Ryan Gosling's Reaction to Barbie Backlash Over Him Playing Ken? Priceless
Gosling seems unfazed by the backlash.
Greta Gerwig's Barbie is undoubtedly the most eagerly anticipated film this summer, thanks to a large extent to the star power of Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the leading roles. Fans are particularly keen to see Gerwig's contemporary reimagining of the clichéd origin story of Barbie and Ken.
Yet, some fans have managed to stir up a seemingly absurd controversy: they’re objecting to Ryan Gosling being cast as Ken on the grounds that he’s too old for the role.
Remember Barbie and Ken, those impeccably attractive, sun-kissed blondes in their mid-20s? Even children can tell that these depictions are idealised and far from reality. So, when a faction of fans started criticising the decision to cast Gosling as Ken because of him being too old, the actor met the accusations with amusement, teasing the fans with a cheeky response.
‘I would say, you know, if people don't want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with. [It’s] clutching-your-pearls idea of #notmyken. Like you ever thought about Ken before this,’ Gosling said.
Gosling appears to believe that those condemning him for not being young enough to play a doll likely never paid much attention to Ken before and are merely riding the hype wave to level unwarranted ageist criticism at the actor. In Gosling’s case, age really is just a number, as he really looks much younger than 42, and every trailer for Barbie that’s come out so far reaffirms he’s natural in the role.
Moreover, Ken himself is significantly older than Gosling, a detail that some critics conveniently ignore as they go about further fuelling the controversy.
‘Ken Barbie doll went on sale in 1961, he's way older than Ryan. If anything, Ryan is too young,’ a fan pointed out. So Ken’s not supposed to be young, he’s just supposed to look young and Gosling pulls it off with aplomb.
Regardless of how Gosling's performance is received, no one can dispute that physically, he's a perfect fit for the part. After all, few Hollywood actors could embody the quintessential Ken aesthetic better than Gosling.
Barbie is set to premiere on 21 July 2023.
Source: GQ.