Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling Remember the Actress’ Meltdown During Lift Scene in Crazy, Stupid, Love

Emma Stone did not have the time of her life filming one scene in Crazy, Stupid, Love.

In what is possibly the most iconic part of the 2011 romantic comedy, Ryan Gosling lifts Stone into the air, mimicking Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey’s legendary scene in the 1987 classic Dirty Dancing.

During a candid interview on The Graham Norton Show, the La La Land costars talked about one of their many films together — especially their awkward-yet-steamy romance in Crazy, Stupid, Love. At one point, Gosling’s character shares that he sweeps women off their feet — literally — by picking them up Swayze style. But the real-life Stone was far from charmed during filming.

“When we do Crazy, Stupid, Love, I know that we’re gonna do the Dirty Dancing lift. I don’t know, however, that I have an internalized phobia of being lifted over someone’s head at the height of about 6 feet,” she said, shortly after prefacing that her childhood gymnastics instructor dropping her and causing her to break both of her arms.

After sharing, she asked Gosling for help describing her reaction to the lift.

“I never had this happen, but I imagine if a possum fell out of a tree and tried to scratch your eyes out, it would be something similar,” he joked.

“It was a lot,” Stone said. “And then it was a meltdown. I mean, I had a real meltdown…I had to go lie down.”

Her remedy?

“You had to go and watch Labyrinth. We were in a house and she’s like, ‘I have to go watch Labyrinth.’”

A hysterical Stone ended her story (and laughing fit) by saying that a body double replaced her for their big scene.

The actors — who also costarred in 2013’s Gangster Squad — have started strong this award season. Stone took home the Golden Globe for best actress in a musical or comedy and Gosling scored the best actor in a musical or comedy award earlier this month. And La La Land earned the title of best musical or comedy motion picture.