaker Nicolas Winding Refn to helm it; a choice that reflects rather well on him, given Refn claimed Best Director at Cannes this year.
Then comes a genuine Oscar contender. Opening at the Venice Film Festival last night, The Ides of March is a biting political drama directed by George Clooney. Gosling stars as Stephen Myers, a conflicted campaign manager for a presidential candidate (Clooney).
"My character is the one who takes this downwards spiral," he explains. "He's idealistic but he loses his idealism, and he becomes involved in the dirty pool of politics that he swore he would never do."
Currently prepping LA mobster tale The Gangster Squad with Sean Penn, Gosling is also set to take the lead in a big-budget remake of the 1970s sci-fi classic Logan's Run. Yet he bristles when asked if he's left behind independent cinema for good.
"I love those films. Every time I make a movie ... it's not that I want to make small movies that no one ever sees. Every time I make these films, I really think they're going to be bigger than Avatar. It never happens, but that would be my dream - to make a small movie that did that."
His world domination starts here.
Crazy, Stupid, Love is now showing in the UAE
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
The%20specs
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In numbers
Number of Chinese tourists coming to UAE in 2017 was... 1.3m
Alibaba’s new ‘Tech Town’ in Dubai is worth... $600m
China’s investment in the MIddle East in 2016 was... $29.5bn
The world’s most valuable start-up in 2018, TikTok, is valued at... $75bn
Boost to the UAE economy of 5G connectivity will be... $269bn
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
SPECS
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
RESULTS
Argentina 4 Haiti 0
Peru 2 Scotland 0
Panama 0 Northern Ireland 0
How to play the stock market recovery in 2021?
If you are looking to build your long-term wealth in 2021 and beyond, the stock market is still the best place to do it as equities powered on despite the pandemic.
Investing in individual stocks is not for everyone and most private investors should stick to mutual funds and ETFs, but there are some thrilling opportunities for those who understand the risks.
Peter Garnry, head of equity strategy at Saxo Bank, says the 20 best-performing US and European stocks have delivered an average return year-to-date of 148 per cent, measured in local currency terms.
Online marketplace Etsy was the best performer with a return of 330.6 per cent, followed by communications software company Sinch (315.4 per cent), online supermarket HelloFresh (232.8 per cent) and fuel cells specialist NEL (191.7 per cent).
Mr Garnry says digital companies benefited from the lockdown, while green energy firms flew as efforts to combat climate change were ramped up, helped in part by the European Union’s green deal.
Electric car company Tesla would be on the list if it had been part of the S&P 500 Index, but it only joined on December 21. “Tesla has become one of the most valuable companies in the world this year as demand for electric vehicles has grown dramatically,” Mr Garnry says.
By contrast, the 20 worst-performing European stocks fell 54 per cent on average, with European banks hit by the economic fallout from the pandemic, while cruise liners and airline stocks suffered due to travel restrictions.
As demand for energy fell, the oil and gas industry had a tough year, too.
Mr Garnry says the biggest story this year was the “absolute crunch” in so-called value stocks, companies that trade at low valuations compared to their earnings and growth potential.
He says they are “heavily tilted towards financials, miners, energy, utilities and industrials, which have all been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic”. “The last year saw these cheap stocks become cheaper and expensive stocks have become more expensive.”
This has triggered excited talk about the “great value rotation” but Mr Garnry remains sceptical. “We need to see a breakout of interest rates combined with higher inflation before we join the crowd.”
Always remember that past performance is not a guarantee of future returns. Last year’s winners often turn out to be this year’s losers, and vice-versa.
Essentials
The flights
Etihad (etihad.ae) and flydubai (flydubai.com) fly direct to Baku three times a week from Dh1,250 return, including taxes.
The stay
A seven-night “Fundamental Detox” programme at the Chenot Palace (chenotpalace.com/en) costs from €3,000 (Dh13,197) per person, including taxes, accommodation, 3 medical consultations, 2 nutritional consultations, a detox diet, a body composition analysis, a bio-energetic check-up, four Chenot bio-energetic treatments, six Chenot energetic massages, six hydro-aromatherapy treatments, six phyto-mud treatments, six hydro-jet treatments and access to the gym, indoor pool, sauna and steam room. Additional tests and treatments cost extra.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
A Cat, A Man, and Two Women
Junichiro Tamizaki
Translated by Paul McCarthy
Daunt Books
ANATOMY%20OF%20A%20FALL
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Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues
How Voiss turns words to speech
The device has a screen reader or software that monitors what happens on the screen
The screen reader sends the text to the speech synthesiser
This converts to audio whatever it receives from screen reader, so the person can hear what is happening on the screen
A VOISS computer costs between $200 and $250 depending on memory card capacity that ranges from 32GB to 128GB
The speech synthesisers VOISS develops are free
Subsequent computer versions will include improvements such as wireless keyboards
Arabic voice in affordable talking computer to be added next year to English, Portuguese, and Spanish synthesiser
Partnerships planned during Expo 2020 Dubai to add more languages
At least 2.2 billion people globally have a vision impairment or blindness
More than 90 per cent live in developing countries
The Long-term aim of VOISS to reach the technology to people in poor countries with workshops that teach them to build their own device
Sweet%20Tooth
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The figures behind the event
1) More than 300 in-house cleaning crew
2) 165 staff assigned to sanitise public areas throughout the show
3) 1,000 social distancing stickers
4) 809 hand sanitiser dispensers placed throughout the venue
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The specs
Engine: Long-range single or dual motor with 200kW or 400kW battery
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 620km / 590km
Price: From Dh250,000 (estimated)
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
RIVER%20SPIRIT
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COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: SimpliFi
Started: August 2021
Founder: Ali Sattar
Based: UAE
Industry: Finance, technology
Investors: 4DX, Rally Cap, Raed, Global Founders, Sukna and individuals
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
The biog
DOB: March 13, 1987
Place of birth: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia but lived in Virginia in the US and raised in Lebanon
School: ACS in Lebanon
University: BSA in Graphic Design at the American University of Beirut
MSA in Design Entrepreneurship at the School of Visual Arts in New York City
Nationality: Lebanese
Status: Single
Favourite thing to do: I really enjoy cycling, I was a participant in Cycling for Gaza for the second time this year
