Gosling denied coining his trademark phrase as he spoke to an audience.

Ryan Gosling has denied ever coining the phrase 'Hey Girl'. Speaking at an event to promote his directorial debut Lost River, which stars his partner Eva Mendes, Gosling dismissed his internet infamy.  'I understand if you're in a movie and you say something like "I'll be back," you own that. But I never said it,' Gosling told the audience at a South by Southwest Festival panel on Friday. The 34-year-old was being quizzed by famed dircetor Benicio Del Toro, who made him blush with references to his pin-up status. Lost River, which hits U.S. theaters in April, sees Gosling, known for films such as The Notebook and Crazy Stupid Love, step behind the camera for a script he penned. The surreal, dark fairytale is set in Detroit and inspired by his childhood imaginations of America while growing up in Canada. 

'When he saw the camera, he went the other way, so we had to approach him like nature photographers,' Gosling said.

'You do more acting as a director than you do as an actor, because you act confident,' he quipped. 

'When everything's going south, you're always acting like it's not a problem.'