Ryan Gosling: The Golden Globe Nominee's Year in Review

Ryan Gosling has had one heck of a year. In 2011, he released three films (Crazy, Stupid, Love, Drive, The Ides of March), dominated Tumblr memes (ie. Feminist Ryan Gosling), wooed Eva Mendes, and even stopped a street fight in New York City.

On Thursday morning, Gosling's year got a little sweeter with two Golden Globe Award nominations. The 31-year-old is nominated for Best Actor (in a comedy or musical) for his ladies' man role in Crazy, Stupid, Love and Best Actor (in a drama) for his portrayal of a political advisor in The Ides of March. His Ides co-star George Clooney is also up for two prizes, including Best Director (Ides) and Best Actor in The Descendants.

The nominations are Gosling's third and fourth of his career. He was previously nominated for 2007's Lars and the Real Girl and last year's Blue Valentine. He has never won.

According to Gosling, being in Crazy, Stupid, Love was a health choice more than anything.

I had to go get a physical after I did 'Blue Valentine.' For no particular reason, just that I needed a checkup. My doctor wrote me a prescription, and on it, it said, 'Do a comedy.' So I took his advice [and did 'Crazy, Stupid, Love'] and I feel better . . . it was just what the doctor ordered, he told Slate in July.

But don't expect the Canadian actor to sign up for more comedies anytime soon. Gosling is already gearing up for the release of a handful of dramas in the New Year, including The Gangster Squad, opposite Emma Stone, Sean Penn and Josh Brolin. Gosling also recently finished filming The Place Beyond the Pines with his Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance.

To find out if Gosling comes out of the Golden Globe Awards a (double) winner, tune into the show on Jan. 15.

For now, here's a look back at some of the highlights of the Year of Gosling, double nominee (in no particular order).

Ryan Gosling and the Street Fight
In August, Gosling was walking down the street in New York City's East Village, when he came upon a group of men fighting over a painting. In his nautical best (blue and white striped tank, shorts, blue baseball cap), Gosling immediately grabbed the arm of one of the men and escorted the group off the road, which was full of rush-hour cars at the time. His heroic efforts were caught on video, which has since been viewed by more than one million people.

Tumblr King
Since the arrival of F--kyeahryangosling, a Tumblr site devoted to witty and hilarious musings (that begin with Hey Girl) paired with Gosling photos, several more have surfaced.

There's Feminist Ryan Gosling (The post-feminist fetishization of motherhood is deeply rooted in classism but I still think we'd make cute babies), Is Ryan Gosling Cuter Than A Puppy? (where there are literally hundreds of photos of Gosling beside a puppy), and the latest, Legal Ryan Gosling (Hey Girl. I know you're busy with exams, but I was just wondering . . . have you reviewed this body of law?).

The 'Sexiest Man Alive' Title
When Gosling was not named People Magazine's Sexiest Man Alive, all hell broke loose -- among Gosling fans. Some even held a brief protest outside People's New York offices, holding Gosling masks and signs that read Ryan was robbed.

Earlier this month, Sexiest Man Alive title holder Bradley Cooper spoke out on the ordeal, even complimenting on Gosling's street style.

There's him, walking around, and he literally looks like he's in a photo shoot, like he just came off the runway, with the pea coat like this, with the scarf . . . [and there are photos] of me, and I literally look like the neighbor who never really comes out of his house, Cooper said on The Graham Norton Show in London.

George Clooney, two-time Sexiest Man Alive title holder, even got in on the fun.

[Gosling] really wants it. He's been saying . . .the whole time we were on the set of 'Ides,' he was like, 'How do you pull that off?' So I called up Brad Pitt and we worked with him for weeks on the walk . . . we told him how to train, Clooney told Extra in November.

Speaking of titles, Gosling was just named Time Magazine's Coolest Person of the Year.

Ryan is the true king of cool. You got it right this year, James Franco told the magazine.

The Pancake
In November, Gosling was transformed into pancake form, courtesy of a Chicago-based artist named Katherine Kalnes. The 25-year-old also made a pancake version of Justin Bieber the week before, using a tool called the batter blaster.

The Ryan Gosling pancake pleased several fans and filled Twitter feeds with posts about breakfast never being the same again.

The prettiest pancake ever made, wrote on fan.

The Evil Card
The New York Times Magazine hand-picked Gosling as one of 10 stars featured in its annual Hollywood Issue, with a twist of evil. Titled Touch of Evil, the video series stars Gosling, Brad Pitt, Rooney Mara and other actors channeling their inner evil by way of Hollywood classics like A Clockwork Orange. Gosling, who starts his video as a painting, portrays The Invisible Man.

Crazy, Ides, Drive
Crazy, Stupid, Love may have been the Gosling box office hit of the year, with more than $142 million in ticket sales, but his skills as a dramatic actor were highlighted in his other releases this year, Drive and The Ides of March.

Gosling took a chance with Drive, starring as a cool getaway driver who never seemed to be able to part with his toothpick, or his scorpion jacket.

The Ides of March pegged Gosling opposite his director and co-star George Clooney. Sometimes they made political talk thrilling, other times, the two looked like they were battling it out for the Sexiest Man Alive title.