Ryan Gosling Has ‘Nothing but Love’ for Ex Sandra Bullock During Her ‘Tough Few Years’

Ryan Gosling has nothing but love and good vibes towards former costar and ex-girlfriend Sandra Bullock — and sources exclusively tell Closer he’s been a shoulder to cry on during tough times while she champions his skyrocketing Hollywood career.

Last year, Sandra’s partner of eight years, Bryan Randall, died on August 5, 2023, at age 57 from complications of ALS — and the 60-year-old Speed actress has struggled ever since.

“Sandra has had a tough few years in her personal life and did the right thing for herself and her family by pulling back from Hollywood starting in the spring of 2022,” says a source.

The Barbie star, 43, also knows the importance of family; he and partner Eva Mendes are proud parents to two daughters, who are now 9 and 8 years old.

“Family is everything to him, and he’s been a strong supporter and defender of Sandra’s decision to turn her back on untold millions and focus on her personal life,” the source says. “He’s had to do the same thing himself, taking up to three years off at a time to focus on being a present, stay-at-home dad.”

Though Ryan and Sandra broke up in 2003, the two have remained friends. The pair met in 2001 on the set of the psychological thriller Murder by Numbers, and despite their 16-year age gap, they quietly started dating.

While they never officially confirmed their relationship, Ryan and Sandra were photographed together at red carpet events and on various outings. Ryan even said in 2011 that Sandra was one of his “greatest girlfriends of all time,” according to The Independent. For her part, Sandra previously told Cosmopolitan that she and Ryan were never “just friends.” She added that the Notebook star taught her to just “chill,” explaining, “I live my life at a manic pace, and he’s taught me to disregard all that isn’t important. He’s like a little Buddha.”

According to Closer‘s source, “There’s nothing but love between Ryan and Sandra because of how they first crossed paths 20 years ago when she helped him land his first serious adult role in the Barbet Schroeder thriller Murder by Numbers.”

The insider adds, “Sandra rolled the dice on a kid nobody had heard of because she saw raw star power in him. That decision created an unbreakable bond that held firm even after their short romance ended.”

Since their time together, Ryan has gone on to receive various accolades, including a Golden Globe Award for his performance in La La Land, and nominations for three Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards and a Primetime Emmy Award.

Over the last year, in particular, the actor was praised for his performance as Ken in the blockbuster film Barbie, which became the highest-grossing film of 2023, the highest-grossing film ever released by Warner Bros., and the 15th highest-grossing film of all time.

“2023 will be remembered as the year Ryan became a true superstar — and a billion-dollar one at that — with his Oscar-hyped role as Ken in Barbie,” says the source. “Sandra is bursting with pride over Ryan’s success!”