Ryan Gosling may be a Hollywood heartthrob, but when at home, he has to face his two brutally honest critics- his daughters! Take a look at the two teenagers who are growing away from the spotlight.
Ryan Gosling and his wife, actress Eva Mendes, are one of Hollywood's most loved couples, even though they prefer staying away from the spotlight most of the time. And on the rare occasions that they decide to make public appearances, they dominate all headlines. Fans witnessed one such moment once again when the duo made a surprise appearance for the first time in a decade, walking hand-in-hand on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on March 5, 2026, as they celebrated the actress's 52nd birthday.
Gosling and Mendes held hands and shared a quick kiss, marking their first public appearance together since SXSW 2015, when they attended a Q&A for Lost River. Back then, they were at the same event, but neither posed together nor stood next to each other. The moment has since taken the internet by storm, with fans loving such a long-term relationship going on strong in this age of multiple marriages and messy breakups.
Ryan Gosling and Eve Mendes first met while filming The Place Beyond the Pines and have been together since 2011. In their decades-long marriage, they have welcomed two daughters, Esmeralda Amanda and Amanda Lee, who have now become the centre of their world. But the Notebook actor says they are the toughest critics when it comes to their parents' works. Meet the two teenagers who are growing up beyond the spotlight.
The details of Eva and Ryan's marriage have remained under wraps, but what we do know is that their relationship began somewhere around 2011. After staying together for years, the two became parents for the first time on September 12, 2014, when they welcomed their daughter, Esmeralda Amanda Gosling, in Santa Monica, California. While they kept a large part of their pregnancy hush-hush, a source told PEOPLE after Esmeralda's birth that they were instantly in love. The source said:
"Ryan is madly in love with the baby. [Mendes is] absolutely in heaven being a mom. She's never been happier ... She and Ryan are just in awe of this beautiful person they created. It's a really special time for them."
Eva and Ryan named their daughter Esmeralda, inspired by the beloved character from Victor Hugo’s classic novel, The Hunchback of Notre-Dame. Her middle name, Amanda, translates to 'beloved' in Spanish and reportedly honours Eva's family heritage. Now 11 years old, Esmeralda has stayed out of her parents' spotlight, growing up in strict privacy.
A couple of years after Esmeralda, Ryan, and Eva became parents for the second time, welcoming their younger daughter, Amada Lee Gosling, on April 29, 2016. The nine-year-old is named after her mother's grandmother, and also nods at Eva's Spanish heritage. Just like her elder sister, Amanda also lives a life away from the public eye, and it's exactly the way their parents want to raise the children.
Mendes has often spoken candidly about parenting their two daughters, describing herself and Gosling as highly attentive parents who stay closely involved in their children’s lives. The actress once joked that they are both “helicopter parents,” always keeping a watchful eye on their girls.
In 2017, in his Golden Globe Award acceptance speech for La La Land, Gosling thanked his wife, acknowledging her for raising Esmeralda alone while expecting their second daughter. The actor also mentioned that Mendes had to be involved in helping her brother's cancer battle simultaneously. Gosling said:
"While I was singing and dancing and playing piano ... my lady was raising our daughter, pregnant with our second, and trying to help her brother fight his battle with cancer. Sweetheart, thank you. To my daughters, Amada and Esmeralda, I love you."
According to the couple, creativity and imagination play a huge role in their household. While they themselves acknowledge they have some strict rules about protecting the family's privacy, it doesn't keep them from having fun. Being closely involved with the glitzy world, Ryan and Eva make sure to protect their daughters from unnecessary media attention and give them as normal a life as they can, growing up.
In interviews, the proud parents have mentioned that their girls keep inspiring them with their artistic freedom and creativity. While the Ghost Rider actress praised her daughters for being fun-loving, creativem and "so cool", the Barbie star mentioned in a July 2022 interview with Byrdie why they don't encourage smartphones and other digital gadgets for the teens. He said:
"I really feel like when we're bored — not stimulated by a phone, or an iPad, or computer, or television — that's when ideas come in. Sometimes it's fun, sometimes it's dangerous, and sometimes it's enlightening. I really want it to be the summer of boredom."
Although the girls remain largely out of the public eye, Gosling occasionally shares lighthearted stories about them. According to the actor, Esmeralda and Amada are “very honest” when it comes to critiquing his movies. While discussing his upcoming sci-fi film, Project Hail Mary, Gosling revealed that his daughters had watched early cuts of the movie and were quick to offer their brutal feedback. Speaking to Access Hollywood in February 2026, Gosling said:
“They give me lots of notes. They’re basically the only critics I care about."
So far, the parenting journey has been a delight for both Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling. And while fans may not see much of the Gosling girls publicly, it’s clear they’re growing up in a home filled with love and creative freedom.
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