Ryan Gosling has always been a private person, but in a recent interview with Men’s Health, he opened up about what’s most important to him in life: his family. “I often think about what’s going to matter to me on my deathbed that I did and that I didn’t do,” Gosling said. “It puts things into perspective. It always comes back to family first. I don’t think I’ll regret anything professionally, but I do think when it comes to Eva and the girls, they come first.”
Gosling met Mendes on the set of their film, The Place Beyond the Pines, in 2011. They later welcomed Esmeralda, 9, and Amada, 7. Although the parents have kept their relationship away from the public eye, both have gushed over each other. For her part, Mendes has praised her “man” for portraying Ken in Barbie in addition to his recent Saturday Night Live hosting gig. As for Gosling, he subtly gave Eva a nod during his iconic “I’m Just Ken” Oscars performance by showing off his “E” necklace to the camera.
In addition to his family, Gosling also spoke about his heroes, who include Mendes and his uncle Bill. “When I was in school, he said, ‘I’m gonna put all your achievements in a scrapbook.’ I didn’t want the scrapbook to stay empty. Uncle Bill believed in me at a time when I didn’t really believe in myself,” Gosling said. Gosling also gave fans rare insight into his home life with Mendes, describing the “Moroccan chicken bastilla” he cooks for his family in addition to watching one of the most famous reality TV dating shows: Love Is Blind. “I heard the new season is even better, but I’ve been busy,” the Barbie actor said about the Netflix series.