"She's Not A Blowup Doll!" – Ryan Gosling Defends His Leading Lady | LARS AND THE REAL GIRL (2007)

Recorded at the 2007 Toronto International Film Festival, this press conference for Lars and the Real Girl features the cast and creative team in a candid discussion about bringing a high-concept, potentially controversial premise to life with genuine heart and empathy. The panel, including Ryan Gosling, Patricia Clarkson, Emily Mortimer and director Craig Gillespie, explores the "dark and mysterious" origins of the script and the unconventional preparation methods used to build the film's central family dynamic. Moving from humorous stories about Walmart "method acting" to deep reflections on the nature of non-transactional love, this conversation captures the ensemble's protective and reverent attitude toward their unique co-star, "Bianca". Timestamps 00:10 – 01:12 How a movie about a "sex doll" reached a first-time director 01:12 – 01:50 Screenwriter Nancy Oliver on the script's "dark and mysterious" origins 01:50 – 02:58 Ryan Gosling on the beauty of non-reciprocal love 02:59 – 04:39 Patricia Clarkson on approaching a "shrink" role emotionally 04:44 – 05:32 Kelli Garner on the "refreshing" experience of playing "all heart" 05:32 – 07:42 Paul Schneider on using "neurosis as a guide" in his performance 07:47 – 09:24 Method Acting: Grocery shopping at Walmart and dining at Applebee’s 09:30 – 10:52 Evaluating the simplicity and elegance of the story 10:52 – 12:45 Settling the debate: "She’s not a blow-up doll, she’s real" 12:56 – 14:04 Addressing marketing concerns and the respectful treatment of "Bianca" 14:04 – 15:06 Director Craig Gillespie on "casting" a doll with a soul 15:06 – 16:10 Ryan Gosling on the "calming presence" of his unique co-star For more about the Toronto International Film Festival and our year-round programming at TIFF Lightbox, visit http://tiff.net. Subscribe to watch more from TIFF:    / tiff   Want more TIFF? Find us here:   / tiff_net     / tiff_net     / tiff_net     / tiffnet