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Peter Jackson breaks silence on Ryan Gosling’s exit from 'The Lovely Bones'
he director said recasting an actor is ultimately the filmmakers’ responsibility
- PUBLISHED: Tue 19 May 2026, 2:29 PM
- By:
- ANI
Filmmaker Peter Jackson has addressed Ryan Gosling’s much-discussed exit from the 2009 film The Lovely Bones, saying recasting an actor is ultimately the responsibility of the filmmakers.
Gosling was originally cast as the father of Saoirse Ronan’s character in the adaptation, but was later replaced by Mark Wahlberg after gaining 60 pounds for the role without Jackson’s approval.
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Speaking during a conversation at Cannes after receiving an Honorary Palme d'Or, Jackson said he would not discuss specific actors because such matters are personal.
“Anytime we recast an actor, it's actually our fault because we didn't get the casting right, and we cast the wrong person for a role. It's not because they did anything wrong,” he said, according to Variety.
The director praised Gosling as “a fantastic actor”, adding that films depend on chemistry both on and off camera.
In a 2010 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Gosling said he and Jackson had different ideas about how the character should look.
“We didn't talk very much during the preproduction process, which was the problem,” Gosling said at the time. “I just showed up on set, and I had gotten it wrong. Then I was fat and unemployed.”
Saoirse Ronan also recalled the casting change during a 2024 appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, saying she was sad Gosling would no longer be part of the film.
However, she said the reasons behind the split were understandable, adding: “Sometimes you're just not on the same page.”
Wahlberg eventually stepped into the role, with Ronan noting that his own experience as a father may have helped shape the performance.