Ryan Gosling initially wanted to turn down Ken’s role in Barbie – but then he was convinced by a joke from the director

In addition to the inventor of the atomic bomb, Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling) are the biggest cinema characters of the past year. Gosling alone has increased his already considerable meme potential tenfold with various PR appearances as Barbie’s ultra-blonde friend. And now out of nowhere he reveals that he originally turned down the role.

Barbie director brought Ryan Gosling back on board with persistence and wit

As Gosling explained to Variety, he first had to turn down the role. But director Greta Gerwig didn’t want to hear no:

[Die Gründe waren] Schedules and certain things in my life. Months later I called my agents and said, ‘Who have they cast Ken now?’ And they just replied: ‘Greta says it has to be you.’

Check out the Ken trailer for Barbie here:

As the Variety article reveals, Gerwig didn’t have a plan B for Ken. Apparently she had already marked the Ken dialogues in the script as “Ken Ryan Gosling.” And Finally she was able to convince him:

At some point I explained to him that I had seen the future and that he was playing Ken. That made him laugh, and I think secretly he saw the same future.

“Who am I to argue with Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie?“, Gosling explains his late change of mind. He now completely understands her passion, but it took him a while. Millions of fans will thank him for the insight.

Podcast: The 5 most exciting streaming films in February on Netflix, Amazon and Co.

You don’t know what to stream on Netflix or Amazon tonight? In the monthly overview we present you the most promising new films in February.

Among the 5 selected streaming films you will find a surprising sci-fi sequel on Netflix, a romantic comedy on Amazon and a promising animated film with a creative idea.