Ryan Gosling in Talks to Play 'Ken' in Barbie Movie
Variety.com: Margot Robbie’s Barbie has seemingly found her Ken in Ryan Gosling.
The two-time Oscar-nominee is in final negotiations to star in the upcoming Warner Bros. and Mattel film, directed by Greta Gerwig, who also co-wrote the script with Noah Baumbach.
Robbie also does double duty on the project; in addition to starring as the iconic Mattel doll, she’s producing the movie under her LuckyChap Entertainment banner, which is coming off an Oscar-winning run for last year’s “Promising Young Woman.” Producers on “Barbie” also include LuckyChap’s Tom Ackerley and Josey McNamara; Mattel’s Robbie Brenner and Ynon Kreiz; and David Heyman.
Plans to adapt Barbie’s story for the big screen have taken on a few iterations in recent years, but when Robbie, Gerwig and Baumbach boarded the project in 2018 and 2019, respectively, things have been full steam ahead. In July, Variety reported “Barbie” was set to start production in early 2022 at WB’s Leavesden Studios in London, with a planned 2023 theatrical release.
Not much has been revealed about the movie’s plot, but one major question has been answered with the casting of Ken. The doll most recently appeared in the “Toy Story” franchise, voiced in “Toy Story 3” by Michael Keaton.
Gosling recently wrapped production on “The Gray Man,” the big-budget Netflix action thriller from Anthony and Joe Russo. Gosling stars in the film, based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney, as Court Gentry, a veteran CIA operative who is forced to become a fugitive after he’s betrayed. Chris Evans stars opposite Gosling in the high-stakes cat and mouse game. Most recently, Gosling starred as legendary astronaut Neil Armstrong in “First Man,” after playing opposite Harrison Ford in “Blade Runner 2049.” The Canadian actor’s Oscar nominations come from 2006’s “Half Nelson” and 2016’s “La La Land.”
As for Ken, Gosling is repped by CAA and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. LuckyChap is repped by CAA, Management 360 and attorney Jeff Bernstein. Gerwig is repped by UTA and Management 360.
Deadline was first to report news of Gosling’s casting.