Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone immortalized

Oscar-nominated Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling were lauded as a modern-day "Fred and Ginger" as they sunk their hands and feet into the cement at Hollywood's TCL Chinese Theater Wednesday.

The pair have appeared together on the big screen three times, most recently in acclaimed musical "La La Land," which is tipped to score big at the Academy Awards in February.

"No one can quite put their finger on what makes chemistry happen between two actors," said Vanity Fair West Coast editor Krista Smith, introducing the pair.

"Yet it is exactly what has created some of the greatest cinematic legends of all time. Ryan and Emma are that modern day Bogart and Bacall, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Hepburn and Tracy, Myrna Loy and Dick Powell." 

The imprint ceremony, a Hollywood tradition going back decades, came ahead of Friday's release of "La La Land," which casts the pair as an aspiring actress and a struggling jazz musician who fall in love.

"I moved to LA when I was 15 and came here, and my hands are an exact match for Jane Russell's so if you're looking for a Jane Russell hand double I'm your girl," said Stone, who was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar for Birdman (2014).

"This is an incredible experience and making this movie was an incredible experience, so what a place to get to commemorate that."

Stone and Gosling appeared together in "Crazy, Stupid, Love" (2011) and "Gangster Squad" (2013) -- but were almost overlooked for "La La Land." 

Director Damien Chazelle, whose film "Whiplash" (2014) took home three Oscars out of five nominations, has revealed that Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan and Emma Watson were considered to play the leads.

"I'm still I guess not completely convinced that we're not going to be arrested for vandalism. But I'm going to take your word for it that we're allowed to do this," said Gosling, who was nominated for a best actor Oscar for "Half Nelson" (2006). 

"We had an opportunity to shoot in most of Los Angeles's most iconic locations except for this. So this is the final piece to the puzzle, a beautiful way to end this experience."

"La La Land" opens on December 9 in New York and Los Angeles before getting a wide release a week later.

Source: AFP