Ryan Gosling Was Scared Silly During ‘The Fall Guy’s Opening Shot

For those who haven’t yet had the pleasure of catching a screening of David Leitch’s The Fall Guy, let those of us who have tell you that you’re in for a treat. Blending top-tier acting from not only its leading stars, Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, but also its star-studded ensemble which includes Academy Award nominee Stephanie Hsu and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, it’s a joyous, action-packed adventure filled with romance, comedy, and spicy margaritas. During an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Blunt and Gosling broke down how they tackled the intense opening scene, which is impressively a oner – meaning it was completed in one shot.

Without spoiling the segment, the viewer follows Gosling’s Colt Seavers, a stuntman, as he walks from his trailer to the set. Along the way, he sees his romantic flame, Blunt’s Jody Moreno, and the two chat about grabbing some spicy margaritas after the shoot. He’s then hooked up and hits his stunt from a staggering height, something that Gosling says he was “not a fan” of. Chatting about how difficult the scene was to get in one fluid and clean take, Gosling tells Weintraub, “It’s an amazing shot, and I totally got why it had to be this way, but it was challenging.” Pointing to the importance of that opening bit, which completely sets up and shapes the movie, Blunt added, “And it’s showing the whole world, and the whole world of being on a movie set, the birth of their relationship, and all of it.”

‘The Fall Guy’ Welcomes Audiences To The World Of Moviemaking

The Fall Guy is a true ode to stunt performance, something that’s close to Leitch’s heart as the heralded filmmaker got his start in the industry as a fall guy himself. Gosling explains that moment during which the viewers tag along with Colt for his stroll into work, “The family of a set, the dynamic. It’s the most fun job. One of the most fun jobs in the world. I think David did such a great job of communicating that.” After he arrives, Colt takes an elevator up to the top floor to get to the task at hand. “That elevator went up fast, as well. That scared me a little bit,” Blunt said, with Gosling adding, “It goes up 12 stories. At the end, I put on sunglasses because I’m terrified of heights and I couldn’t hide it.” Even though she was safely on the first floor with the rest of the crew, Blunt says, “We were terrified for you.”

With a plan in motion to keep his cool, Gosling said,

“I was managing to keep my shaking down and to keep my body from turning to stone, but I had to put these on. And it makes no sense because I’m falling backwards anyway. There’s no need to wear sunglasses.”

A Trust Fall For The Fall Guy

Both co-stars also agreed that another harrowing piece of said scene included a piece of rope with Blunt saying, “Do you know which bit kills me? It’s when you’re kind of holding on to the rope…” to which Gosling admits, “I didn’t wanna let go of the rope.” “And then you let go, and you literally let go,” Blunt said, “I was like, ‘Oh god, that bit must’ve been awful.’” Tossing out a “thumbs up” just like his leading character, Gosling said, “And then I have to try and give the thumbs up… No shaking. There was nothing that might move the rig.”

At the end of the day, not only did Gosling make it out alive but he completely nailed one of the coolest and on-point opening scenes that we’ve seen in an action film. You can learn everything there is to know about The Fall Guyhere in our all-encompassing guide and check out the film in theaters now. Stay tuned for Weintraub’s full interview with Gosling and Blunt.

The Fall Guy

Colt Seavers is a stuntman who left the business a year earlier to focus on both his physical and mental health. He’s drafted back into service when the star of a mega-budget studio movie, which is being directed by his ex, goes missing.

Release Date

May 3, 2024

Runtime

114 minutes

Writers

Drew Pearce , Glen A. Larson

Find Tickets Now