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Ryan Gosling calls on directors and producers to give Carlo Mendes a role
Mendes has acted in TV and films since the mid-2000s, including 'Demise' and '90210'
Ryan Gosling took a moment during a promotional event for Project Hail Mary to advocate for his brother-in-law, Carlo Mendes, asking Hollywood directors, writers, and producers to give him a role.
The star-studded moment took place on March 21 at the Directors Guild of America headquarters in Los Angeles.
While the moderator was wrapping up the event, Gosling, 45, paused to address the audience: “Can I stop you one second? Carlo, are you in the audience? Where? Carlo Mendes, can you stand up for a second?”
The camera panned to Mendes, 48, as Gosling continued, introducing him to the room full of entertainment industry professionals.
“OK, this is Carlo Mendes. He’s Eva Mendes’ brother. He is the hardest-working nonworking actor in this town that I have ever met. So my Hail Mary is, please, hire this man! He deserves it. If you’re writing something, directing something, put him in it.”
Gosling and Mendes share a family connection through Eva Mendes, Gosling’s wife since 2022, making the plea all the more personal.
Carlo Mendes has appeared in TV and film since the mid-2000s, including the 2024 erotic thriller Demise, an episode of 90210, and two episodes of NBC’s Parks + Recreation in 2011.
In a 2024 interview with TheAU Review, Mendes emphasized that his main focus remains acting, though he is open to producing projects in the future.
“My main goal right now is just strictly act, act, act,” he said, adding that producing could be a natural next step, inspired by stars like Mark Wahlberg and Brad Pitt.
The heartfelt on-stage endorsement quickly made waves online after a video clip of Gosling’s plea was shared on TikTok on March 23, highlighting the actor’s support for his brother-in-law and the challenges of breaking into Hollywood, even for talented performers with industry connections.
