The Fall Guy director David Leitch has revealed how Ryan Gosling shaped his character in the movie, as well as how the actor upped the romantic elements of the film. Goslings portrays Colt Seavers, an action movie stuntman tasked with finding the star of his latest film, Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) after he goes missing. The movie also involves his crush on director Jody Moreno (Emily Blunt), part of the reason why he agrees to find the lost actor.
Speaking with Screen Rant ahead of The Fall Guy‘s release, Leitch revealed how influential Gosling was for Colt’s development in the movie, as well as how he enhanced the romance present in the film. The director said planning stages for the movie had a noir tone, but the lead actor’s influence led to it becoming more of an action-packed romantic comedy. Check out what Leitch had to say about Gosling’s involvement below:
Gosling’s influence on the movie shows in its promotional material, which promises a comedic tone mixed with fun action sequences as Colt searches for the missing star of Jody’s movie. This includes everything from hand-to-hand combat to highly creative chase sequences where the hero puts his stuntman abilities to the test. Given the positive reviews The Fall Guy received following its premiere at SXSW in March, it seems the lead actor’s influence helped make the movie stand out.
By having a lighter tone while also keeping its action exciting, the movie has an opportunity to showcase stunts and sequences it may not have been able to with a more serious, noir mood about it. Such a tonal difference may have also downplayed the relationship between Colt and Jody, which appears to be the heart of the final version. Had the movie been a more serious adaptation of the 1980s TV series it’s based on, it may not have been as memorable as this finalized rendition is.
With Gosling’s influence promising a fun rom-com with plenty of action, the upcoming movie is shaping up to be a memorable part of the actor’s successful career. It also helps that directors like Steven Spielberg praised The Fall Guy for how it was crafted, indicating how it was the right choice for more romance and comedy to be added to the movie. Since Leitch is also clearly happy with how the finished product turned out, the film is shaping up to be a major success once it finally hits theaters.