Ryan Gosling sorry for missing Cannes premiere

Ryan Gosling personally apologized to the media at the Cannes Film Festival for skipping the premiere of his new movie Only God Forgives on Wednesday (22May13) by penning a letter explaining his absence.

The actor was expected to promote his latest project with Drive filmmaker Nicholas Winding Refn, but filming on his directorial debut, How to Catch a Monster, forced him to miss the screening and related press commitments.

The gracious Hollywood hunk made it known that he was upset about not attending by sending an apology.

The letter, read out at a press conference for the film by festival director Thierry Fremaux, reads: "Can't believe I'm not In Cannes. I was hoping to come but I'm on week three shooting my film in Detroit. Miss you all. Nicolas, my friend, we really are the same persons in different dimensions. I'm sending you good vibrations."

And Nicholas Winding Refn insisted he had no hard feelings towards Ryan Gosling for choosing to continue work on How to Catch a Monster over their big premiere - because he understands what his pal is going through.

He told reporters, "I would never even do it (leave a project for a premiere) if I was in his situation. One thing is being an actor. When you're directing, it's another arena. But I speak to him every day on the phone. In a way, he is here."

Ryan Gosling's presence may not have been enough to win over the audience at Cannes - the bloody and violent film, about a drug smuggler who is pressured into avenging his brother's death, was reportedly met with boos by festival attendees.

A writer for Vulture.com reports: "When one painfully long torture sequence concluded with eye and ear mutilation, the audience revolted. When one character stuck his hand inside a woman's slashed body, the audience locked and loaded its boos. Gosling doesn't have much to say in this movie, but the auditorium sure did."