16 Crazy Things You NEVER Knew About 'The Notebook'

Hold up. Did you know that Ryan Gosling, the ultimate charmer, and the drop dead gorgeous Rachel McAdams actually didn't get along on the set of The Notebook? And that's not the only twist you didn't see coming.

Get ready to load up on other little-known facts about The Notebook, your go-to romance movie, which was also Ryan's breakout film that launched him onto marquees and into hearts everywhere.

1. To prepare for his role as Noah, Ryan Gosling spent two months living in Charleston, S.C. building furniture and rowing the Ashley River every morning. He even built the kitchen table featured in the movie.

2. Ryan Gosling wore brown contacts throughout the movie because "Old Noah" (played by James Garner) has brown eyes while Gosling's peepers are blue.

3. But at one point, the movie makers goofed, and Ryan's eyes are visibly blue. Whoops! 4. Also, when Noah hangs on the Ferris wheel, you can see a microphone clipped to the middle of his shirt in the back.

5. The "after seven years Allie and Noah" scenes were actually shot first. After that, the cast and crew took a Christmas break, and Ryan Gosling had to lose the beard and 20 pounds he'd packed on as "Old Noah" to become "Young Noah." Tough holiday!

6. When they first began filming The Notebook, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams actually didn't like each other all that much. "We inspired the worst in each other," Ryan confessed. "It was a strange experience, making a love story and not getting along with your costar in any way."

7. When Allie and Noah walk alone after the movie, parking meters are shown. However, South Carolina didn't begin using them until 1947. 8. When Noah and Allie are in the street, he says he would watch the light change "from green to red to yellow" with his dad. Sorry, Noah! Traffic lights go from green to yellow to red. 9. In 1940, Noah and Allie listen to Billie Holiday's rendition of "I'll Be Seeing You." Too bad that version wasn't recorded until four years later.

10. Rachel McAdams received her script for The Notebook the night before she auditioned for the role ... while she was at another movie's premiere! She beat out nine other stars, including Jessica Biel, for the part of Allie.11. Other starlets Rachel beat out for Allie? Britney Spears, Ashley Judd, and even Reese Witherspoon.

12. James Marsden, who played the super-wealthy and handsome Lon Hammond, admitted, "I thought The Notebook was going to be a schmaltzy Movie of the Week–type thing."

13. Gena Rowlands, who played older Allie, is the director's mother. 14. When older Noah and Allie eat lunch after he's read to her, he's wearing his reading glasses. In the next shot, he's shown wearing bifocals.15. When older Noah and Allie enjoy their candlelit dinner, Allie sits down wearing a plaid shawl over her red jacket. In the next shot, the plaid shawl is off. But hold on! The shawl makes its return in the following shot.

16. Ryan Gosling was director Nick Cassavette's first and only choice for Noah. Before that, Steven Spielberg, Tom Cruise, and even Justin Timberlake were reportedly linked to the film. (Be honest: You're so relieved Ryan got it!)