A singer of a legendary 00s band has claimed that he invited Ryan Gosling to be a part of it, leaving us wondering…what if?
Following Gosling’s memorable ‘I’m Just Ken’ performance at the Oscars, many have questioned if he could have made it as a singer if he hadn’t previously established himself as one of the world’s greatest actors.
Clearly, there is another planet where this is exactly what occurred.
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In a recent interview, AJ McLean of the Backstreet Boys claimed that he offered Ryan Gosling a seat in the band back in the 1990s, prior to their international debut album, which caused the band to disband in 1996.
McLean told TMZ: “He didn’t think it was going to go anywhere, and then it did.”
“He kind of missed the boat, but… [Ryan], if I see you at the gym, let’s exchange numbers. And if we ever need a sixth Backstreet Boy, I will call you.”
The ‘I Want It That Way’ actor went on to insinuate that he did not keep his promise, stating, ‘Ryan, I am so sorry that I didn’t call you back’.
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According to a prior interview with McClean, the Ken actor lived in the same apartment building during his Disney career.
McClean told Jimmy Fallon: “Long story short, we used to live in the same apartment complex when he was filming The Mickey Mouse Club.
“Him, Justin Timberlake, Christina Aguilera, and Britney [Spears], all of them.
“We would play basketball virtually every other day.
“The group had started. I kept telling him how huge this would be. And he says, ‘Dude. New Kids [on the Block] have already done it. This will never work. Just shoot the ball.
“Cut to the chase: he was wrong, and it worked.
“He is an incredibly talented singer, performer, and actor.” I wish he was in the same room, watching it, so we could just smash it.”
While there is a lot of ‘What If’, I’d imagine Gosling doesn’t feel the same way.
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The actor appears to have the ideal career, starring in films that are both critically praised and commercially successful.
Gosling has three Oscar nominations: for Blue Valentine, La La Land, and, most recently, for his performance as Ken in the Barbie film.
It may not be the Backstreet Boys, but receiving an Oscar nomination for a film that grossed more than a billion dollars isn’t bad.
It’s also unfair to imply that ‘I’m Just Ken’ and ‘La La Land’ are Gosling’s sole musical accomplishments, as audiences have just discovered his rock combo ‘Dead Man’s Bones.
Under the pseudonym Baby Goose, Gosling and co-creator Zach Shields created an album of love songs about ghosts and monsters.
The team formed after discovering their shared passion with the supernatural, with Gosling moving as a youngster because his parents believed their house was haunted, and Shields being placed in therapy owing to his obsession with ghosts.
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