Most fans have seen those videos of aspiring young dancer Ryan Gosling from back in the 1990s, but British talk show host Graham Norton took things a step further when he captured the “La La Land” star’s reactions while he watched his childhood self bust some moves
Gosling — who appeared on “The Graham Norton Show” with co-star Emma Stone along with “Live by Night” co-stars Ben Affleck and Sienna Miller — laughs awkwardly, occasionally cringing, while watching himself dancing with the Elite Dance Troupe, of which he was the only male member, on a 1990s-era appearance on a Canadian talent show.
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“My main competition were these two twins who were tap dancers and they were dancing to Phil Collins’ ‘Two Hearts.’ They had big heart-shaped bows and they were the ones to beat,” Gosling explained, adding that he wished them luck as he headed out on stage. “I looked up just off stage and the two twins are standing there like the twins from ‘The Shining’ and they’re just going like this…” he says, flipping the bird.
During the talk show appearance, Norton asked his guests to share some embarrassing stories about their mothers, and Gosling had a great one from the 2007 Academy Awards, when he brought his mom as date for the Oscars.
“My mom was convinced by her friend that beehives were gonna be all the rage,” he said. “And if you didn’t have a beehive, you’d feel embarrassed. And it turned out to be the opposite. It was a natural hair vibe that year.”
He went on: “And my mom sat in front of Rachel Weisz and her hair was so high that Rachel had to keep [mimics Weisz leaning to see past the beehive] and my mom kept sinking in her chair and I didn’t know what to do ’cause I was — I wanted to have a nice night, so I didn’t know Meryl Streep but she was sitting next to me and I said in a commercial break, ‘Would you mind just telling my mom you like her hair?’”
Streep was happy to oblige: “And she was like, ‘I got this,’” Gosling added. “And then the commercial went and she goes, ‘Do you know, I was gonna do a beehive and I wish I had.’ And my mom was like, raise the roof all night.”
“Does she already know that story?” Stone asked Gosling of his mother.
Apparently she does not. “My mom? Oh … she doesn’t watch this show,” quipped Gosling. Watch:
