Matt Bomer Doesn't Regret Not Playing Ken in Barbie. Here's Why
The actor has taken part in a number of other prominent projects.
Summary
- Barbie has starred a plethora of famous actors.
- Matt Bomer was actively auditioning for the role of Ken in the film.
- The actor's commitment to other projects rendered him unavailable for Greta Gerwig's film.
As 2023 has almost reached its end, it's fair to say that this year hasn't seen a film as sparkling as Barbie. Released in mid-July, Greta Gerwig's pink-tinged comedy made the biggest splash, attracting hordes of viewers and raking in heaps of cash. It went on to become the most profitable premiere of the year, grossing a staggering $1.44 billion at the box office and outperforming every other top-tier release of 2023, including Oppenheimer, Fast X and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.
Following a group of titular Mattel dolls and their male counterparts, Kens, Barbie told a fascinating and uplifting story that tackled patriarchy, inequality and corporate greed. While the film focused primarily on Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling's characters, it boasted a star-studded cast including America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Simu Liu and Helen Mirren as narrator. But it turns out another famous actor could have played Ken in Gerwig's comedy.
Matt Bomer Ardently Wanted to Play Ken in Barbie
'I did [audition for Barbie]. Yeah, I got really into it, actually. I had some projects in development and I wasn't sure if they were going to happen or when they were going to happen, so I auditioned [for Barbie]. And, I mean, I dressed up like Malibu Ken. I dressed up like Business Suit Ken. I had like four different looks going on. I have pictures of this,' Matt Bomer shared his determination to play Ken.
However, the casting never came to be, as the actor's other projects finally started to move forward. Also, with Barbie being filmed in London, he would have been away from his family for about a year at that point, which he didn't want to do. Of course, you might wonder if Matt regrets not playing Ken.
'No. I mean, I hope I get to work with Greta someday. She's phenomenal. But I think they made a perfect movie, and it was cast perfectly. And I got to do Fellow Travelers and Maestro and spend time with my family, so [I'm content with the way things are],' the actor commented on the matter in a recent interview.
Matt Bomer's 2023 Projects
Despite missing out on the opportunity to be a part of 2023's biggest picture, Matt Bomer has had his own successes. He has produced a new Showtime drama, Fellow Travelers, in which he stars alongside Bridgerton's Jonathan Bailey. Bomer also appeared in Bradley Cooper's recent biopic Maestro, playing the lead character's best friend, David Oppenheim.
Fellow Travelers is currently airing. Episode 7 is due to be released on 10 December. Maestro will be available on Netflix from 20 December.
Source: YouTube.