Ryan Gosling has turned into an actor we cannot quite figure out. After THE NOTEBOOK, it seemed he was poised for Leonardo DiCaprio post-TITANIC hunkdom. But then he turned in some excellent performances in movies like HALF NELSON, THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES and DRIVE alongside mainstream fare like CRAZY STUPID LOVE and GANGSTER SQUAD. But, like post-TITANIC DiCaprio, Gosling is not content to take what is thrown his way. Hence why he is looking at a project like BUZZ.
Based on the life of legendary movie dance choreographer Busby Berkeley, Gosling is planning to produce and potentially star in the film that would be very unique as compared to his other movies.
Produced alongside Marc Platt, the film would be based on Buzz: The Life and Art of Busby Berkeley by Jeffrey Spivak. Warner Bros has optioned the film for Gosling. It is unclear if the film would be a full life biopic or center on a particular era, but Berkeley’s life is a literal Hollywood story.
Choreographer and film director Busby Berkeley became famous for his elaborate dance routines in Hollywood musicals like 1933’s 42 Street and Gold Diggers of 1933, two of the many movies he choreographed for Warners. He was especially famous for his overhead shots in which chorus girls began shifting kaleidoscopic patterns, and he earned three Oscar nominations for best dance direction, a category that no longer exists.
Gosling is one of the more talented young actors working today but has yet to truly stretch his dramatic abilities beyond playing the strong, brooding, quiet guy. He is at risk of becoming a caricature of himself if he doesn’t branch out, and what could be more unique for him than a singing and dancing choreographer.
Hopefully we hear more soon about this project as there are a lot of great stories that can be told from that era we still haven’t seen yet.
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