'Nelson' acclaim gooses Gosling

Ryan Gosling, 26, has earned his first Oscar nomination playing a crack-addled high school teacher in Half Nelson, a tiny movie with massive critical acclaim. The Canadian actor, who romances his Notebook honey, Rachel McAdams, 30, in real life, does little press. But the surprise recognition got him talking to USA TODAY's Donna Freydkin:

Q: You said, when picking up your breakthrough award at the National Board of Review gala, that the award finally stopped your mom from worrying about your career choice. How’s she handling the fact that you're an Oscar contender?

A: It has taken this reverse effect, where she's crying more now that I've been nominated than she would have if I hadn’t.

Q: What does it all mean to you, given that the movie is such an underdog?

A: I couldn't be more grateful. It's so encouraging to see a film this small being acknowledged at this level, because these are the kinds of movies I want to make and the kinds of movies I want to see. I have such respect for all those actors.

Q: And unlike most of them, you've done barely any press to promote the film.A: It's a total surprise because we haven't had to do any of that. We didn't have the money to promote the film, so we just got so much goodwill from the critics and people who have a voice.Q: I assume you're taking your mom, sister and girlfriend to the Oscars?

A: I hope so. I hope they can make it. I hope they're not busy that night. Can I bring three?

Q: You've played a crackhead and a Jewish neo-Nazi. What are you up to next?

A: I'm going to do this film that I wrote and that I'm going to direct in Africa, called The Lord's Resistance, about the Lord's Resistance army of child soldiers in Uganda.

Q: Wow, intense. How do you relax?

A: I knit. Yeah. I really do. I knit scarves. I bake.

Source:USATODAY BLOG