Ryan Gosling pays touching tribute to 'La La Land inspiration' Debbie Reynolds

'She was truly an unparalleled talent'

The actor was accepting the Vanguard award for La La Land alongside director Damien Chazelle whose film was inspired by classic musicals such as Singin' in the Rain.

“I wish I could’ve said this in person, but I’d like to thank Debbie Reynolds for her wonderful career of work,” he said.

“She was an inspiration to us every day. We watched Singin’ in the Rain every day for inspiration and she was truly an unparalleled talent. So I thank her for all of that inspiration.”

Reynolds passed away after suffering a reported stroke on 28 December, just one day after her actor daughter Carrie Fisher died at the age of 60 from a heart attack. They will be buried in a joint funeral service in Hollywood Hills.

Romantic musical La La Land stars Gosling alongside Emma Stone as a jazz musician and aspiring actor in modern-day Los Angeles and has fast established itself as an awards frontrunner in the lead-up to this year's Golden Globes and Oscars.

Gosling was recently announced as starring in Whiplash director Chazelle's next film, a biopic focused on astronaut Neil Armstrong.