Although Grega Gerwig’s enthralling world of Barbie has the whole world of mortals excited, it is also skeptical about whether the 42-year-old actor, Ryan Gosling is fit for the role of Ken or not. The talk surrounding the age of the aforementioned sidekick of Barbie has been well in circulation from the moment the star-studded cast was exposed to the audiences. From Margot Robbie to Michael Cera, the cast is an incredible set of talents that has people eagerly anticipating the summer.
Now that the release date is drawing close, the press interviews and promotional events are growing in number, giving the cast the opportunity to share the chance to showcase their perspectives. Thus, on a similar occasion, Gosling graced the 2023 summer cover for GQ and presented his side on the ongoing age debate.
Is Ryan Gosling too old for Ken?
Well, Ryan Gosling certainly looks the part with a chiseled body and bleached hair, he has successfully transformed into the plastic perfect boy toy of the Mattel icon, Barbie. Originally released in 1959, Barbie is two years older than Ken who was launched in 1961 in the markets. In the Barbie movie, however, people have a problem with Hollywood’s old ways, as the actor Ryan Gosling is 10 years older than Margot Robbie.
Just after the posters for the movie were released announcing all their Barbie and Ken dolls, many pointed out that imagining a 40-something-year-old in place of an evergreen and youthful Ken would be difficult. One Twitter user declared,
“Ryan Gosling is too ugly and too old to be playing ken, they should’ve casted Henry Cavill or Chris Evans bye,”
But, as time has passed, Gosling has proved “agist” comments surrounding him wrong time and again. His mannerisms showcased in the teasers and the trailer sure was uncanny. Many also came in defense of the actor and expressed their anticipation on social media platforms. Only time can tell if the actor was successful in playing the jovial boyfriend of the Barbie doll.
Do people really care about Ken?
The mysterious character about whom not much is known to the public, except for being Barbie’s loyal boy toy and that his job is “beach”. Who really is Ken? Do people really care about him? These are the question Ryan Gosling had to face when he was contemplating whether he should play the part. Thus, came to a jarring conclusion that compelled him into voicing his story even more. In the 2023 summer cover for GQ Magazine, the actor defended both himself and his character from the hate they have been receiving since the leaked footage release from the sets.
According to the La La Land actor, it is Barbie’s world and Ken is just living in it. Not many cared about the doll, until now, when they have a controversy to dig into. He said,
“And everyone was fine with that, for him to have a job that is nothing. But suddenly, it’s like, ‘No, we’ve cared about Ken this whole time.’ No, you didn’t. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never f**ked 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.”
With the rise of hashtags such as #NotMyKen, Gosling made one thing pretty clear no matter how much the world detests him for playing the part, he will fight for the doll, and serve him the justice he deserves. He said,
Source: GQ
