Is Ryan Gosling really a great actor? Maybe it’s the mystery of his personal life or his easy-going, almost nonchalant style of acting that makes Gosling “literally him.” That’s certainly what draws young men to his new character Ryland Grace from the breakout film “Project Hail Mary.” And it seems that Gosling’s characters have captivated the hearts and somehow embodied the spirit of manhood for Gen Z. While millennials loved Leonardo DiCaprio, this generation has chosen Gosling as its icon.

Although “The Notebook” began Gosling’s path of fame in 2004, he’s become a favorite for Gen Z especially since his interviews for “Project Hail Mary” in which he embraces Gen Z slang and makes himself ever more relatable to the younger generation.

“In Hillsdale terms, any given Ryan Gosling character is, in a way, the Platonic form of Gen Z men because it seems that, oftentimes, not a lot of things are rooting for him,” freshman Blaine Connelly said. “He has to figure out a lot of things on his own. But Gen Z is really good at turning even serious problems into jokes, perhaps to a fault. We can take a serious issue that men have and make it into a joke, and Ryan Gosling represents this in a way.”

Gosling encapsulates a light-heartedness coupled with real intensity of feeling that our generation appreciates. As a result, social media explodes with clips demonstrating his relatability.

“When you watch all the reels and shorts and everything, there are always edits of somebody saying, ‘oh, that’s literally me,’” Connelly said. “The way in which Gosling plays his parts is definitely relatable, but there is also a part of him that is just cool.”

Gosling is certainly unique in the range of films he has acted in, such as “La La Land,” “The Notebook,” “Drive,” “Barbie,” and the recent “Project Hail Mary.” From heartthrob to hero, Gosling has managed to keep his audiences captive.

“He is all over the place in his roles, and if he likes his role, he is going to commit to it,” senior and co-head resident assistant of Simpson Residence Jonathan Williams said. “I read an article the other day about how we are always trying to categorize men today, and how a lot of actors are trying to be ‘categorized’ in a certain way. And I think that is what is most notable about Gosling. Gosling doesn’t play that game.”

Gosling’s originality, passion, and work ethic contrast the listless, apathetic attitude that Gen Z is sometimes accused of having.

But, what is it about Gosling’s breaking the mold that really captures his audiences? According to junior Nate Gallagher, Gosling makes himself most relatable in his romantic endeavors on screen.

“He represents the perfect yearning man in all his movies, but especially in ‘La La Land,’ where he yearns so fundamentally and in such a pure and good way that it enlightens the male experience,” Gallagher said. “Men can yearn in many awful ways, ways that are not constructive or healthy — or they could yearn like Ryan Gosling, in the way he looks at Emma Stone’s character, Mia, in ‘La La Land,’ because it’s pure love. And then of course, he’s also beautiful, which helps.”

Gosling’s on-screen yearning is not selfish or pointless, either. 

“Gosling does sacrificial things without anyone noticing it and is not even the main character in all his movies,” Connelly said. “So in a sense, he is just a small part in the bigger picture of things.” 

Not only does Gosling play the unpretentious character, but he also has perfected the composed and unconcerned posture men today are apparently trying to achieve.

“Gosling also has a casual attitude in the characters he plays and is a bit of a loner at times, which makes him relatable for today’s men,” Connelly said.

Despite his looks, Gosling seems to delight the viewer through his charisma rather than his appearance.

“There are lots of other actors who are better looking, so it must lie in his suave and demeanor,” junior Michael Bogumill said.

But most of all, students find a depth and sincerity in Gosling’s acting that is somewhat bewitching.

“‘La La Land’ is such a good example of how you can sometimes want things that you can’t have and there is a conflict of desire that can lead to despair,” Williams said. “He won’t ever let himself compromise on either of the things he loves, though. He’s got to be full in, all the way. And I think that is admirable, especially for men in this age, who watch Ryan Gosling be unapologetically himself and refuse to compromise for the demands of society.”

Williams said he believes Gosling to be unique in this across his films, and that the energy and passion with which he acts reflects the purpose and confidence he has in himself. This energy, he said, is evident in the struggles that he overcomes and the counter-cultural fidelity and adamant steadfastness he often portrays on screen.

“For example in ‘The Notebook,’ you see how love is something that never expects anything in return,” Williams said. “Even when your wife doesn’t remember who you are, you’re going to get up everyday and say, ‘I love you,’ and ‘Nice to meet you,’ because you remember everything you had together. So in this way, Ryan Gosling is the epitome of selfless love in a world that struggles to understand what love means, and with Gosling, it’s always done well.”

It seems that Hillsdale has managed to find the good in Ryan Gosling, too. His staunch character and willingness to suffer and sacrifice in love have made an appeal to the ardent and ambitious hearts of Hillsdale men. Gosling’s debonair manner holds the self-confidence and authenticity for which they strive. Or maybe it’s because he was homeschooled. But that’s a different story.