Ryan Gosling is ready to ride off into the sunset as he blasts Chris Stapleton in 'SNL' promo

Ryan Gosling needs nothing but his cowboy hat and the long, open road in the trailer for his upcoming Saturday night live concert. The actor will host this weekend's episode with musical guest Chris Stapleton — though Gosling, a huge Stapleton fan, was admittedly a little nervous to talk to the country star, unsure of how to ask for an autograph.

“Mr. Stapleton, big fan. Love your music,” Gosling said to himself, tasting the intro before dismissing it with a quick “No, that's stupid.” He tried, “Yeah, Chris, one for the 'Gram ?” and “Master Stapleton, I, Sir Gosling.” He, for some reason, was the one he felt most confident driving with.

But when Gosling walked into the dressing room and asked to come in himself, Stapleton wasn't the one lit by the lamps surrounding a vanity. Instead, a cowboy hat rested on a mannequin head in the center of the table. In an instant, Gosling dropped the pen and Stapleton's head he was holding to the ground. He tried to resist the pull of the hat, but once the chords and melodies of Stapleton's single “White Horse” began to surround him, he was enthralled.

This weekend marks both Gosling and Stapleton's third time Saturday night live. The actor was last hosted in 2017, a few months laterLa La Land. This time, his appearance coincides with the promotion cycle for The type of autumn. Gosling stars alongside Emily Blunt in writer-director David Leitch's action comedy. It opens in theaters on May 3.

Stapleton last appeared as a musical guest on SNL in 2018, performing “Midnight Train to Memphis” and “Hard Livin'” from his third studio album. From a Room: Volume 2. It debuted two years earlier in a January 2016 episode hosted by Adam Driver. The musician performed 'Parachute' and 'Nobody to Blame' from his debut album Traveler. Stapleton released his latest album, Higherin November 2023.