What Really Happened Between Ryan Gosling And Olivia Wilde?

Among Hollywood's elite, Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes are couple goals, even if they don't put much effort into showing it. The actors have been together for more than a decade since meeting on the set of "The Place Beyond the Pines," according to People. But, despite Gosling and Mendes' relationship's longevity, they have always gone above and beyond to keep their shared life away from the spotlight.

And the couple became even more protective over their relationship after welcoming their daughters in 2014 and 2016, according to Vanity Fair. "I'm posting less because I really want to be present for my family," Mendes responded to an Instagram commenter (via E! News). "My little ones need me and posting takes up too much time ... I personally cannot juggle family and social media." But precisely because they value their privacy, their relationship attracts a lot of public attention.

Unsurprisingly, Mendes' November Instagram photo showcasing a tattoo of Gosling's last name sent the media into a frenzy. That's because it reads "de Gosling." In Spanish-speaking countries, it is customary for a woman to add "de" before the husband's last name, People explained. For many, that's confirmation Mendes and Gosling secretly got married. Mendes and Gosling seem so perfect for each other that we almost forgot they ever dated anyone else. But "The Notebook" star's love life attracted plenty of attention before, as he was in relationships with some pretty prominent figures. And some believe that includes Olivia Wilde. 

For Ryan Gosling and Olivia Wilde, 2011 was a busy year in the romance department. That February, Wilde and then-husband Tao Ruspoli announced they were separating after eight years of marriage, with divorce proceedings starting the following month, People reported. It was in that interim that Wilde and Gosling sparked daring rumors. In late February, the actors were spotted hanging out in Cincinnati, where Gosling was working on "The Ides of March," according to People.

The "House" alum had no publicly known reason to be so far from home — a detail that heightened the speculation she and Gosling were more than just casual friends. Wilde and Gosling were spotted enjoying Mexican food before they headed to the local aquarium. The actors kept a low profile throughout their supposed date. "They didn't seek any special treatment or behind-the-scenes access," a spokesman for the aquarium told the outlet. "They paid for their tickets and enjoyed, among other things, our current star animal, Mighty Mike, a 14-foot long American alligator."

Their hangout seemed to confirm what some had suspected after seeing the two interact at the Relativity Media and Weinstein's event following the Golden Globes in January 2011 (pictured above). "They talked for a while inside the show during commercial breaks," a source told Today. "Then when Olivia saw [Ryan] at the afterparty she went right up to his table. They were talking and laughing together for a long time. They looked cute!"

Neither Olivia Wilde nor Ryan Gosling ever confirmed nor denied the rumors. As far as we know, all the actors did was eat and enjoy marine life together. What's clear is that whatever happened between them was short-lived. Gosling started dating Eva Mendes shortly thereafter, with the two being spotted openly holding hands at Disneyland in early September 2011, People noted.

For her part, by November 2011, Wilde was already seen with Jason Sudeikis, according to People. Despite becoming engaged in 2013, Wilde and Sudeikis never tied the knot. But they started a family together, welcoming their son Otis in 2014 and daughter Daisy in 2016, ABC News reported. At that point, having children changed their view on marriage. "Before you have a child, marriage is the ultimate commitment and promise to one another, and then once you have a child, it's like, 'Oh, we're committed and promised already,'" Wilde told Net-a-Porter in 2016. 

Wilde and Sudeikis' relationship came to an end in 2020 amid rumors she cheated with Harry Styles, which she denied in a September interview with Vanity Fair. Things continued to go south for the beloved former couple, with Wilde infamously being served child custody papers onstage at CinemaCon 2022, Deadline detailed. Hopefully, Gosling continues to only have in common with Wilde a potential brief fling and a long-term relationship that required no legal papers — at least while news of his supposed secret marriage remains unconfirmed.