If Ryan Gosling’s dancing or singing didn’t impress you in “La La Land,” then you should check out his piano skills (yes, that is really him playing). The romantic-comedy musical is currently up for a record-tying 14 Oscar nominations at the upcoming 2017 Oscars, which includes Gosling’s nomination for Best Actor.
In the exclusive behind-the-scenes footage released by Variety, you can see for yourself as the “La La Land” star plays and rehearses in several scenes — including the number “Start A Fire” with John Legend. According to Gosling, it took about three months and a “wonderful coach” to learn how to play jazz piano.
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Since writer-director Damien Chazelle wanted to get everything in one take, there was no time to incorporate a professional piano player — and luckily, he didn’t need one. “The director wanted to shoot all those sequences in one take, so I had to learn,” Gosling told HeyUGuys.
The Oscar-nominated actor revealed that piano was something he always wanted to learn and that he was “excited for the challenge.” After all, Gosling is no stranger when it comes music. In addition to growing up in “The Mickey Mouse Club,” the actor is also something of a musician — he is part of rock duo Dead Man’s Bones, which released an album in 2009 through ANTI- Records.
Gosling’s Best Actor nomination this year marks the second time the actor has been nominated. The actor previously earned an Oscar nod for his role in 2006 drama “Half Nelson.” Check him out hitting the keys below.
Damn.