Did Ryan Gosling Learn To Play The Piano

The magic behind the musical La La Country, starring a singing and dancing Emma Rock and Ryan Gosling, might appear effortless, merely didn't come hands.

These backside-the-scenes stories from the stars of the motion picture every bit well its director, Damien Chazelle, and musician John Fable in his first feature function will brand yous see why critics and audiences are singing its praises.

Gilded Globes: La La State leads film nominations

Gosling's true audition story made information technology into script

As an aspiring actor (and barista) trying to get in in Hollywood, Stone's character Mia goes through multiple auditions in the film, including i where the casting director takes a telephone call midway through her tearful performance.

Turns out, that actually happened to Gosling, who's from Ontario, early in his career.

"He told the story to Damien [Chazelle] and Damien put it in the motion-picture show," Emma Stone, who previously starred alongside the Canadian in Crazy, Stupid, Beloved and Gangster Squad, told CBC News in Los Angeles.

"But it's not just specific to me," Gosling, seated next to her, replied.

"I think yous're the just person that's e'er happened to, in all fairness," Stone joked.

Emma Stone teases Ryan Gosling nearly an audience

The stars of La La Land say i of the Canadian actor'southward bodily auditions made information technology into the script

2 days of closed throughway, half dozen minutes of joy

Chazelle said the bandage and crew had two days to film the sweeping opening number subsequently the urban center allowed a freeway ramp in Los Angeles to be shut down for one weekend.

In the six-minute scene, cars are bumper-to-bumper earlier a sunny song-and-trip the light fantastic begins to juxtapose the dazzler of Los Angeles with the inherent disappointments it presents for artists.

"It was tough," Chazelle said during an interview in Los Angeles with CBC News. "We filled it forepart to back with cars and dancers — a hundred dancers."

In the picture show's opening scene, dozens of dancers intermission out into song for a major number that was shot on an L.A. freeway ramp. (Dale Robinette/Lionsgate)

He said the biggest variables in getting the bright and exuberant scene right and done quickly had lilliputian to exercise with the operation itself, which had been apposite numerous times in advance. The larger boxing was with the heat, current of air, cloud encompass, and unpredictable complications, including a truck door integral to the shot that became jammed.

"All these piddling or big things seem to go incorrect. That was the challenge, was kind of sustaining it within that real environment that's a little scrap chaotic."

La La State managing director Damien Chazelle on shutting down an L.A. freeway

Chazelle tells CBC'due south Zulekha Nathoo what it took to coordinate a sweeping opening scene in minimal time

Ryan Gosling plays piano — no finger doubles

Gosling spent four months learning how to play the piano every day to get to a level that would make his jazz musician grapheme Sebastian convincing.

Have you played before? Cuz you lot can't be this good right away. - John Legend on Ryan Gosling's piano skills

The flick was shot with many long takes, and so if you think at that place was room for CG manipulation or a pianist look-alike, call back again.

"In that location'southward no hand replacements," said Chazelle, who likewise directedWhiplash. "At that place's no pianoforte double at all in any shot of the pic."

Managing director Damien Chazelle (standing) says Ryan Gosling spent iv months practicing piano every day to set for his role as a talented jazz musician. (Dale Robinette/Lionsgate)

Even Legend did a double take.

"I was like, 'Take you played before?'" Legend joked. "Cuz you lot can't exist this good right away."

John Legend and Damien Chazelle tell CBC'southward Zulekha Nathoo well-nigh Ryan Gosling's piano skills

Legend, who has his showtime feature film role in La La Land, describes his awe at Gosling's quick learning; Chazelle explains how much training went into the product

John Fable takes on acting ... and the guitar

Legend might have learned to play piano at age four, just had to take upwardly the guitar to play Keith, a musical frenemy who invites Sebastian to play in his successful band. Keith'southward progressive approach clashes with Sebastian's traditional view of jazz.

"There'southward also plenty of artists that believe information technology's important to them to be influenced by those artists from before only to make something new," he told CBC News in Los Angeles. "That was the option I was presenting as my character."

TheLove Me Now singer had a guitar coach and also had to sharpen his acting skills to hold his ain opposite his talented co-stars.

John Fable plays a musician trying to convince Gosling's character to join his band. It'southward Legend'due south get-go characteristic motion picture function. (Dale Robinette/Lionsgate)

Expect a La La Land bout on your next L.A. visit

OK, this is only speculation, but the motion-picture show showcases the dichotomy of Hollywood's warmth, beauty, coldness and despair by using a ton of real-life locations including the famous Griffith Observatory, Hermosa beach and downtown Fifty.A. Fifty-fifty Angelenos might see their metropolis in an entirely different light.

"Information technology is definitely a picture show that was made past people who definitely didn't grow up surrounded past all this," said Stone.

The fix locations for La La Land, which include L.A.'s Hermosa Beach, Griffith Observatory and downtown areas, are a potential bout guide's dream. (Dale Robinette/Height Entertainment/Associated Press)

And with the success this motion picture is racking up, that in itself, is a tourism map waiting to happen.

Watch more than from the interviews with Stone, Gosling, Legend and Chazelle below.

More than on La La Country from Emma Rock, John Legend and director Damien Chazelle

The stars and director of the film talk nearly what went into making the lauded musical.