The Fall Guy star Winston Duke has opened up his "bromance" with co-star Ryan Gosling.
The new movie sees the Barbie star play stuntman Colt Seavers, who finds himself drafted into service when the star of his ex-girlfriend's directorial debut goes missing, and finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy.
Duke plays the role of best friend and fellow stuntman Dan Tucker in the film, and revealed exclusively to Digital Spy that he had admired Gosling for a long time.
Related: The Fall Guy review: Ryan Gosling is at his goofiest in action-comedy
"I had a bit of a bromance with Ryan even before we met," he said. "I grew up watching Ryan do a lot of different things. I’ve seen Young Hercules, watching The Notebook, watching [The Place] Beyond the Pines. All these incredible pieces that he’s done in his career.
"I had a lot of respect for him before I even got on set, and watching him as he stepped into the part of being a producer in this film. And really flexing his muscles, and knowledge that he has acquired during his entire career."
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Calling him "really inspiring", the star added: "It was really great to see him wear his crown. Because it’s very well deserved. He knows what he’s doing, he’s an incredible performer and beautiful generative artist. It was an honour."
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Duke also opened up about what he learned about stuntmen while working on The Fall Guy, saying he was taken aback by "the responsibility" the role necessitates.
"I learned about how much responsibility they have on set," he elaborated. "I didn’t realise that just working with them on a movie from the position of just an actor.
"As an actor, I’m just responsible for myself and making the scene work. I got to watch the stunts coordinator by playing a stunts coordinator, and I would shadow them. And I realise they have to be the most honest people on set.
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"And if they’re not honest, people don’t go home. One inch to the left or one inch to the right too far, injury. Someone doesn’t calculate or do their jobs, injury. If you say yes to something that you know in your heart is a no, injury.
"And they are all carrying the story of something that didn’t go right because they did say ‘yes’ when they should have said ‘no’. They all carry that, they know what the consequences are."
He added: "So I learned how much integrity, I learned how much responsibility it was, and I learned how much honesty is necessary. So that was the big thing for me."
The Fall Guy arrives in UK cinemas on May 2.
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Sam is a freelance reporter and sub-editor who has a particular interest in movies, TV and music. After completing a journalism Masters at City University, London, Sam joined Digital Spy as a reporter, and has also freelanced for publications such as NME and Screen International. Sam, who also has a degree in Film, can wax lyrical about everything from Lord of the Rings to Love Is Blind, and is equally in his element crossing every 't' and dotting every 'i' as a sub-editor.
Mireia (she/her) has been working as a movie and TV journalist for over eight years. Based in the UK, she is a former deputy movies editor at Digital Spy, and previously worked for the Spanish magazine Fotogramas. Mireia's work has been published in other outlets such as Esquire and Elle in Spain, and WeLoveCinema and GamesRadar+ in the UK. She is also a published author, having written the essay Biblioteca Studio Ghibli: Nicky, la aprendiz de bruja about Hayao Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service.
During her years as a freelance journalist and film critic, Mireia has covered festivals around the world and has interviewed high-profile talents such as Kristen Stewart, Ryan Gosling, Jake Gyllenhaal and many more. She's also taken part in juries such as the FIPRESCI jury at Venice Film Festival and the short film jury at Kingston International Film Festival in London. LinkedIn
