Gosling and Bullock dated for a year in 2003 when he was 23 and she was 39. Gosling then dated McAdams for two years from 2005-7, referring to their relationship as “the great love of his life.”

“I had two of the greatest girlfriends of all time. I haven’t met anybody who could top them.”

If that wasn’t difficult enough to overcome, the Drive actor also says he is currently too focused on his career to date. “There’s interest but I’m in a committed relationship with film. I’m giving as much to it as a marriage.”

Ryan believes his relationships with Bullock and McAdams failed because everyone involved work in Hollywood.

He told The Times: “Showbusiness is the bad guy. When both people are in showbusiness it’s too much showbusiness. It takes all of the light, so nothing else can grow.”

Ryan said that when it’s time to have children, he will give up the movies. “I’d like to be making babies but I’m not, so I’m making movies. When someone comes along I don’t think I’ll be able to do both and I’m fine with that. I’ll make movies until I make babies. I have no idea when the handover will happen.”