Watch an Adorable 12-Year-Old Ryan Gosling Dance

January 30, 2017

Everyone loves Ryan Gosling in La La Land. His character is passionate about music, he falls for Emma Stone and he’s sensitively torn between the musician’s life of touring and staying in Hollywood with her. He even seamlessly slips into the dance numbers, helping La La Land win seven Golden Globe Awards including one for Gosling. And last week he was nominated for an Oscar.

But do we really think he’s a dancer? For me, he did a good job as an amateur dancer (whereas his piano playing looked totally professional). But, he added the kind of touches where the dancing helps tell the story.

I didn’t think of him as a fully trained dancer. But then I saw this clip of him as a 12-year old, posted by Huffington Post, and it changed my mind.

Wow, he’s got the moves! As a competition kid growing up in Canada, he was the only boy in his local studio—nothing new there. But you can see that he’s got the energy, the style, and that extra something that makes you keep watching. His face is so full of joy that it’s hard to square with the quizzical deadpan he’s cultivated as a movie star. And, well, maybe he’s lost some of his dance chops since then—not unusual for a young man who got busy doing other things.

The BBC’s Graham Norton Show found the clip and interviewed him about it—after speaking with a few other celebs, including Emma Stone. If you are one of the many who have a soft spot for Gosling, you’ll love this.