Ryan Gosling taps into his "Ken energy" to counter critics who believe he's "too old" to portray Ken in the upcoming "Barbie" movie.
The origin of this peculiar discourse traces back to April when the initial trailer for the film "Barbie" was unveiled, sparking a social media debate. Some users opined that the 42-year-old actor appeared too mature to assume the role of Ken.
In response to these skeptics, Gosling quipped during a recent GQ interview, "If people don't want to play with my Ken, there are plenty of other Kens to play with." He found the conversation amusing, particularly in light of Ken's historically laid-back occupation – "for 60 years, (Ken's) job has been the beach" – which seemingly never garnered any scrutiny. Gosling added, "But all of a sudden, it's like, 'No, we've been worried about Ken this whole time.' No, they didn't care. They never cared." He exposed the irony of the situation, emphasizing that "if they ever really cared about Ken, they would know that no one cared about Ken."
Interestingly, the one person deeply invested in Ken is none other than Gosling himself. He jokingly confessed to feeling like Ken's "manager" now.
Furthermore, Gosling shared the various factors that motivated him to accept the role of the iconic Mattel doll in the comedy directed by Greta Gerwig. A primary attraction was the chance to be part of a film that empowers female characters, featuring a star-studded cast including Margot Robbie, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Hari Nef, and America Ferrera, among others.
However, Gosling's true motivation for taking on the role of Barbie's main love interest was rooted in his role as a father. He has two daughters with his longtime partner Eva Mendes, and observing his daughters play with Barbie and Ken dolls inspired him. He humorously recounted an incident where his daughter's Ken doll was discovered face-down in the mud next to a squashed lemon. This peculiar sight prompted Gosling to reflect, "This guy's story needs to be told."
