Ryan Gosling shared a touching tribute to his longtime girlfriend Eva Mendes during a promotion for his upcoming film “The Fall Guy,” 43-year-old actor
Gosling revealed that in the movie, his character’s loyal canine companion is a nod to Eva’s late dog, Hugo, a Belgian Malinois who was described by Eva as her “first love.”
At the Southwest Film Festival in Austin, Texas, Gosling humorously remarked, “Eva used to have a dog named Hugo who was a Belgian Malinois who was an attack dog. He only spoke French.”
He added, “He passed now, so this is my homage to him.”
Hugo, who passed away in 2014, held a special place in Eva’s heart. In an Instagram post, she expressed gratitude to @cesarsway for helping her become a better caregiver to her dogs, including Hugo and her current pet Lucho.
Eva has often spoken affectionately about her furry companions. In a 2018 interview with People Magazine, she equated the love for her dogs to the love for her children, saying, “The love that you have for your dog, and how you are with your dog, I think, is really similar to how you are with your children.”
She fondly remembered how Hugo and another late dog, George, prepared her for motherhood, describing it as the best training she could have had.