10 Actors Who Learned To Play Instruments For Their Roles
2. Ryan Gosling In La La Land
The next entry is from a film many will be familiar with. In La La Land, actor Ryan Gosling took on a musically charged performance. Through both piano playing and singing, Gosling vividly conveyed his performance in one of the leading roles. It took three months of intensive training for him to learn the instrument for Damien Chazelle's production.
As a key piece of Sebastian's character, his piano playing went hand-in-hand with the struggle to find work. This wasn't the first time the actor had taken on a new skill or trait, as he had also learned to build furniture like his character in 2004's The Notebook.
On top of this, he had also sang with the likes of Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears in The Mickey Mouse Club years earlier. Unlike other entries though, Ryan had no hand doubles whatsoever, playing the pieces in every scene by himself. Several pieces are put on show throughout the film from "City of Stars" all the way to the final piano solo.
Combined with his chemistry with Emma Stone's Mia, Gosling's musical performances worked to make La La Land a memorable and dazzling watch from start to finish. It achieved high recognition from audiences and critics alike at the time of its release.