As soon as upon a time on the web, again when “hey woman” memes abounded, Ryan Gosling was recognized in sure circles because the Web’s boyfriend. Now, we’re getting a primary glimpse of Gosling as America’s boyfriend—he is taking part in Ken, as within the Ken doll, the on-off paramour of Barbie, within the upcoming Greta Gerwig-directed movie Barbie.
(And for what it’s price, Gosling, talking to GQ again in 2016, attributed his boyfriendish public persona to his “Canadianness.” Okay!)
In a promo picture launched as we speak, Gosling-as-Ken feels a little bit like a mashup of earlier characters he’s performed: the icy peroxide mane identical to Luke’s from The Place Past the Pines; the spray-tanned sleaze of Jacob in Loopy, Silly, Love; the self-esteem of relationship a plastic girl like he did in Lars and the Actual Woman. Starring reverse Margot Robbie as Barbie, Gosling is rumored to be taking part in certainly one of a number of Kens—amongst a number of Barbies—within the movie, which additionally stars America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, and Michael Cera, amongst others, extra of whom are certain to be revealed within the leadup to its July 2023 launch.
And whereas the cutoff acid-wash jean vest and customized Calvin Klein-style “Ken” briefs will not be something you’ve ever seen a Ken doll put on earlier than, the vibe of Gerwig’s manufacturing means that is likely to be the purpose. (Final yr’s Berluti collab means that Ken may need extra up his sleeve than we notice.)
“Folks typically hear ‘Barbie’ and assume, ‘I do know what that film goes to be,’” Robbie informed Vogue final yr, “after which they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, they usually’re like, ‘Oh, nicely, perhaps I don’t…’”
The Barbie franchise has been by the Hollywood ringer for practically a decade now, with numerous gamers on the helm: as IndieWire famous, screenwriter Diablo Cody was set to put in writing and direct at one level; years later in 2016, Amy Schumer was set to star, with a brand new script by Neighborhood producer Hilary Winston. However now it is in Gerwig’s fingers, and will likely be right here in a couple of yr.
