7 Things Scene and Heard at 'La La Land' LA Premiere

While “La La Land” has been racking up film festival trophies and notching critics honors with the 2017 Oscar race in full swing, star Ryan Gosling has yet to dance into 2016-17 awards scene, where fellow contenders Casey Affleck, Mel Gibson, Amy Adams, and the ensemble from “Moonlight” have been mingling for months.

But that changed Tuesday night at the Los Angeles premiere of the critically acclaimed musical, co-starring Emma Stone.

“This is my first day out,” Gosling told TheWrap’s Party Report at the event in Westwood. “I’ve been in Budapest for five months, so I’m a little bit out of the game.”

Mikey Glazer

Also Read: Ryan Gosling Appreciates Tom Hanks' 'La La Land' Love (Exclusive Video)

Director Damien Chazelle and Lionsgate’s surreal romance is winning the game so far, with a leading 12 nominations heading in to Sunday’s Critics Choice Awards.

Here’s 7 more things seen and heard in Westwood.

“I Thought the Ship Had Sailed”

Gosling, who plays jazz musician Sebastian, made brief remarks inside the theatre before the screening, expressing gratitude that studios will still make an original musical in a classical style.

“I thought the ship had sailed [on this genre],” he told the crowd.

Also Read: 'La La Land,' 'Arrival,' 'Moonlight' Top Critics' Choice Awards Nominations

He also joked that he had been told not to say anything in the introductions, but when he whipped out his own wireless microphone to speak, he cracked that “he brought this from home.”

“Moonlight’s” Mahershala Ali (right) (Getty Images)

The Cheers Inside, The Shrieks Outside

At “La La’s” AFI screening at the TCL Chinese before Thanksgiving, the audience applauded the opening freeway number, a barometer-setting spectacle prefacing the main titles. On Tuesday night in Westwood, this crowd did the same, plus more.

Within the first 10 minutes, the crowd cheered the second musical number, a neck-swiveling sprint through a girls’ group house getting ready and heading out to a Hollywood party.

This followed the teen shrieks outside as Gosling arrived at the Village Theatre on Broxton Avenue, across from cookie spot Diddy Riese.

Gil Garcetti’s Oscar News

Hours before the “La La” premiere, the Academy announced Ezra Edelman’s nearly 8 hour doc “OJ: Made in America” as one of the 15 feature docs continuing on in the 2017 Oscar race. Former L.A. District Attorney Gil Garcetti appears in the film. Freshly back from a UNESCO photography trip to Colombia hours earlier, the Party Report broke the news to him.

“It did? I didn’t even know that!,” Garcetti exclaimed. “Fabulous! It was my son who talked me in to doing it. I haven’t talked about that case for 21 years.”

Speaking of the current mayor…

The Mayor touts “a tourism brochure”.

“You can’t have a better tourism brochure than this movie,” L.A. mayor Eric Garcetti told The Party Report. “It highlights 60 locations. It shows that L.A. is not just about the stars. It’s about the romance. It also highlights our chops as a great musical town.”

On shutting down freeways for movie shoots like the one that opens “La La”, Garcetti was insistent that LA is open for business.

“We shut down freeways all the time. We will do whatever people need to make sure that they can film in Los Angeles. This is where film was born, this is where film should live. Now with expanded tax credits, more (films) are coming back home too.”

Also Read: New York Film Critics 2016 Winners: 'La La Land' Named Best Film

Nicky Wolf and Cheryl Burke (Mikey Glazer)

Cheryl Burke Playing Publicist for Her Sister

While “Dancing with the Stars” choreographer Cheryl Burke is not amongst the 112 dancers in the movie, she escorted her sister Nicole Wolf down the red carpet. Wolf plays a casting assistant in the movie, a role she knows well. Previously, she was a casting assistant at casting agency Zane/Pillsbury. Their credits include “Suits” and “Pretty Little Liars”.

“This was one of my first auditions out of school. I just moseyed on in to the audition room,” she said.

VIP Guests

“Orange is the New Black” star Jackie Cruz stoked the Spanish language media on the way in, super producer Steve Tisch strolled the carpet and stopped to pose with girlfriend Katia Francesconi, while “Moonlight’s” Mahershala Ali also made the scene. Lionsgate also seated some digital influencers in the front of house, with a prime view of the opening introductions.

Some of the superlative “pull quotes” from early reviews dressed the screen before the movie began.

Producers Coping with 4 Months of Oscar Buzz

“We made a film that we love, that we’re proud of, and people seem to really embrace it. It seems like the right moment for a film like this. It’s gorgeous filmmaking. Everything else after that would be gravy and icing on the cake for us,” said producer Mark Platt, who also won an Emmy this fall for “Grease Live!”

The Evolution of Ryan Gosling: From 'Mickey Mouse Club' to 'First Man' (Photos)

From the start of his career, Ryan Gosling has proven that he's not an actor interested in carving out a niche. His filmography is filled with roles that range from romantic heartthrobs to murderers to political and corporate scumbags and back again.
"The Mickey Mouse Club" (1993)

The Canadian youngster's career began with a recurring role on Disney's 1993 revival of "The Mickey Mouse Club." It was here that Gosling became close friends with fellow castmember Justin Timberlake.
Disney
"Goosebumps" (1996)

Kids' horror was another highlight of Gosling's childhood. He appeared on episodes of "Goosebumps" and "Are You Afraid of the Dark?" that involved a radio station broadcasting from the afterlife and a camera that brought misfortune on those who had their picture taken with it.
Nickelodeon
"Young Hercules" (1998-1999)

Gosling traveled to New Zealand in 1998 to film the kids series "Young Hercules," in which he played the titular son of Zeus during his warrior training. Shortly afterward, he decided to move from TV to film and take on more adult roles.
NBC Universal
"Remember the Titans" (2000)

Child actors sometimes have a hard time transitioning to a successful adult career, but Gosling made the jump with ease thanks to his performance in "Remember The Titans." His previous TV work helped him pick up the role in Disney's family movie, while the film's message on race proved that he could handle more thematically heavy work.
Disney
"The Believer" (2001)

In 2001, Gosling burst onto the independent film scene with "The Believer," in which he played a Jewish neo-Nazi who struggles with self-hatred over his heritage. Critics praised Gosling for his thought-provoking portrayal of the film's almost paradoxical main character.
Fireworks Pictures
"Murder by Numbers" (2002)

A year later in 2002, Gosling got a chance to perform alongside a top star for the first time when he starred in "Murder By Numbers" alongside Sandra Bullock. Gosling played a privileged, sociopathic high school student who tries to commit the perfect murder, while Bullock played the detective assigned to track him down.
Warner Bros.
"The Notebook" (2004)

Gosling then found massive mainstream success in the 2004 romance "The Notebook" alongside Rachel McAdams. The two won an MTV Movie Award for their kiss in the film, which has earned praise for becoming one of the most famous smooching scenes in movie history.
New Line Cinema
"Half Nelson" (2006)

Gosling received his first Oscar nomination for his performance in "Half Nelson" in 2006. He played Dan Dunne, a history teacher who forms a unique relationship with one of his students when Dan is caught snorting cocaine.
ThinkFilm
"The Lovely Bones" (2009)

Gosling was supposed to appear in Peter Jackson's "The Lovely Bones," but was replaced by Mark Wahlberg. Gosling revealed later that he had been removed for gaining too much weight to prepare for the role after it was initially ruled that he was too young for the part.
Paramount Pictures
"Blue Valentine" (2010)

After leaving "The Lovely Bones," Gosling took a three-year hiatus from acting before returning in 2010 with "Blue Valentine." While "The Notebook" was a sweet romance, "Blue Valentine" showed Gosling playing a man in the midst of a chaotic divorce.
The Weinstein Company
"Crazy, Stupid, Love." (2011)

In 2011, Gosling put his acting range on display in three very different roles. First, he played the womanizing Jacob Palmer in the dark romcom "Crazy, Stupid, Love" alongside Steve Carell.
Warner Bros.
"Drive" (2011)

Then Gosling put his minimalist skills on display as an unnamed getaway car driver in the noir crime film "Drive."
FilmDistrict
"The Ides of March" (2011)

Finally, he starred alongside George Clooney as a presidential campaign manager who leaves a dark trail of corruption in "The Ides of March."
Columbia
"Only God Forgives" (2013)

After 2011, however, Gosling fell into a slump with the critics, receiving middling to poor reviews for several years. His most polarizing project was "Only God Forgives," which reportedly received loud jeers when it was screened at Cannes.
The Weinstein Company
"The Big Short" (2015)

Gosling made a big comeback, however, with the Best Picture-nominated film "The Big Short" in 2015. He plays Jared Vennett, a slick bond salesman who decides to profit off the speculative housing market bubble at the cost of the bank he works for.
Paramount
"The Nice Guys" (2016)

Gosling went back to comedy in May 2016 with "The Nice Guys," where he stars alongside Russell Crowe as a jumpy private eye who uncovers a conspiracy alongside his bitter rival.
Warner Bros.
"La La Land" (2016)

In December 2016, Gosling generated major awards attention as a jazz pianist who woos an aspiring actress in Damien Chazelle's modern musical "La La Land." Once again, he displayed remarkable chemistry with his "Crazy, Stupid, Love" co-star Emma Stone.
Lionsgate
"Blade Runner 2049" (2017)

Gosling has often been criticized for being a stoic, reserved actor, but it made him perfect for the part of a replicant in Denis Villeneuve's sequel to the cult classic "Blade Runner." Gosling starred opposite Harrison Ford in the film.
Columbia Pictures Corporation
"First Man" (2018)

Damien Chazelle looked to Gosling again for his followup film "First Man," about the life of Neil Armstrong and his journey to walk on the moon. Gosling's combination of reserved calm and movie star good looks made him a natural choice to play the American hero. Not-so-fun fact: Gosling may have sustained a "mild" concussion while filming.
Universal Pictures

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Canadian actor started out on Disney Channel and then made bold career choices to become one of Hollywood’s biggest stars

From the start of his career, Ryan Gosling has proven that he's not an actor interested in carving out a niche. His filmography is filled with roles that range from romantic heartthrobs to murderers to political and corporate scumbags and back again.

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7 Things Scene and Heard at ‘La La Land’ LA Premiere

The Evolution of Ryan Gosling: From 'Mickey Mouse Club' to 'First Man' (Photos)

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The Evolution of Ryan Gosling: From 'Mickey Mouse Club' to 'First Man' (Photos)

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