Nick Cassavetes, the director of the 2004 romantic film “The Notebook,” initially sparked controversy when he shared insights about the on-set dynamics between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams. In a 2014 interview with VH1, Cassavetes suggested that Gosling and McAdams did not have a good relationship during filming, stating, “Maybe I’m not supposed to tell this story, but they were really not getting along one day on set. Really not.”
Cassavetes recounted an incident where Gosling allegedly approached him during a scene involving McAdams and requested another actress to read lines off-camera with him instead. This, according to Cassavetes, was due to Gosling feeling unable to connect with McAdams during their scenes together.
However, Cassavetes later regretted making these statements public and clarified the situation in subsequent interviews. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, he expressed remorse, saying, “The last time I did an interview on this thing, I spilled the beans on that. I regretted it. Everyone’s like, Why are you saying that? I’m like, I don’t know. It caught me on a bad day, but if [McAdams and Gosling] are around, I apologize to you guys. I shouldn’t have spilled the beans.”
He further elaborated that despite initial disagreements, Gosling and McAdams were professional and civil on set after the first day’s tensions. The filming process ultimately progressed smoothly, contrary to his earlier portrayal of their relationship.
Despite any challenges during filming, Gosling and McAdams’ on-screen chemistry in “The Notebook” resonated with audiences, and the film became a beloved romantic classic. Interestingly, the actors did date briefly after the film’s release but eventually went their separate ways in 2007.
As “The Notebook” approaches its 20th anniversary, it continues to captivate audiences and is available for streaming on Netflix, keeping its enduring love story alive for new generations to enjoy.
