Age: 45
male
Ryan Thomas Gosling (born November 12, 1980) is a Canadian actor. Prominent in independent film, he has also worked in blockbuster films of varying genres, and has accrued a worldwide box office gross of over 1.9 billion USD. He has received various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards and a BAFTA Award. Born and raised in Canada, he rose to prominence at age 13 for being a child star on the Disney Channel's The Mickey Mouse Club (1993–1995), and went on to appear in other family entertainment programs, including Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1995) and Goosebumps (1996). His first film role was as a Jewish neo-Nazi in The Believer (2001), and he went on to star in several independent films, including Murder by Numbers (2002), The Slaughter Rule (2002), and The United States of Leland (2003). Gosling gained wider recognition and stardom for the 2004 romance film The Notebook. This was followed by starring roles in a string of critically acclaimed independent dramas including Half Nelson (2006), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. Gosling co-starred in three mainstream films in 2011, the romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love and the action drama Drive, all of which were critical and commercial successes. He then starred in the acclaimed financial satire The Big Short (2015) and the romantic musical La La Land (2016), the latter of which won him the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor and a second Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. Further acclaim followed with the science fiction thriller Blade Runner 2049 (2017) and the biopic First Man (2018). In addition to acting, he made his directorial debut in 2014's Lost River.
Applause follows Margo Channing, a legendary but aging Broadway star whose reign atop the theatrical world faces an unexpected threat when an ambitious young understudy named Eve Harrington arrives in her life. As Margo navigates the pressures of maintaining her status, her relationships with her devoted husband, her best friend, and her theater company become increasingly complicated by Eve's calculated charm and ruthless ambition. The musical explores themes of vanity, ambition, friendship, and the passage of time through dazzling production numbers and intimate character moments. Set against the glittering backdrop of Broadway in the 1950s, the story captures both the glamour and the cutthroat nature of show business. Margo must confront her own insecurities and mortality while learning to distinguish between genuine connection and manipulation. The narrative builds to a climactic revelation that forces all characters to reassess their values and priorities. With its sophisticated wit, memorable songs, and exploration of female ambition and rivalry, Applause celebrates the transformative power of theater while examining the costs of fame and the importance of authenticity in a world built on illusion.
