Ryan Gosling has addressed the criticism surrounding his age and suitability to play the iconic character Ken in the upcoming Barbie movie.
In an interview with GQ, the 42-year-old actor dismissed the naysayers, offering a playful response to their concerns.
Gosling pointed out that Greta Gerwig, the director of the film, had made the decision to cast multiple actors as different versions of Barbie’s love interest, including Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, and John Cena. He humorously suggested that if people had reservations about playing with his version of Ken, there were plenty of other Kens to choose from.
The Oscar nominee expressed his amusement at the notion of #notmyken and the sudden uproar over a character that hadn’t garnered much attention before. He challenged the idea that people had truly cared about Ken all along, stating, “You never cared. Barbie never messed with Ken. That’s the point. If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told.”
While some critics questioned Gosling’s suitability for the role, his performance as Ken received high praise from co-star Margot Robbie. In an interview with Vogue, Robbie described Gosling’s portrayal as “the greatest version of Ryan Gosling ever put on screen.”
Despite initially being hesitant about taking on the role of Ken, Gosling candidly shared his perspective. “Ken wasn’t really on my bucket list. But in fairness, I don’t have a bucket list. So I thought I’d give it a shot,” he revealed.
As Gosling confidently addresses the age-related criticism, fans eagerly anticipate his interpretation of Ken in the upcoming Barbie movie. The film promises to present a fresh perspective on the iconic characters and their stories, challenging preconceived notions and bringing a new depth to beloved toys of generations past.
