Barbie Casting Director Reveals the Stars Who Had to Turn Down Ken Roles

Yes, there were quite a few actors that naturally exuded that Ken-ergy.
 
Though Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir were among those that ended up making the cut as Ken dolls in Barbie alongside Margot Robbie, Issa Rae and more, the movie's casting directors revealed that there were a few others who had to bow out due to the cast having to spend three months filming in London.
 
And among the actors who nearly took up residence in Barbieland were Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang, Schitt's Creek alum Dan Levy and Dear Evan Hansen actor Ben Platt.
 
"They were, I'm not kidding," the film's casting director Allison Jones told Vanity Fair July 20, "really bummed they couldn't do it."

And it wasn't just Ken that actors were eagerly ready to play, as Allan (Ken's buddy played by Michael Cera) had his own list of competitors, one of which included a Glee alum.

"Dear, dear Jonathan Groff was like, ‘I can't believe I'm typing this," Allison continued, "but I can't do Allan."

After the movie's premiere, Michael himself opened up about being stepping into the world of make-believe as Allan, sharing that the set was simply "stunning to see."

"It was full of the most minute attention to detail," the Superbad actor told British GQ July 24. "Every single tiny little element, even if it would never be seen on camera, was perfect and brought you into this world. It didn't feel like playtime. It felt like the biggest amount of money I've ever seen spent."
 
Looking for even more from the Barbie world? Keep reading for secrets behind the movie.

Margot Robbie, who stars as Barbie and also produced the film, admitted in an interview that she always wanted Ryan Gosling to be her Ken. She said he was written into the script—as the character "Ken Ryan Gosling"—and joked, "We pretty much wouldn't take no for an answer."

"We just kept bothering you," writer/director Greta Gerwig admitted to Ryan in an SXM interview. "Margot was like, 'Is it weird if I go to his house?' I was like, 'Don't go to his house. We're just gonna stay put.' Send a follow-up text." As Margot teased, "I would see a sea of blue on my phone."

Ryan revealed that Margot gave him daily gifts inspired by his character Beach Ken. 

"She left a pink present with a pink bow, from Barbie to Ken, every day while we were filming," Ryan told Vogue. "They were all beach-related. Like puka shells, or a sign that says 'Pray for surf.'" He said that he's "never quite figured out" what Ken's job as "Beach" means, "But I felt like she was trying to help Ken understand, through these gifts that she was giving."

Amy Schumer explained the real reason she dropped out of the Barbie movie.

"I think we said it was scheduling conflict, that's what we said," she said on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen in June 2023. "But yeah, it really was just, like, creative differences. But you know what? There's like a new team behind it, and it looks like it's very feminist and cool. So, I will be seeing that movie."

"It was a happy accident," John Cena told Today of his casting as a Mermaid Ken. He said he "kind of" pitched himself to join the film "in an accidental run-in with Margot Robbie." John told her, "I would do, pretty much, whatever you guys need 'cause I really enjoy the movie and they asked me if I wanted to be a merman."

Casting director Allison Jones revealed Saturday Night Live star Bowen Yang, Schitt's Creek actor Dan Levy and Dear Evan Hansen actor Ben Platt almost played Kens in the movie but weren't able to make it work. She added, "They were, I'm not kidding, really bummed they couldn't do it."

According to the casting director, before Michael Cera came on board as Ken's buddy Allan, it almost went to a certain Frozen actor.

"Dear, dear Jonathan Groff was like, ‘I can't believe I'm typing this," Allison Jones told Vanity Fair, "but I can't do Allan."

The Barbie actresses revealed they had a cast sleepover at the London hotel Claridge's to get close. "We all shared beds and wore our pajamas, and ordered room service," Margot shared on The Kelly Clarkson Show, "and played games, and found out that America [Ferrera] is exceptionally competitive."

America had her own tea to spill about the evening. "Nobody told me that it was a sexy Barbie sleepover," she quipped. "So everybody was in like really pretty silky nightgowns, and I was in like the most grandma floral twin set you can imagine."

As for the Kens? "Greta was very deliberate in what she wanted the Kens to do to bond," Simu Liu exclusively told E! News, "which was to gym together."

The French version of Barbie's poster went viral after social media users pointed out the double entendre of the translation. "She can do everything. He's just Ken," the English tagline goes, which was translated to, "Elle peut tout faire. Lui, c'est juste Ken."

However, fans went wild after pointing out that "ken" has a slang meaning in French as "f--k" and would translate to, "He can only f--k." Bonjour, Ken!

Though Nicola Coughlan only appeared for a few moments in the film, it was very important to her to experience life in plastic.

"I auditioned for Barbie back in January 22 when I was on holiday with friends," she wrote on Instagram. "I'd packed one random hot pink dress I hadn't worn at all and when I had to make my audition tape I thought- this is fate, I have a dress in Barbie Pink!"

Admitting she's "obsessed" with Greta Gerwig, the Bridgerton star said that "the prospect of working with her was something I couldn't even have imagined." 

"When I found out she wanted to have me be part of @barbiethemovie, and then that I probably wouldn't be able to make it work because of my schedule I was firstly elated and quickly heartbroken," Nicola continued. "So when I was asked if I wanted to pop into Barbieland even briefly my answer was an immediate, and very emphatic yes."