Photo: WENN.com

Ryan Gosling's fame could've come from a very different direction, if only the Backstreet Boys had called him back.

Gosling was neighbours with Backstreet Boy A.J. McLean, and recently revealed that he came close to joining the band, but missed out.

McLean claims that the actor didn't think his friend's boyband was going anywhere, but when they started to take off he called his old neighbour about joining the band. Sadly, A.J. was too busy to call Gosling back.

In a new video interview obtained by TMZ.com the Backstreet singer says: "Ryan, I am so sorry that I didn't call you back.

"If we ever want a sixth Backstreet Boy member I'm gonna call you. You can sing.

"He can sing his a** off," the singer continued. "He's not only a great actor and a handsome man."

Gosling won't be feeling too hard done by though, it's not exactly as if he hasn't found tremendous success on his own.

The actor is currently starring in the LA gangster flick Gangster Squad, and last year was in box office hits The Ides of March and Drive, for which he won Best Actor at the Satellite Awards.

And his absence from the Backstreet lineup doesn't appear to have dented his appeal to the ladies.

Gosling has dated Sandra Bullock, Rachel McAdams, kat Dennings, Blake Lively and Olivia Wilde in the past, and is currently in a relationship with Eva Mendes.

The Backstreet Boys performing a Christmas show in LA

Last summer the Backstreet Boys reunited in their original five man lineup to begin work on recording a new record.

April this year will see the 20th anniversary of the group, and the new album will be released to coincide with it.

The group had previosuly been recording without original member Kevin Richardson, but all five are now working together.

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