TAG Heuer Carrera Date – 39mm
Interview: Brand Ambassador Ryan Gosling Talks TAG Heuer, Steve McQueen, and The Gray Man
To celebrate the premiere of Netflix’s biggest-budget film in history, TAG Heuer brand ambassador Ryan Gosling discusses all the watches and wonders of being an agent in The Gray Man.
By Jessica “J.J.” Owens
Contributor
For the only brand deal in his nearly three-decade career, Ryan Gosling chose TAG Heuer, a brand synonymous with many of the same complimentary attributes held by the actor.
After winning a Golden Globe and earning an Oscar nod for his role in La La Land (2016) Gosling took a short break from filmmaking, but he is back with a bang (literally), starring as Sierra Six in the new Netflix-produced film The Gray Man.
Never one to say no to a challenge, The Gray Man involves a rogue government asset who discovers classified information that puts his and everyone he loves lives at risk.
So, just a typical day in Hollywood, right?
“The Timing Was Perfect”
J.J. Owens: As a relatively new brand ambassador for TAG Heuer, what drew you to the brand?
Ryan Gosling: No pun intended; the timing was perfect. I had just had kids and was thinking a lot about time. Time becomes something that you only have so much of, and you want to make the most of it… You can hear the clock ticking; the days are like years, and the years are like days.
I’ve always been a fan of the brand, so when they approached me, I just felt like it was the perfect timing.
Gosling further discussed how prominent the role of watches has been in his life and his movies, such as Drive (2011). And as a fan of vintage himself, choosing to partner with a brand with such a strong heritage and respect for its iconic pieces only makes increasing sense the more you speak with him.
A Carrera’s Versatility, On and Off the Screen
JO: I see you wear a TAG Heuer Carrera Three Hands in real life and in your new film. So, what are some traits you share with your character, Sierra Six?
RG: I don’t know what we share, but I know what I admire: He never gives up. He just keeps swinging and going. At one point in the movie, he falls out of the plane without a parachute and finds a way out of it. And it reminds me of that line in Dumb and Dumber, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance.”
I love those type of characters; I loved them as a kid. The obstacles action characters come up against are so extreme, and if they can deal with that, I can deal with this.
I always wanted to be like that.
Gosling prominently wears one watch throughout the movie, a TAG Heuer Carrera Calibre 5 3 Hands on both a bracelet and a leather band. However, the difference in when he wears what strap option is not random, but it's a small sequential detail only us watch nerds may pick up on.
A TAG Heuer For Ryan’s Favorite
JO: To end on a fun note: If you could choose a TAG Heuer for your favorite movie character, what would it be?
RG: That’s hard…
JO: You could just make one up.
RG: …Make one up?
JO: Steve McQueen in Le Mans? He wore a TAG Heuer Monaco.
RG: Yeah, that’s a good idea! That could work!
In interviewing, the comparisons between Gosling and McQueen are plain for all to see. His style, attention to detail (both in his presentation and his craft), and his effortlessly cool demeanor only strengthen the link to McQueen, and thus cement TAG Heuer’s partnership with the actor.
So, what’s next for Gosling? After seeing the Russo-brother directed action film, I can only hope for more spy films and more watches.
The Gray Man premieres on Netflix today, Friday, July 22, 2022. For more information about the Carrera 3 Hands or the Carrera collection, visit the TAG Heuer website.
(Images © TAG Heuer )
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