TV Article The Notebook: Nicholas Sparks says Ryan Gosling movie was difficult to cast Noah By Nick Romano Nick Romano Nick is an entertainment journalist based in New York, NY. If you like pugs and the occasional blurry photo of an action figure, follow him on Twitter @NickARomano. EW's editorial guidelines Published on February 6, 2016 06:53PM EST Photo: New Line/courtesy Everett Collection Noah from The Notebook is one of Ryan Gosling‘s most well known roles. But, at the time of casting, Nicholas Sparks said it was difficult finding his male heartthrob. “No one wanted to play Noah,” the writer-producer said during a session with IMDb Asks (via Huffington Post). “It was really interesting because a lot of the actors said, ‘Well, what’s Noah’s arc?'” He continued, “It’s a guy who falls in love and then he just kinda does nothing, and then waits for her to show up and then he’s there and he’s still in love and then at the end of the film, well, he’s still in love. Where’s the arc? Ryan Gosling came in and he really brought that story to life.” WANT MORE EW? Subscribe now to keep up with the latest in movies, television and music. In 2011, Gosling recalled to the British magazine Company, “the director, Nick Cassavetes, called me to meet him at his house. When I got there, he was standing in his backyard, and he looked at me and said, ‘I want you to play this role because you’re not like the other young actors out there in Hollywood. You’re not handsome, you’re not cool, you’re just a regular guy who looks a bit nuts.” Even though he went on to spar with his costar Rachel McAdams on the set, The Notebook is still the quintessential love story from Sparks’ vault.