Ryan Gosling Finally Responds To Critics Who Say He's Too Old To Play Ken In New 'Barbie' Movie

Ryan Gosling has called out critics who raised concerns about his casting as Ken in the "Barbie" film. The actor faced significant criticism from fans for playing the famous doll, with many claiming he was too old for the role.

Mattel, the company that manufactures the Barbie doll, also recently unveiled toys resembling Gosling's Ken character, donning distinct outfits from the upcoming movie, including the denim ensemble and a beach outfit with a surfboard.

Keep on reading to learn more.

Ryan Gosling is hitting back at critics who are voicing concerns about his casting as Ken in the highly anticipated "Barbie" film, citing his "old" age as the primary issue.

In a recent interview with GQ, the 42-year-old star responded to the controversy by stating, "I would say, you know, if people don't want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with."

Gosling said that he found the entire discourse amusing, highlighting the fact that Ken never received much attention before his casting in the film. "But suddenly, it's like, 'No, we've cared about Ken this whole time,'" Gosling remarked. "No, you didn't. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never f*ked with Ken. That's the point."

The "La La Land" star concluded the interview by addressing the critics directly, stating, "If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told."

Despite the initial concerns raised by some fans of the toy brand regarding Gosling's casting as Ken in the upcoming Greta Gerwig-directed film, Gosling himself humorously embraced his role as the character's "representative."

In a lighthearted manner, he jokingly remarked, "I care about this dude now. I'm like his representative. Ken couldn't show up to receive this award, so I'm here to accept it for him."

When the trailer for the movie was released on social media in April, a few fans expressed their reservations about Gosling's age, citing wrinkles and a perceived lack of attractiveness.

One fan tweeted, per Page Six, "Ryan Gosling is too old to be playing Ken; I'm sorry, his wrinkles are taking me out of the experience." Another complaint emerged, stating, "He's so Ken, but God, he's so unattractive to me. I don't want to call him ugly; he's just not visually appealing TO ME."

Nevertheless, many other fans defended Gosling's casting, with one even pointing out that Ken is 62 years old, calculating from when the doll was created in 1961.

A supporter tweeted, "...There are a bunch of abusers in Hollywood that still have a job, but your biggest problem with the industry is that they cast a man who can actually act instead of some TikTok-looking white boy?"

Another fan added, "Ken is 62 years old. [Ryan Gosling] is only 42. So let's not talk about who's too old to be playing whom."

On Friday, toy company Mattel unveiled lookalike dolls of Margot Robbie and Gosling, featuring their respective characters from the highly-anticipated live-action Barbie film. The collection includes doll-size replicas of the 32-year-old actress and the 42-year-old actor.

In addition to Robbie and Gosling, the release will also feature dolls modeled after other key characters in the film, portrayed by Simu Liu, America Ferrera, and Issa Rae. The dolls will be dressed in costumes identical to those worn by the actors in the upcoming film.

Notably, Mattel will launch four toy-sized models that capture Robbie's portrayal of Barbie, complete with her iconic pink outfits.

Following the announcement, social media users started discussing the resemblance of the Ken doll to Gosling. Some users expressed their disappointment, feeling that the doll does not closely resemble the actor as much as they had hoped.

Mattel's doll of Gosling's Ken character in the Barbie film showcased several distinctive outfits, including the iconic denim-on-denim ensemble. The doll sported straight-leg pants and an open sleeveless vest, revealing its chiseled abs.

In a nod to a memorable moment from the movie, the doll replica also featured the same monogrammed underwear as Gosling's character. Another replica doll of Gosling's Ken was also dressed in a vibrant beach outfit featuring pink and green stripes mirroring the one the actor wore in the film.

Another one of Gosling's Ken doll was dressed in a stylish short-sleeved button-down shirt and shorts paired with crisp white sneakers. It also carried a blue surfboard.