Barbie: Actors Auditioning for Ken Wouldn't Stop Taking Their Shirts Off

With a billion-dollar box office gross and a lot of love from fans, Barbie has been nothing short of a bonafide hit. The film, which is helmed by Greta Gerwig, boasts a star-studded ensemble cast, many of whom are portraying various versions of Barbie and Ken. As a new interview with the film's casting directors reveals, some hopefuls went the extra mile as part of this audition process. According to Barbie casting director Lucy Bevan, some actors who auditioned for Ken kept trying to take off their shirts, in an attempt to emulate the doll's often-shirtless wardrobe. 

"There were certain scenes we used to audition, and the fine line between the comedy and sincerity of those characters is a difficult balance," Bevan told MotionPictures.org. "Some of the Kens would take off their t-shirts, and we were like, no, no, you don't need to take off your t-shirt. But Simu [Liu] just nailed that [line] in the film."

Why Did Ryan Gosling Play Ken?

Gosling has openly praised director Greta Gerwig and star and producer Margot Robbie's pitch for the Barbie movie, calling the script the best he has ever read. The actor has also teased the impact that he hopes the film will have.

"This has been coming my whole life," Gosling told Variety back in 2022. "I think a lot of Kens will feel seen when they see this. Gotta do it for the Kens of the world. Nobody plays with Kens!"

Will There Be a Barbie Sequel?

According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, there are currently no options or deals in place for Robbie, Gerwig, and co-star Ryan Gosling to return for a Barbie sequel. Robbie, in particular, is reportedly not obligated to return to her role of Stereotypical Barbie, but could return as a producer on a Barbie sequel if she wanted to.

As the report outlines, Warner Bros. Pictures "made overtures" about Gerwig possibly returning to direct a Barbie sequel, but her team delayed those talks until the first film's debut. With negotiations around new projects on hold until the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are over, there's a chance that Gerwig, Robbie, and Gosling could return for a new Barbie movie — but they would probably have to negotiate much more lucrative contracts, in response to the film's box office performance. Gerwig has indicated that she currently does not have any ideas for a sequel film.

"At this moment, it's all I've got," Gerwig revealed. "I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I'll never have another idea and everything I've ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn't want to squash anybody else's dream but for me, at this moment, I'm at totally zero."

What Is Barbie About?

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you're a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hit theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel. 

What do you think of this new behind-the-scenes detail about Barbie? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!