April 18, 2006

Hear that? It's the sound of millions of Kleenex-clutching "Notebook" fans crying out in anguished confusion over whether lovebirds Allie and Noah are about to get hitched -- or have decided to split.

Just last week, Ryan Gosling, 26, and Rachel McAdams, 28, were purportedly planning an aisle-walk so hush-hush they wanted to get engaged and married on the same day to avoid the prying eyes of the press.

Now, the co-stars-turned-cutest-Canadian-twosome-ever have somehow become the tabloid version of Ross and Rachel from "Friends": According to Us Weekly, they've decided to take "a break."

The rift rumblings started a few days ago with a brief item in the New York Daily News, which claimed the almost-A-list actor confided the ins and outs of his love life to a pal at last week's Los Angeles premiere of his new flick "Fracture."

"Where's Rachel tonight?" asked the buddy, to which Gosling, who was joined on the red carpet by his sister, is said to have replied, 'Don't you know? We broke up.'"

Us, however, takes a more hopeful approach to the alleged parting of ways, with a source optimistically explaining, "It's a break, not a breakup."

McAdams, says the mole, is "very dependent" on Gosling, who supposedly wants some space to focus on his career.

"It's a pivotal moment for him," continues the source, who manages to refrain from calling the "Half Nelson" Oscar nominee "one of the finest actors of his generation," as the Daily News recently did.

McAdams, who just inked a deal to star opposite Eric Bana in the long-anticipated big-screen adaptation of "The Time Traveler's Wife," "is taking it really hard because Ryan is everything to her," adds an insider, with another chiming in, "Rachel still feels they are meant to be together."

Meanwhile, still another snitch says the adorable duo called it quits a few weeks ago due to that pesky celebrity relationship problem: time management.

"Ryan was in love with her," the spy maintains to the mag, "but it didn't work out because of their conflicting work schedules."

Continues the confidante, "They're both miserable. Hopefully they'll get back together soon."

Rachel's rep, however, labels the "we were on a break!" chatter "completely false," which not so coincidentally is the exact phrase the flack used last week to rebuff the nuptial nattering.

Still, the whispers will likely grow louder after Rachel's no-show Tuesday night at the New York premiere of "Fracture" (Ryan's date for the evening was his mom).

And while we'd like to think McGosling are somewhere chuckling over the rumors and re-enacting "Notebook" scenes for their own amusement (imagined exchange: Rachel turns off the TV while Ryan is watching the big game. "It wasn't over!" he cries, grabbing the remote control. "It still isn't over!"), their relationship has had its ups and downs.

While filming "The Notebook," they "hated each other," director Nick Cassavetes told the Guardian in February, so much so that they once had a "screaming match" when Gosling's request for a McAdams stand-in was denied ("He couldn't bear to look at her," according to the paper).

"We inspired the worst in each other," conceded Gosling. "It was a strange experience, making a love story and not getting along with your co-star in any way."

But in recent days both have gushed about the other's work ethic, with McAdams telling the April issue of Elle of her puppy dog-eyed squeeze, "He never does the same thing twice. He's very brave. I don't think he sees the point unless he can find out what he's made of every time. He just doesn't back off. He goes into everything from that place."

Gosling, for his part, recently described the likable actress as "kind," and revealed how she's "inspired me to do so much as well ... She's the most discerning person I've ever met. She'll read a script 100 times. She's relentless."

In other words, stay tuned.

Next: Romance Rumors: Renee's 'Office' Boy?