Ryan Gosling lookalike pranks German awards show
German comic duo behind live-TV prank
The Oscars aren't the only awards show this season plagued with an epic mix-up.
A not-so-convincing Ryan Gosling impersonator managed to take the stage to accept a trophy for La La Land at the Goldene Kamera Awards, an annual German film, TV and pop culture award ceremony, in Hamburg this week.
As show host Steve Gaetjen introduced "one of the hottest stars in Hollywood," a man in a tuxedo, later revealed to be a Munich cook named Ludwig Lehner, took the stage.
"Good evening. I am Ryan Gosling," the German accented-man declared to a bewildered-sounding live audience, which included such stars as Nicole Kidman, Colin Farrell and Jane Fonda.
"I dedicate this award to Joko and Klass. Thank you very much," he continued. "There is a saying in Hamburg, which is 'bye-bye.'"
Gaetjen returned to the stage, admitted there had been a mistake and made a quip about being on live TV.
The two men the lookalike referenced are German comedians Joko Winterscheidt and Klaas Heufer-Umlauf, who cooked up the high-profile prank.
The pair apparently set up a fake agency representing Gosling and reached out to the award show organizers. They promised the La La Land star would attend if the celebrated musical film picked up a trophy at the ceremony — and presumably kept their Gosling stand-in under wraps until his big moment.
Recalling Gosling's bemused reaction to this year's best-picture mix-up at the Oscars, perhaps this latest awards show gaffe would also set the Canadian actor laughing.
Gosling, who will be seen in this fall's Blade Runner 2049, is reteaming with La La Land director Damien Chazelle for the 2018 Neil Armstrong biopic First Man.