‘Barbie’ Director Greta Gerwig On Backlash From The Political Right-Wing & The Ryan Gosling ‘SNL’ Sketch That Gave Her Kenergy

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Barbie is a box-office success and has been receiving positive reviews for its diversity, inclusion and positive message. However, certain political circles have taken aim at the Greta Gerwig-directed film and the director is giving her take on the backlash. “Certainly, there’s a lot of passion,” Gerwig told The New York Times about the negativity from the political right-wing. “My hope for the movie is that it’s an invitation for everybody to be part of the party and let go of the things that aren’t necessarily serving us as either women or men.” She added, “I hope that in all of that passion, if they see it or engage with it, it can give them some of the relief that it gave other people.” Gerwig also opened up about casting Ryan Gosling to play Ken opposite Margot Robbie.

The filmmaker said she saw Gosling in a Saturday Night Live sketch that gave her all the Kenergy to have the actor portray “Beach Ken.” “You know those actors you can… just sort of feel that they know what’s funny, and I always felt that about him,” Gerwig said during an appearance on the SmartLess podcast. “And then I’m a big fan of all of his SNLs, I always thought he was great on SNL… He did ‘Guy That Just Got a Boat’ on ‘Weekend Update,’ and it’s so good.” Gerwig was referencing Gosling’s appearance in 2017 when he played “Guy Who Just Joined Soho House” alongside Alex Moffat as “Guy Who Just Bought a Boat” during SNL’s “Weekend Update” segment.

Gerwig revealed that she wrote the Ken part with Gosling in mind adding, “We wrote his name into the script and everything… and [Gosling’s name] was everywhere.

And then when we handed them the script, the studio was like ‘Oh, it’s so wonderful that you know Ryan.’ And I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t know Ryan.