Ryan Gosling Learned to Play Piano for ‘La La Land’

For the musical comedy-drama La La Land, which will be released nationwide this weekend, Ryan Gosling had to learn some new skills for his role as a jazz musician, which included singing, dancing, and playing the piano.

“It was a nice opportunity to explore a character in a way that you normally don’t get to because how they dance, how they sing, in my case how I play piano, all of those things help to inform the character and that was a new opportunity,” Gosling remarked to BackstageOL’s Dave Morales.

“I learned to play the…not piano in general, but just the pieces in this film,” Gosling said, adding that it took him three months.

Check out the official synopsis for the film from Summit Entertainment:

Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Damien Chazelle, LA LA LAND tells the story of Mia [Emma Stone], an aspiring actress, and Sebastian [Gosling], a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in a city known for crushing hopes and breaking hearts. Set in modern day Los Angeles, this original musical about everyday life explores the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.

Watch the full interview with Gosling below: