Actors Andrew Garfield and Ryan Reynolds are reminiscing about their viral kiss at the 2017 Golden Globes, a moment that caught fans and even some fellow celebrities off guard. The spontaneous smooch took place after Reynolds lost the Best Actor award to Ryan Gosling and has since become a memorable piece of awards-show lore.
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The Kiss That Stole the Spotlight
During a recent “Actors on Actors” conversation for Variety, Reynolds revealed the backstory behind the cheeky moment. He explained how it all began as a lighthearted suggestion from Garfield.
“Garfield’s sitting beside me and goes, ‘Hey, if they call your name and you win, don’t kiss your wife [Blake Lively], just kiss me,’” Reynolds shared, laughing. Ultimately, Gosling’s name was called for La La Land, but that didn’t stop Reynolds and Garfield from executing their planned kiss anyway.
“I’m actually a genuine, nutty fan of his,” Reynolds said of Gosling. “But he, of course, won for [La La Land] … as he should. And I love that we were just sitting there and we were just like, ‘Eh, let’s just do it anyway!’”
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The stunt was captured in the background of the awards broadcast and quickly made its way to social media, where fans celebrated the unexpected and hilarious display.
Reactions from Fellow Stars
Emma Stone, who starred alongside Gosling in La La Land and had previously dated Garfield, only learned of the kiss backstage. “What? They did not kiss each other! They did?!” she exclaimed in an interview with Entertainment Tonight. Meanwhile, Gosling’s own reaction was one of amused indifference. “I mean, I’m happy for them, honestly,” he quipped.
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Garfield later expanded on his motivations during an appearance on The Late Show. “I just wanted Ryan to know that I loved him no matter whether he won or lost,” he told host Stephen Colbert. The conversation ended with Garfield sharing another smooch—this time with Colbert—to raucous applause from the studio audience.
Reflections on the Moment
Looking back, Garfield admitted during the Actors on Actors chat that he eventually felt the kiss might have been “a little bit insensitive” to Gosling’s win. Reynolds echoed the sentiment but joked about how the wide camera shot kept the moment from being immediately noticed. “I was grateful that it was in such a wide shot that nobody actually noticed until later,” he said. “And then you went, ‘Oh, oh, oh.’”
Reynolds couldn’t resist poking fun at the situation, adding, “I actually just egged [Gosling’s] house, which is super childish to do. But I didn’t feel so great about losing.”
A Lasting Impression
The 2017 Golden Globes kiss remains a standout moment in awards-show history, not just for its humor but also for the camaraderie it showcased between two celebrated actors. Garfield and Reynolds’ willingness to poke fun at themselves and the often-stiff nature of awards ceremonies added a refreshing twist to the evening.
While both actors have gone on to achieve significant milestones in their careers, the kiss continues to be a cherished memory for fans and a testament to the pair’s playful rapport. As Reynolds and Garfield proved that night, sometimes the best moments at awards shows aren’t the scripted ones but the spontaneous acts of friendship that steal the spotlight.
