For millions of fans, this year marked a very special anniversary: It was 20 years ago that they first fell in love with Ryan Gosling. Yes, it’s been two decades since the release of The Notebook, the romantic drama that paired Gosling with Rachel McAdams as a pair of star-crossed lovers in the 1940s and made stars of both. While he’s since gone on to great acclaim in films that have been bigger hits or are considered to be more significant, Gosling will never forget how The Notebook changed his life. When we spoke to him several years ago about the film, he told us he considered it to be a special — and somewhat unexpected — experience to work with director Nick Cassavetes on the project. (Click on the media bar below to hear Ryan Gosling)