Peter Jackson reflects on firing Ryan Gosling from The Lovely Bones after he gained 60 pounds for role

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Peter Jackson, the director of ‘The Lovely Bones,’ recently explained why he let go of Ryan Gosling from a film project, even though Gosling had already gained sixty pounds to prepare for the part.

Released in 2009, The Lovely Bones featured Saoirse Ronan in the main role, with Mark Wahlberg playing her father and Stanley Tucci portraying the film’s antagonist.

Ryan Gosling was initially chosen to play Jack Salmon – the part Mark Wahlberg later became famous for – but he was replaced after gaining a significant amount of weight without the director’s permission.

Jackson recently addressed the firing of Gosling. Speaking at the Cannes Film Festival, he explained he wouldn’t discuss specific actors involved, stating it’s a private matter and not the actors’ fault.

When we replace an actor, it means we made a mistake in the original casting – we chose someone who wasn’t the right fit for the part.

This isn’t about anyone making a mistake. I won’t discuss specific people, but the situation isn’t unfolding as we expected. That means our understanding was incorrect, and we fully accept responsibility for that.

Jackson added that Ryan is a truly talented actor. He explained that making a film relies on a good working relationship between everyone involved, both in front of and behind the camera, and that an actor’s performance is all about connecting with the audience.

It’s really about how well someone fits into a group, a narrative, or a role – a blend of communication and connection. Filmmakers put a lot of effort into planning and casting to ensure that connection feels right, but sometimes things don’t quite work out as expected.

Gosling previously explained that he and Jackson disagreed on the character’s appearance back in 2010.

Despite never actually starting to film The Lovely Bones, Ryan Gosling did some initial work on the movie, which involved getting to know his potential co-star, Saoirse Ronan.

In 2024, the Irish actress spoke about the change in actors, expressing sadness at Ryan’s departure but understanding the valid reasons behind Jackson and Gosling’s decision to move on.

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Phoebe Kowhai BarnesFreelance Writer

Okay, so I’ve been checking out the work of Phoebe Kowhai Barnes, a writer over at TopMob covering all things pop culture and entertainment. Before that, she was a Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab, basically running the show for their local teams. She’s got a solid background too – a BA in English Literature from the University of Nottingham. Seems like she really knows her stuff!

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2026-05-18 15:37