Saoirse Ronan calls Ryan Gosling’s firing from Lovely Bones ‘sad’ but ‘totally valid’
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Saoirse Ronan has spoken about Ryan Gosling's dismissal from the 2009 fantasy film, The Lovely Bones. She acknowledged that it was "unfortunate," but she believes the reasons behind it were "completely justifiable."
Gosling was originally chosen to play the role of Jack Salmon, a heartbroken father whose teenage daughter (Ronan) has been murdered, in Peter Jackson's film adaptation of Alice Sebold's 2002 book.
At that time, it was reported that Gosling was released from the project because of differing creative visions. He was ultimately replaced by Mark Wahlberg.
"I believe I really cared for Ryan, and his dog, George," Ronan, who was 14 during her role in The Lovely Bones, shared in a recent episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. "It made me feel down knowing that he wouldn't be there anymore."
"I believe their reasons for breaking up were completely justifiable. I've talked to both of them, and it’s a common situation. You understand what I mean? It’s not always about personal feelings. Sometimes, people just find themselves thinking differently."
The actor from Barbie has discussed his exit from the film, explaining that he put on around 60 pounds for the part since he thought the character should weigh 210 pounds.
“We didn’t communicate much during the preparation phase, and that was an issue,” Gosling mentioned in a roundtable discussion with the Hollywood Reporter in 2011. “It was a big film with a lot to manage, and he couldn't focus on the actors one-on-one. When I arrived on set, I realized I had misunderstood my role. Then I found myself out of shape and out of work.”
Remembering when Wahlberg joined the team, Ronan said, "He was like a dad. He had, I think, three kids? So he probably had a parenting perspective that Ryan didn't quite have."
"Ryan was about 27 years old. He was quite young," she said. "It was really nice to collaborate with him after that. He's pretty much the same person. He hasn't changed at all."
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The two ended up collaborating on Gosling's first time directing, the 2014 film Lost River.
Ronan played a leading role in the fantasy thriller, which was both written and co-produced by Gosling. The story revolves around a single mother who is raising her two sons in a deserted and perilous city during a harsh economic downturn.
Earlier this week, while guesting on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Ronan opened up about a significant role she missed out on, which continues to linger in her thoughts.
The four-time Oscar nominee mentioned that “half of Ireland” showed up to audition for the part, which eventually went to Evanna Lynch, the star of My Name Is Emily.
"I auditioned for the role of Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter quite a few years back because she was an Irish character. They brought in a lot of Irish actors for the auditions—like nearly half the country! I had a feeling I wouldn't land the role since I was too young at the time," Ronan remembered.
"But I had the chance to read a scene that was going to be part of Harry Potter," she shared. "It was an incredible experience."
