“La La Land” more than cemented its status as the Oscar Best Picture frontrunner after scoring 14 nominations, tying the record with “All About Eve” (1950) and “Titanic” (1997). Both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone received bids for playing a struggling pianist and an aspiring actress who fall in love in Los Angeles, CA. The two sat down recently with Gold Derby to discuss their roles.
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Gosling admits that he thought he, “wouldn’t get the chance to make an old-fashioned musical, but when the opportunity came up, it was too much of an opportunity to pass up.” Stone agrees, divulging she was, “so excited by the fact it was an original musical because nobody had done it before.”
We also spoke with Damien Chazelle, who scored nominations for writing and directing. “It always felt somewhat unlikely and even impossible at times,” he admits. “I just had a hope that the thing I loved about the older musicals could still apply today.”
Among the below-the-line contenders, we also spoke with composer Justin Hurwitz, lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, cinematographer Linus Sandgren, costume designer Mary Zophres, film editor Tom Cross, sound mixer/editor Ai-Ling Lee, and sound editor Mildred Iatrou.
Dish ‘La La Land’ with Hollywood insiders in our notorious forums
Click each name below to be taken to their complete interview:
Ryan Gosling, who plays Sebastian
Emma Stone, who plays Mia
Damien Chazelle, Writer/Director
Linus Sandgren, Cinematographer
Justin Hurwitz, Composer (click here for our post-nominations interview)
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, Lyricists
Mary Zophres, Costume Designer
Tom Cross, Film Editor
Ai-Ling Lee and Mildred Iatrou, Sound Mixer/Editors
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