Hollywood star Ryan Gosling may have stopped traffic – literally – as he shot scenes for his latest movie, but he raised the ire of some Sydneysiders.
Sydney Harbour Bridge was closed down in the early hours of Sunday to shoot stunts for the movie adaptation of 1980s television series The Fall Guy.
The iconic bridge will feature in the film, and was closed in both directions from 3am to 10am for its starring scene, The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
Footage from the 7NEWS helicopter showed Gosling performing one stunt, which involved clinging to a skip bin that was hurtling along the iconic bridge.
However, some locals were less than impressed, especially given the recent arrest of climate change activist Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco.
Ms Coco was sentenced to a minimum of eight months prison in December after blocking traffic on the bridge during a protest in April.
Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco was jailed for at least eight months over a protest that blocked Sydney Harbour Bridge. Photo: Facebook/Extinction Rebellion
Many users took to Twitter to point out the disparity between the protester being sentenced to jail for a minor inconvenience, while a US film company was given the green light.
Tweet from @danilicTweet from @MichaelWestBiz
Helicopters were also seen flying low in the sky as they filmed the high-octane stunt scenes, with the move reportedly also upsetting nearby residents.
NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet acknowledged the “inconvenience” of the bridge closure “for many people”, but claimed the disruption was justified.
“The positive is that New South Wales and Sydney have become massive attractions for the film industry,” he said on Sunday.
“The film industry in our great state supports thousands and thousands of jobs.
“I think it’s a great thing and a testament to NSW and our film industry here, that it continues to grow.”
Gosling touched down in Sydney with wife Eva Mendes and their two children in September before filming started in October at Disney Studios Australia in Moore Park.
Based on an TV series of the same name, The Fall Guy follows a burnt-out stuntman who moonlights as a bounty hunter, played by Gosling.
Late last year, the Baby Driver star filmed scenes in Elizabeth Street and Circular Quay, and in November Martin Place was similarly blocked off for the film, with Sydneysiders catching a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the set.
Former federal arts minister Paul Fletcher last year said the production would inject more than $244 million into the Australian economy.
-with AAP
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