The Barbie Trailer Is All Over The Internet, But People Are Coming Down On Ryan Gosling About His Age As Ken

The moment Barbie doll fans have been waiting for is finally here, as the second teaser trailer for the Mattel Inc. doll’s feature-length film premiered earlier this week, showing off Margot Robbie in her fabulous pink fashion ensembles and the growing romance between her and Ken. Those watching the new trailer clearly had an uncanny eye for detail since they obsessed over Robbie’s feet in the promo’s first shot. However, the internet was also quick to come down on Ryan Gosling’s Ken appearance, believing him to now look too old for the part.

It was a given that Gosling would be cast as Barbie’s gorgeous boyfriend Ken, as the Canadian star has never had trouble attracting a fanbase and becoming a celebrity crush to the masses. That’s why this is all the more shocking that this 42-year-old actor is now being called too old to play Barbie’s beau. Many people online, such as this Twitter user, think this former child star’s age is showing.

With The Notebook star being in his early 40s, you can’t say that he’s necessarily eligible for any senior discounts anytime soon. I mean, how was it not too long ago that he brought on his very own Barbie-oriented “Kenaissance” with fans ogling his chiseled abs and bleached-blonde hair for the role, only for ageist tweets to come about now? There are some people online like this social media user who can’t put their finger on why Gosling appears to look older than what was expected of his new appearance.

For all I know, it could be the combination of his deep tan and platinum hair that makes him appear slightly older than what people were expecting. His hair is so light that it looks close to white, which in turn makes his sun-exposed beach tan stand out more. But like this tweet mentioned, this is quite a twist considering women have traditionally faced pressure in Hollywood to look ageless more than men do. 

Another reason why people may believe the Drive actor appears to look old is when you compare him to his co-stars. As this side-by-side photo tweet showed, you put light-haired, deep-tanned Gosling alongside his female lead Margot Robbie, who's 32 years old, and they will naturally look far apart in age considering there’s a 10-year age difference between them. 

All of these harsh tweets being directed at Ryan Gosling’s Ken look prove that men in Hollywood also go through body pressures the same as women do. As this movie is supposed to be fun and not taken seriously, maybe it’s time for fans to lighten up and give the La La Land actor a chance by watching the 2023 movie release of Barbie in theaters on July 21st.

Carly Levy
Entertainment Writer

Just your average South Floridian cinephile who believes the pen is mightier than the sword.