Ryan Gosling opens up about almost skipping famous role

Actor Ryan Gosling candidly explains what convinced him to take a challenging part in the project

By Ilsa Fatima March 19, 2026
Ryan Gosling opens up about almost skipping famous role
Ryan Gosling opens up about almost skipping famous role

Ryan Gosling candidly admitted that he almost opted out of one of his most iconic roles that pushed him creatively.

The 45-year-old star, who brought Ken to life in Greta Gerwig’s 2023 Barbie, revealed he first thought about saying no to the role.

During his candid chat with Fuera de Foco, the Canadian star stated, “I think maybe Barbie,” when asked if he’d ever needed persuasion to take on a role.

He explained that seeing his daughters play with Barbie dolls helped him change his mind. 

“I could see how much playing with Barbies was doing for my kids… it was a way for them to act out stuff going on in the world,” he said.

The Crazy, Stupid, Love actor realized that Gerwig’s script had a similar idea, using dolls to explore bigger themes. 

“There was such an interesting marriage there,” he added.

Moreover, the actor also admitted the role wouldn’t be easy. “Maybe my instinct was to say no, but I thought this is a good challenge,” he mentioned.

Notably, Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Ken in Barbie has been widely praised and earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

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