Ryan Gosling has basically become the ambassador of the upcoming Barbie movie due to his high level of commitment to his role and his unmatched enthusiasm for the project. While he certainly contributed a lot of Ken-ergy based on his hilarious bits in the trailers, it turns out he also contributed something huge to the costume department. The Oscar nominee, of course, gave the team an idea for branded underwear and, honestly, it was kinda genius.
The costume designer for Barbie, Jacqueline Durran, talked to British Vogue about what it was like working on such a high-concept film, which relied heavily on over-the-top attire. The team had a high bar to reach, as the doll brand's looks have been a part of the American cultural zeitgeist since the ‘50s. Based on the footage we've seen though, they did an amazing job, as the first looks at the outfits from the film are picture perfect. They completely capture the essence of Barbie-core and the aesthetics we have grown to recognize over the years.
But as you'd imagine, this wasn’t easy, as Jacqueline Durran revealed that she and her team only had eleven weeks to make everything. The designers were remarkably still making clothing pieces even as production started. Durran says that this was actually a positive for the team, because it allowed them to keep innovating as different people working on the film came up with new ideas. One of these folks was Ryan Gosling, who proposed the absolutely genius idea for there to be Ken underwear that features Calvin Klein lettering. The detail went viral on the Internet and instilled confidence in the creative team early on it seems. You can see a picture of the boxers below:
It’s nice to hear that the costume team was open to being so collaborative with the actor, who clearly had some great ideas. It really is great marketing as well, as the funny nod to an iconic logo sets a fun tone for what’s to come in the film. Throughout the promotion process, the La La Land star has been nothing but game, showing his passion for the motion picture. He's been embracing all of the pink in his recent red carpet looks, rocking the bleach blonde hair, and even showed up to CinemaCon in a shirt that said “From Director Greta Gerwig” in pink letters.
Unfortunately, not everyone can see that Ken is in Ryan Gosling’s blood. Despite his impeccable job promoting the film, and great contributions to his character, some haters still think the Drive actor is too old for the part. The 42-year-old has brushed off the criticism, though, saying that people never cared about the character in the first place. This man is clearly devoted to his craft and eager to see his character's story play out on the big screen. I personally think we couldn’t be luckier to have someone so fully invested in this role -- to the point that he even made sweet suggestions regarding underwear.
Barbie is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer, so make sure to see it when it hits theaters on July 21st. Fans of the Ken-ergetic actor can also read up on where to watch other great films from Ryan Gosling. And keep your eye on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases for information on other big films hitting cinemas and streaming.
