Ryan Gosling’s Best Quotes About Fatherhood, Daughters

For Golden Globe winner Ryan Gosling, no role could ever compare to the bliss he feels from being a father. The Canadian-born actor first became a dad in 2014, when he and partner Eva Mendes welcomed their eldest daughter, Esmeralda. Their youngest daughter, Amada, was born in 2016.

Ryan found fame when he was 13 years old as a member of The Mickey Mouse Club. He, along with fellow costars Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera, have all led incredible careers three decades after stepping into Hollywood.

While he has snagged several blockbuster roles and gained critical acclaim, one filming experience has stood out amongst the rest for Ryan. In 2011, the Oscar nominee met Eva while filming the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines. Their connection was instant, and they made their relationship official soon after. The lovebirds also worked together on Lost River in 2014, which was released just a few months before they became parents.

“I know that I’m with the person I’m supposed to be with,” Ryan told Hello! Magazine in December 2015. When asked what qualities he looks for in a woman, he responded, “That she’s Eva Mendes. There’s nothing else I’m looking for.”

Ryan and Eva’s relationship has withstood the test of time. Though the pair have not taken a walk down the aisle, they seem to be more in love than ever before. In an April 2019 interview with Women’s Health, the Training Day star revealed that having kids was the “furthest thing” from her mind until “Ryan Gosling happened.”

“I mean, falling in love with him,” she continued. “Then it made sense for me to have … not kids, but his kids. It was very specific to him.”

The couple have continued to keep their kids out of the spotlight for the most part, with Eva wiping her Instagram page of all of her photos. The family does occasionally step out for rare outings, as they did in March 2022 during a trip to London while Ryan was filming Barbie. Both of the proud parents were spotted out with their daughters during the “much-needed getaway.”

“During the day, she likes taking the girls to museums, long walks through the many gorgeous parks and spotting famous monuments,” an insider told Closer. “Amada and Esmeralda spend some time with daddy and then the nannies take over for the evening so she and Ryan can have a romantic dinner and hit the theater.”

Keep scrolling to see Ryan’s best quotes about fatherhood.

On Being a Great Parent

Ryan has never shied away from sharing how fatherhood has changed his life for the better.

“When you meet your kids you realize that they deserve great parents,” he told GQ in December 2016. “And then you have your marching orders and you have to try and become the person that they deserve.”

On Living His Dream

The heartthrob is grateful that he gets to make memories with his beautiful family while also balancing life as one of Hollywood’s leading men.

“I only know what it’s like to have my kids. And in my situation, Eva’s the dream mother, and they’re dream babies and it’s like a dream that I’m having right now,” the Breaker High alum gushed. “I’m dreaming it all. So I feel so lucky.”

On His Supportive Family

In 2017, Ryan won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy after his portrayal of Sebastian Wilder in La La Land. In his acceptance speech, he was sure to thank his two daughters, his longtime love and shared a special tribute to her late brother.

“While I was singing and dancing and playing piano and having one of the best experiences I’ve ever had on a film, my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer,” he said. “So sweetheart, thank you. And to my daughters, Amada and Esmeralda, I love you. And I’d like to dedicate this to the memory of her brother, Juan Carlos Mendez.”