Singer, dancer, and La La Land actor Ryan Gosling took a moment at Monday night’s Palm Springs International Film Festival to honor the late Debbie Reynolds, a musical star herself who notably made her breakout appearance in 1952’s Singin’ in the Rain as the iconic ingenue Kathy Selden.
“I wish I could have said this in person, but I’d like to thank Debbie Reynolds for her wonderful career,” Gosling said during his acceptance speech for the Vanguard Award, given to the film at the festival. “She was an inspiration for us every day—we watched Singin’ in the Rain for inspiration every day, and she truly was an unparalleled talent, so thank you to her for all that inspiration.”
The awards season frontrunner La La Land certainly does take many of its cues from the grand old-school movie musical tradition, even going so far as to call back to specific moments from Singin’ in the Rain itself, like Gosling’s sly swing around a lamp post.
Reynolds passed away on Thursday at the age of 84, a day after her daughter, legendary Star Wars princess Carrie Fisher, also passed.
Watch the tribute below.
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