Quick summary
- Scott Speedman told PEOPLE that Ryan Gosling is a “huge talent” and was a “very, very gifted comedian” from a young age.
- The two appeared together in the Goosebumps episode “Say Cheese or Die”, which premiered on 9 February 1996 on Fox.
- Speedman says they often crossed paths at auditions in the early years of their careers in Canada.
- Speedman, 51, spoke while promoting his ABC series R.J. Decker, now streaming on Disney+.
Thirty years after sharing a small screen with a teenage Ryan Gosling, actor Scott Speedman has looked back on the moment fondly. In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, published this week, Speedman called his former co-star a “huge talent” and praised the comic instincts that Gosling showed long before Hollywood leading roles came his way.
A children’s horror episode with two future stars
According to PEOPLE, “Say Cheese or Die” was the 15th episode of the first season of the Fox children’s series Goosebumps, which was based on the books by R.L. Stine. It premiered on 9 February 1996. Gosling played Greg, a boy who finds a camera that predicts the future. Speedman had a small part as a police officer who questions Greg after his friend goes missing.
Speedman told the magazine that the role came about almost by accident. The episode’s director, a friend of Gosling’s, rang him and asked him to come in for a single scene. What he remembers most is the pair of very dark aviator sunglasses he wore, which made the officer seem faintly menacing. The episode also featured Karen Robinson, who later starred in Schitt’s Creek, according to PEOPLE.
That is a modest anecdote, but it sets up the part that earns the headline: what Speedman thought of Gosling back then.
“Extremely, extremely, extremely gifted”
Speedman says he regularly bumped into Gosling at auditions while both were starting out in Canada. He also watched him on Canadian television, where he describes Gosling as a kind of Jim Carrey figure providing comic relief. “He was always extremely, extremely, extremely gifted, especially in the comedy space,” Speedman said, as quoted by PEOPLE and by The News International.
He pointed to Gosling’s turn on Saturday Night Live as proof of those comedy skills. He also pointed back further, to the Mickey Mouse Club, where Gosling performed as a child. “You can watch clips of him on the Mickey Mouse Club, you’re just kind of like, wow, you could do that at 12 years old,” Speedman said.
His closing remark was about staying grounded. “It’s really hard to maintain your head through the years,” he said. “He’s done a very, very good job of that, for sure.”
Where both careers went next
PEOPLE notes that Speedman’s breakout came with Felicity in 1998. He later appeared in the Underworld films and The Strangers, and has become a familiar face on television through Animal Kingdom, Teacup, Running Point and Grey’s Anatomy, where he plays Nick, the partner of Meredith Grey. He is currently balancing that recurring role with the lead in R.J. Decker, in which he plays an ex-convict turned private investigator.
Gosling’s own rise, as PEOPLE tells it, took off with Remember the Titans in 2000. His credits since include The Notebook, Crazy, Stupid, Love, La La Land, The Nice Guys, Barbie and Project Hail Mary. He has three Oscar nominations and one Golden Globe, which he won for La La Land.
Readers who follow his recent run can find more in our Ryan Gosling archive, including a look at how The Notebook topped the Pluto TV chart again and a report on Eva Mendes being rumoured for Gosling’s Star Wars film. The Eva Mendes item is a rumour and not a confirmed casting.
What happens next
PEOPLE reports that Gosling is due to join the Star Wars franchise in 2027 with Star Wars: Starfighter, and is set to play Ghost Rider in the Marvel universe. Speedman can be seen in R.J. Decker, with seasons one and two streaming on Disney+. For anyone who wants to spot the pair together, all four seasons of Goosebumps are available free on Tubi, according to PEOPLE. Browse more in our TV & Dramas section.
Frequently asked questions
Which Goosebumps episode did Ryan Gosling appear in?
Gosling starred as Greg in “Say Cheese or Die”, the 15th episode of season one, which premiered on 9 February 1996 on Fox.
What did Scott Speedman say about Ryan Gosling?
He called Gosling a “huge talent” and a “very, very gifted comedian”, citing his Saturday Night Live appearance and his childhood work on the Mickey Mouse Club.
Where can Australian viewers watch the episode?
PEOPLE says all four seasons of Goosebumps are streaming free on Tubi. Availability can differ by country, so check your local listings.
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