GOSLING AND STONE ON 'LA LA LAND' & THEIR MOVIE ROMANCE ogart and Bacall. Tracy and Hepburn. Stone and Gosling. The hugely charming Los Angeles musical “La La Land” seals it: Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have entered the ranks of great cinematic couples. T
Bfilm was Damien encouraged us to bring our experiences to these characters.
AP: How do you feel about being a part of proudly big-screen film like “La La Land” at a time when television is seen as eclipsing the movies?
STONE: I don’t think films are less than TV now, but there are some amazing characters on TV, so I understand why people want to do TV. When movies are at their full glory, I think it’s pretty mind-blowing. What do you think, Ry?
GOSLING: When I first met with Damien, it wasn’t about this. It was just kind of a general meeting. He has a very infectious love of movies but also of the experience of going to the movies. He talked a lot about wanting to make movies that you couldn’t watch on your iPhone, that you really wanted to see in a theater with an audience.
AP: Your love of movies seems clear, since you’ve previously acknowledged stuffing DVDs down your pants. STONE: You put DVDs down your pants?! GOSLING: (laughing) VHS. Look, in these kinds of situations, you’re encouraged to say anything. And it’s celebrated. And then you pay the price for that later.
STONE: Was it to be closer to your favorite movie?
GOSLING: No. It was one story a long time ago where I had to hide an R-rated movie from my parents. It was very intimate. This is the danger of this kind of thing that you do because it haunts us.
AP: Well, it’s a very vivid example of movie love.
GOSLING: I do love movies but I love making them more. I’ve never found something professionally that engages me as much as that. You work with such a large group of people and it’s this constant problem solving process that gets you to this end, whatever that is. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It’s always a crapshoot.
STONE: For me, watching movies is what makes me want to make movies. I’m so inspired by watching movies. The process of making it is engaging but I get so reinvigorated every time I see a great movie. Then I feel like I’m the character in the movie for the rest of the day. Then I realize I can’t play that same character I just watched.
AP: What was the first film that you mimicked that way?
STONE: “The Jerk.” Also “Hocus Pocus.” It was a combination of “The Jerk” and “Hocus Pocus,” so it shows my age and not my age. (Turns to Gosling) What was yours? GOSLING: “Hocus Pocus.” — AP