Along with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, the summer of 2023 also belonged to Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, which shattered many records at the box office after its stupendous reception with audiences and critics. Starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, the film worked largely for its relevant metaphorical take on feminism and patriarchy that hit home for viewers across the world.
On the other end of the spectrum, Gerwig and her husband Noah Baumbach who co-wrote the film together, have also received backlash from certain corners for reportedly overusing the concept of misogyny, and demeaning men as shallow through the eyes of Gosling’s Ken. The writer though, was steadfast in defending the film and explained why these opinions were not valid.
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Barbie Writer Defended Criticisms On Male Characters In the Film
Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was a visionary take on the strength and power of women in a quintessentially man’s world. Through Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling who played Barbie and Ken respectively, Gerwig and writer Noah Baumbach also shed light on the pressures of surmounting patriarchy to ultimately discover and embrace one’s self-worth.
Gosling’s Ken was also a key figure in bringing out these important narratives in the film. But amid huge praise, Gerwig also received negative feedback with regard to the portrayal of the La La Land star’s character, which viewers felt, was stereotyping men unfairly as one-sided figures of misogyny. The filmmaker’s husband and Barbie writer Noah Baumbach, addressed these criticisms in 60 Minutes, and explained why these so-called ‘anti-men’ jokes were blown out of proportion.
“I felt men could take it, I mean come on.”
Gerwig went on to stress the importance of Gosling’s character and how he was absolutely vital to the ultimate message in the film.
“I mean, this sounds so silly to say out loud, but I love Ken. We love Ken. We also take Ken’s position quite seriously.”
Despite these criticisms, Ryan Gosling’s portrayal of Ken has been widely considered as one of the best leading performances by an actor this year.
Ryan Gosling On The Moment He Decided To Play Ken in Barbie
Apart from Margot Robbie’s impressive performance as Barbie, audiences across the world were floored by Ryan Gosling’s brilliant portrayal of Ken in Greta Gerwig’s summer blockbuster. The character, who has been viewed as the physically attractive love interest of Barbie, was given a nuanced arc that Gosling explored to the fullest in the film, along with making Ken extremely entertaining.
While The Notebook star was initially unsure of fitting into the role, he confessed that Barbie’s script impressed him greatly. Gosling in an interview with New York Times, also spoke of a small but significant moment when he was convinced that Ken deserved a story.
“They had written the part with such empathy for his plight. And there was such nuance and insight into what that experience might be that when I was in my backyard one day and I did see a Ken face down in the mud by a squished lemon, I thought, ‘Oh, yeah, his story does need to be told.'”
The actor’s decision to sign on the dotted line turned out to be one of the best moves of his career. With the awards season coming up, Gosling looks well on his way to being nominated for his performance.
Also Read: Ryan Gosling Feels Haunted By “Kenergy” Ever Since ‘Barbie’ Press Tour For the Weirdest Reason
