Ryan Gosling's First Film Role in Frankenstein and Me Turns 30

Early in 2026, we witnessed Ryan Gosling save the universe with the help of an alien friend in the hard science fiction hit Project Hail Mary. Exactly thirty years ago, on July 12, 1996, Canadian filmgoers watched Gosling perform in...

Early in 2026, we witnessed Ryan Gosling save the universe with the help of an alien friend in the hard science fiction hit Project Hail Mary. Exactly thirty years ago, on July 12, 1996, Canadian filmgoers watched Gosling perform in his first-ever big-screen role in the independent horror comedy Frankenstein and Me, when it was released in Canada’s theatres. Thirty years, numerous characters.

The Burlington-raised Hollywood star has come a long way. Directed by Robert Tinnell, Frankenstein and Me is the story of a dreamy, imaginative child trying to process grief. The story takes place in a small desert town in Southern California in the year 1970.

Earl Williams (Jamieson Boulanger) has a strong bond with his loving father, Les Williams (played by Burt Reynolds), who is supportive of Earl’s morbid fascination with monster-populated worlds like Frankenstein and Night of the Living Dead. Les himself is an unsuccessful inventor and sees in his son the possibility of a future he never achieved.