“I doubted my Ken-ergy”: Ryan Gosling Talks Getting to His ‘Barbie’ Character

With the premiere of this summer’s Barbie edging ever-closer, star Ryan Gosling is revealing more of his experience in the film. He’s even noting that the character needed to be “conjured” out of him.

The 42-year-old actor, who plays Ken in the upcoming flick, credits director Greta Gerwig and co-star Margot Robbie with helping him discover his “Ken-ergy,” as the star put it.

“I had up until this point – I only knew Ken from afar. I didn’t know Ken from within,” Gosling reveals. “If I’m being really honest, I doubted my Ken-ergy. I didn’t see it. Margot and Greta, I feel like they conjured this out of me somewhere.”

Gosling went on to say it was a surreal experience playing the character, “One day, I was bleaching my hair and shaving my legs and wearing bespoke neon outfits and rollerblading down Venice Beach.”

“It came on like a fever, like a Scarlet fever. Then I woke up one day and was like, ‘Why is there fake tanner on my sheets? Why am I wearing jackets without shirts? What just happened?'” he continues.

Gosling also praised the crew behind the film, which releases on July 21, 2023. 

“To work with this group – they’re all brilliant. And it was so exciting. And then to be conjured in such a way was really special.” Gosling notes.

Margot Robbie, who plays Barbie in the flick, also commented on the other nearby productions. She mentions how the cast and crews from those other movies couldn’t resist coming by for a visit.

“You’ve never seen so many grown men find excuses to come to set. It was like a dopamine hit. You were instantly happy, and we felt that every day.” Robbie says.

What’s Next for Ryan Gosling After Barbie?

After this summer’s release of Barbie, Ryan Gosling has several other projects lined up. He’s in post-production on The Fall Guy, where he stars opposite Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Emily Blunt. The movie is scheduled for release on March 1, 2024.

Additionally, Gosling is in pre-production on Wolfman and the yet-to-be-titled Ocean’s Eleven film, where he’ll reunite with Margot Robbie again. There’s no word yet if the current writers’ strike will delay those productions. But we’ll keep you posted as more news surfaces.