YouTubeJacob Staudenmaier shot for the stars—well, one star in particular.
Staudenmaier, an Arcadia High School student in Arizona, filmed an elaborate La La Land-inspired "promposal" that went viral Tuesday. "I saw La La Land and loved it a lot," the 17-year-old told ABC News Wednesday. "It was one of my favorite films and I've always liked Emma Stone as an actor and I guess that spawned the idea of maybe asking her to the prom."
A former Arcadia High School had asked Miley Cyrus to prom a few years ago, which gave Staudenmaier the idea. "She didn't actually go to prom with him, but he was invited to one of her concerts and he got to go up on stage with her so I think it worked out," Staudenmaier said. "If I was going to do it, I had to do something more ambitious and bigger in scale."
The process took two weeks from start to finish, including directing and editing.
In his video, Staudenmaier referenced his resemblance to La La Land's leading man, Ryan Gosling. A classmate had previously told the teen that he looked like Gosling in Remember the Titans. "We took a picture next to it and everyone was like, 'Yeah you look like him,'" he explained. "I felt like incorporating that into the song, since she starred in the movie with him."
Staudenmaier didn't see the resemblance between himself and the 36-year-old actor, but he still took it as a compliment. "If I get compared to him," he said, "I have no problem with that!"
WATCH: High schooler films @LaLaLand style "promposal" for Emma Stone and she replied! https://t.co/4gsKulZ99H
— Good Morning America (@GMA) April 7, 2017
Cc: @RyanGosling pic.twitter.com/RNoZlYGPsR
The teen "was hoping" the video would somehow reach Stone. "Whether she says yes or no, I think just a response in general would be amazing. I guess if she did say yes, that would be the best outcome possible," he said. "Either way I've enjoyed everything that's happened so far."
Thanks to the power of the internet, Stone did receive his "promposal."
On Friday, Staudenmaier read a message from Stone on Good Morning America. "Jacob, thanks for making the greatest proposal I have ever received. I can't tell you what an honor that was and how much I smiled through that entire beautifully orchestrated video. I'm in London working, but I hope you have the best time at prom, and I'm grateful you thought of me," the Oscar-winning actress wrote. "Thank you. P.S. I do see Gosling around the eyes. Love, Emma."
Staudenmaier plans to attend prom stag: "I'm going to have a great time with all my friends."