Ryan Gosling can pull off just about any role, from a jazz-obsessed romantic in La La Land to an astronaut hurtling through space. But the three-time Oscar-nominated actor just revealed the most unexpected origin story for his acting career — and it involves staying home from school, watching daytime TV and falling hard for Days of Our Lives.
The whole thing started on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast in March 2026 when Gosling praised Deidre Hall’s Days role, Marlena Evans, and snowballed into one of the most wholesome celebrity exchanges we’ve seen in a while.
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Todd Williamson/Peacock (3) The Days of Our Lives cast knows how to keep viewers on the edge of their seats. For more than 60 seasons, the soap opera has provided more than a few OMG plot twists thanks to surprising courtships and love triangles, mistaken identities, murders, medical emergencies, kidnappings and more. “In this medium, […]
He’s Been a Soap Fan Since Way Back
Speaking on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast in March 2026, Ryan Gosling was there to talk about Project Hail Mary, his new sci-fi thriller film adaptation, before the conversation veered into territory nobody saw coming: his love of soap operas.
Gosling shared fond memories of skipping school and watching classic soaps like Days of Our Lives, dropping knowledge about classic story lines set in Salem, the fictional town at the center of the show, and the daytime actors’ preparations.
“They do not get the love they deserve,” Gosling said. “The amount they have to memorize the night before — like 10 pages of dialogue. They get one take, and it’s impossible scenarios.”
Ten pages of dialogue. One take. That’s the grind soap actors deal with every day, and Gosling clearly has a massive appreciation for it.
The Marlena Possession Arc Blew His Mind
Of all the Salem drama that Ryan Gosling soaked up as a kid, one story line stuck with him: the episodes where Deidre Hall’s beloved character, Marlena Evans, was possessed by the devil.
“This is right around when X-Files was a big deal. Suddenly, everything got supernatural. She was possessed by the devil,” Gosling said on the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast.
In the 1990s, otherworldly story arcs were everywhere on TV from The X-Files, Unsolved Mysteries and Twin Peaks. Days of Our Lives jumped into that wave with its now-iconic Marlena possession story line, and the soap’s success even spawned the short-lived supernatural soap Passions.
What really got to Gosling, though, was watching Hall pull off something that wild.
“It was an incredible acting class,” he recalled. “What’s amazing is I remember thinking, ‘My God! Deidre Hall’s a great actress because she has to act possessed right now. That just seems like a lot to ask of her.’”
Watching Hall shift between a “normal person” and someone “possessed by the devil” left a real mark on the future Barbie star.
After 60 years on the air, Days of Our Lives has seen its fair share of memorable stars in Salem. Married…With Children actress Christina Applegate appeared on the soap opera as a 3-month-old baby named Burt Grizell in 1972. Long before marrying Ashton Kutcher and starting a family of her own, Mila Kunis played a […]
Deidre Hall’s Response Was Perfect
Deidre Hall, who has played Marlena on Days of Our Lives since 1976, wasn’t about to let that kind of love go unanswered. She responded days later with a video message, thanking Gosling and inviting him to come visit the set.
“We’re just thrilled to be acknowledged and to be so well spoken of,” she said, adding that the cast had shared the podcast clip with her behind the scenes.
Ryan Gosling Said Yes — And His Message Was Everything
Ryan Gosling didn’t make Deidre Hall wait, and accepted the invitation in a follow-up video posted to his partner Eva Mendes‘ and Project Hail Mary‘s respective Instagram accounts, calling Hall his “OG acting inspiration.”
“This is a very enthusiastic yes to a very cordial invitation,” he said. “I will be there to thank you in person. It wasn’t Marlon Brando. It wasn’t De Niro. It was you.”
So, When Is This ‘Days Of Our Lives’ Meeting Actually Happening?
That part’s still up in the air, as there’s no set filming schedule for Days of Our Lives currently in place. Ryan Gosling, for his part, is in the middle of his promotional tour for Project Hail Mary, which is playing now in theaters.
Until scheduling logistics come together, fans of both Gosling and Days of Our Lives will be watching closely to see when this set visit comes together.
This story was compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists.