Bradley Cooper might have gotten to be People's Sexiest Man Alive, but Ryan Gosling is definitely not settling for second place as he holds firm for Time's Coolest Person of the Year.

Last Wednesday, the actor was bestowed the honor by Time Magazine's Joel Stein for his versatility in acting, being involved in Manhattan's peacekeeping by breaking up a fight as well as his rabid fan base and "varied interests."

"We defined cool in the classic Marlon Brando way an unshakable calm mixed with a confidence that comes from not needing others," told Stein, when asked about the accolade's criteria.

On his fruitful acting career, 2011 alone has been a big year for him. Gosling shifted among various movie roles - the romantic comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love," the political drama "The Ides of March" and the indie action-thriller "Drive."

But before those films, a young Ryan got his break starring in the movie adaptation of "The Notebook" with ex-girlfriend Rachel McAdams. In what seemed a good laugh, the film's director Nick Cassavetes revealed that he was cast because he wasn't "handsome or cool."

"I'm not that good-looking. I think I'm a pretty weird-looking guy. Every role I got up until 'The Notebook' was the weirdo, freak, psychopath, nerd, outside character guy. I think things have changed," Gosling seconded.

The universe thinks so too.

When Huffington Post said he had "varied interests," that should be taken literally. He's eccentric and is not afraid to show it. He plays the ukelele, poses with a fist to the camera and even takes public ballet classes.

Gosling recently enrolled in a ballet class for his spare time, and he's no amateur. Instructors at the studio noted that he does it purely for fun rather than prepare for a role. As a result, his basketball has dramatically improved and now, he can jump better.

As Stein points out in his Time article, the 2011 Coolest Person of the Year is a man who is "tough but emotional".

Hopefully, 2012 will be a much cooler year for Gosling as he goes face to face with Cooper on "The Place Beyond The Pines" and reunites with "Crazy" co-star Emma Stone on "Gangster Squad."

Meanwhile, you can savor his awesomeness on the following photos: