Ryan Gosling is fast becoming one of my favourite actors. The folks over at Lovefilm keep putting his work through my letterbox, and neither myself or Lucy have been disappointed so far. I found his portrayal of crack addict schoolteacher Dan Dunne in Half Nelson particularly inspirational, despite the apparent desperation of his situation throughout the film.
See this interview from The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2007/feb/18/awardsandprizes.oscars