United Kingdom, March 23 -- Ryan Gosling was obsessed with soap operas when he was growing up.

The Project Hail Mary actor, 45, has admitted he didn't have many friends as a kid and spent most of his time watching TV - revealing he loved morning talk show Live! With Regis And Kelly and long-running soap Days Of Our Lives.

During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Ryan explained: "I didn't have a lot of friends growing up. I had TV. I used to pretend to be sick so I could stay home and watch Regis and Kelly. I loved Regis and Kelly and Days Of Our Lives ..."

The Barbie actor went on to insist soap stars aren't given the credit they deserve because actors like longtime Days Of Our Lives castmember Deidre Hall

provided him ...