In a heartwarming Hollywood secret, Ryan Gosling's young daughters became his unexpected scene partners in the upcoming sci-fi film Project Hail Mary. Gosling revealed to PEOPLE that during filming, his kids would secretly voice Rocky, the alien character, through an earpiece while he acted. "Sometimes when I wanted to change things up, my kids would come in. I had an earpiece, and they'd speak as Rocky so I could interact with them as the character," the actor shared.
Ryan Gosling in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 30, 2024. Phillip Faraone/WireImage
While actor James Ortiz provides Rocky's voice in the final cut, Gosling confirmed that some of his genuine reactions in the movie are actually responses to his daughters' performances. "There are scenes where I'm laughing or seem charmed by Rocky—that's really my kids talking to me and helping me out," the Nice Guys star explained. He shares the girls with longtime partner Eva Mendes.
Beyond their on-set contributions, Gosling's daughters served as invaluable test viewers throughout production. "They've watched multiple cuts and given me plenty of feedback," the Drive actor said, highlighting their role in shaping the film's emotional core.
In a cute twist, one of his kids even influenced his character's look. Gosling plays a science teacher on a mission to save Earth, and during costume fittings, his daughter remarked, "You look smart in glasses." Gosling recalled, "I thought, 'I need to appear intelligent in this role, so thanks for that.'"
Project Hail Mary, adapted from Andy Weir's bestselling novel (The Martian), also stars Sandra Hüller (Anatomy of a Fall), Lionel Boyce (The Bear), Ken Leung (Industry), and Milana Vayntrub (This Is Us). Directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (The LEGO Movie, 21 Jump Street), the film hits theaters on March 20.
