During an appearance on Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast last week, Ryan Gosling revealed that he was a huge Days of Our Lives fan while growing up. Watching Days was such a formative moment for Ryan that the possession storyline from Deidre Hall’s character, Marlena, inspired his future as an actor. When Deidre found out about Ryan’s praise, she invited him to the set. In turn, Ryan happily accepted Deidre’s invitation. He also declared that he found her acting more inspirational than Marlon Brando’s or Robert DeNiro’s.
Over the weekend, the Project Hail Mary star accepted an “open invitation” from star Deidre Hall to visit the set of the long-running NBC sudser, after the former had shouted her out during an appearance on Josh Horowitz‘s Happy Sad Confused podcast.
During the interview, Gosling had noted: “Soap opera actors in general — they do not get the love they deserve. [They have to] memorize, the night before, like 10 pages of dialogue. They get one take, and it’s impossible scenarios — like when Marlena, Deidre Hall, gets possessed … by the Devil. Deidre Hall has to suddenly, after playing a normal person [be possessed] … What’s amazing is I remember thinking, like, ‘God, Deidre Hall’s a great actress ’cause she’s having to act possessed right now. That just seems like a lot to ask of her.’”
In response, Hall had posted a video on Instagram where she said, “We’re just thrilled to be acknowledged and to be so well spoken of because we work really hard, as you acknowledged,” extending an invite to “come over and see what we do in our neck of the woods.” She promised cheekily: “Nobody will be possessed. And if they are, I’ll keep an eye on you.”
It’s a resounding “yes” from Gosling, who responded, “Deidre Hall, are you kidding me? Yes. This is a very enthusiastic yes to a very cordial invitation to visit you on set. I will be there to thank you in person for being my OG acting inspiration. It wasn’t Marlon Brando in On the Waterfront. It wasn’t [Robert] De Niro in Taxi Driver. It was you.”
He added, “Any time, anywhere, I’ll be there.” In a wink to his current project in theaters, the Barbie star said, “I’m not worried about the possession, I’ll say a Hail Mary before I get there. It’ll be fine and I’ll see you on set.”
Venerated in the soap world, Hall has portrayed psychiatrist Marlena Evans on Days of our Lives since 1976, with brief absences from 1987 to 1991 and again from 2009 to 2011. Her storyline has featured some of the most outrageous occurrences in soap opera history, including two demonic possessions (in 1994 and later, 2021), surviving a fall from a 30-story building and being brainwashed into believing she is a serial killer.
This is the wholesome potential collaboration that weneed right now. I love this so much. Soap opera actors rarely get the credit that they deserve, but so many actors have cut their teeth on soaps. Sarah Michelle Gellar and Michael B. Jordan both started out on All My Children. I grew up watching General Hospital, One Life to Live, and Port Charles, and I get so excited whenever I see any of those actors appear in shows outside that bubble.
Ryan Gosling potentially doing a guest gig on Days of Our Lives is the storyline that I did not know I needed. There is a catch here, though. Days reportedly shoots so far in advance, about 6 months, that if Ryan did a cameo, it would not air until late 202. If NBC/Peacock wanted to maximize on the current publicity, they’d have to either write/edit him into a current storyline or arrange for the two of them to do some sort of press event together. That said, I would love for them to figure out how to quickly write Ryan into a cameo for an upcoming scene. I have no idea how they could do it, but I hope they’ll willingly meet the moment.
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- Ryan Gosling performs onstage during the live ABC telecast of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024.,Image: 855741208, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red / Avalon
photos credit: Cover Images, Backgrid and Avalon.red
Which one is which?
I loved General Hospital growing up. Would watch it on vacation or sick/snow days. Love this for both of them.
Regardless of how you feel about RG – the man knows how to promote a movie.
This interaction made my entire week! I’ve never watched soaps so don’t know her. However, I worked with some very famous now actors, British and Australian, and they all pretty much learned the acting craft on soaps. Think any Australian actor, 90%soaps- like Robbie, hemsworth, kidman. Nearly all Australian actors and most or many British learned soaps. It doesn’t seem common in the us
Don’t forget Meg Ryan starred in “As The World Turns,” from which Julianne Moore had her start, as well! Demi Moore on “General Hospital”!
That all said, I hope they work in Ryan to a cameo sooner rather than later.
And on another note, back in the day (late ’80s) I used to live on the UWS near the ABC studios and would love to watch all the fans waiting outside for the soap opera stars. It really was a thing back then. I remember David Canary (AMC) was super popular.
And one more note! Did Ryan shade Timothee per the Marlon and DeNiro references?
And Kelly Ripa started on All My Children too!
As did Michael B. Jordan and Amanda Seyfried. Reggie Porter Montgomery and Joanie forever!
Parker Posey and Ming Na-Wen were also on “As The World Turns”.
Way back when, Morgan Freeman played twins on Another World. He started off as the “good” twin, then the bad guy sidled into town.
I remember that storyline vividly and Deidre Hall was great. One thing about good soap actors is they take the MOST ridiculous storylines and sell it.
I was just thinking… how often do we see any male artist credit a woman as his first inspiration? I’m sure it happens, but I don’t think it happens often. Ryan really walks the walk.
This is such an important point. Thanks for making it!
We NEVER see this. But we did with Ryan.
Ryan was raised by his Mom and sister after his parents divorced. He once claimed that this upbringing helped him think like a girl: good training, considering he is now a Dad to two daughters with his partner Eva Mendes. He’s of Canada’s favorite guys.
Love this!
I grew up watching “The Young & the Restless” and I have picked it back up in the past year since I work from home. I just take my lunch break from 12:30 PM instead of 12 PM. I kick myself for not thinking of doing this in the previous five years since the very first day of WFH at the start of the pandemic but better late than never.
I really love that he named Diedre Hall as his acting inspiration. A cameo for Ryan on Days would be amazing! However, I think I would prefer her being cast as his mother in his next blockbuster.
I remember when Julianne Moore and Sarah Michelle Gellar returned to “As the World Turns” and “All My Children” as they wrapped up their runs out of respect for the shows and the colleagues and fans they found there. Others went and found legitimate primetime stardom and then come back for regular visits on soaps, like Emma Samms, Morgan Fairchild, Donna Mills, and Kim Delaney.
Betty White and Dick van Dyke both won Emmys for their heartbreaking work on “The Bold and the Beautiful” and “Days of Our Lives” since the 2000s (Betty’s story on B&B was particularly dramatic.) No genre has more fully developed storylines for women and people over 60, who are largely invisible or supporting (not counting male movie stars) in every other genre.
But my favorite is all the big stars, including Emmy and Oscar nominees have done storyline runs playing fully realized characters (not cameos) on daytime soaps out of curiosity or a desire to challenge/stretch themselves: Joan Collins on “Guiding Light,” Sally Kirkland and TLC’s T-Boz on “Days of Our Lives,” James Franco on “General Hospital.”
I met several at a fan event years ago and came away in AWE of soap actors. People sleep on the challenge and absolute skill it takes to shoot up to to ~80 pages a day (primetime can take two weeks to do that and films can take a week to shoot just one scene) with barely any time to rehearse and only one take before they move on. What people think is “better acting” in films and primetime is often the fact they shoot several takes (versions) of the scenes from every perspective and stich together the best most effective final product in editing. On soaps they use a bunch of cameras to do shoot it one time and unless something falls over, they move on. They don’t take season breaks for the Summer and have very few, if any, breaks for holidays, so the only way the budget makes sense is to move fast.
They totally deserve more respect and I love that Ryan is reminding us of that.
Amanda Seyfried and Chadwick Boseman were both on AMC also. Micheal B. Jordan has constantly praised soaps as the place where he learned the business and work ethic. His soap parents (Susan Lucci and Walt Willey) both posted very sweet things after his Oscar win and he talked about them and Darnell Williams during the Sinners promo tour.
Chadwick Boseman replaced Michael B Jordan as Reggie Porter Montgomery. Reggie dated Amanda’s character Joanie.
They pulled Stefano DiMera out of a wardrobe and turned Marlena into a vampire. Don’t tell me they can’t shuffle some shit around for Ken.
Very cool. Growing up I LIVED for the romantic saga of Brenda Barrett on General Hospital.
Santa Barbara Forever!!!
Eden and Cruz!!! Kelly and Robert!!
Wow
The man is a legend. Eva Mendez is a very lucky girl.