“My body turns to stone” — Ryan Gosling talks about discovering his fear of heights while filming 'The Fall Guy'

Actor Ryan Gosling revealed that he discovered his fear of heights while filming The Fall Guy. During his May 2, 2024, interview with The Wall Street Journal, The Nice Guys star explained he realized his phobia of heights while shooting a stunt scene that required him to drop down from the ledge into an atrium.

Recalling the moment, Gosling explained that he froze despite wearing safety gear, stating:

"My body turns to stone. I think it’s happened when I had kids — really, you start to be way more conscious of everything you do and everything you’ve ever done and everything you will do if you get a chance to do it"

The Fall Guy is an action comedy centered around a stuntman named Colt Seavers (played by Gosling), who begins working on the sets of a movie directed by his ex-girlfriend, Jody Moreno (played by Emily Blunt). The film is based on a 1980s TV show of the same name that also revolves around a stuntman named Colt Seavers.

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"We already know exactly what the sequel is": Ryan Gosling weighs in on a possible Fall Guy sequel

The Fall Guy is directed by stuntperson-turned-director David Leitch of Deadpool 2 fame. In a November 2023 interview with Entertainment Weekly, the film's producer, Kelly McCormick, described the movie as "a love letter to stunts." The movie was met with critical acclaim and has grossed $107 million worldwide as of May 15, 2024.

Per the WSJ interview, Ryan Gosling explained that after playing the role of Colt Seavers, he now understood the physical demands of being a stuntman, adding that there were times when "you can’t breathe, or the wind is knocked out of you, or you’re seeing stars, or you’re kind of blacking out."

In his interview, the actor also admitted to turning down roles for his family. Ryan Gosling is married to fellow actor Eva Mendes, and the couple shares daughters Esmeralda Amada and Amada Lee. Per the actor, fatherhood has prompted him to not take on roles that would put him in "some kind of dark place." He told the publication:

"The decisions I make, I make them with Eva, and we make them with our family in mind first."

However, the La La Land star asserted that he is not ready to give up on Colt or on doing his own stunts. Many have wondered whether there were more Fall Guy movies to look forward to, leading Ryan Gosling to tell WSJ:

"We already know exactly what the sequel is... We, just for ourselves, wanted to know what happened to these characters. I hope that the audience wants to see it."

McCormick, in his discussion with IndieWire on May 1, 2024, revealed a follow-up is on the table and praised Ryan Gosling for his dedication to the role. He explained that they never go into a movie wanting to make it a franchise because there are several factors they don't have control over. He applauded the actor's skills, stating:

"He’s such a genius, and he’s such a master, and he’s such a hard worker. He learned all of it, and he lived all of it, and it’s part of everything that he does because that’s who he is."

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The Fall Guy was released on May 2, 2024, in the United States and is currently still running.