The Barbie Movie Almost Turned Bowen Yang, Ben Platt, And Dan Levy Into Kens
Greta Gerwig's "Barbie" movie is killing it at the box office. Friendly debates about whether to schedule your "Barbenheimer" screenings with "Barbie" first or second have took over social media, and of course, there are lots of pundits complaining about how "Barbie" is going to make your little girls want to reach for their dreams and how that's horrible or something. Whatever. It's a brilliant movie that features Ryan Gosling singing a song about how Ken dolls are unappreciated, and if that doesn't suck you in, nothing will.
Gosling plays the main Ken, with other Kens played by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, and Scott Evans, with John Cena appearing as a Mermaid Ken. Between the delightful outfits, smiling faces, and stellar choreography, lots of actors wanted in on the Ken doll action. Sadly, a few big names didn't make the cut, thanks to Covid shooting restrictions, according to a story in Vanity Fair. Those actors include Emmy winner Dan Levy from "Schitt's Creek" (seen above), Emmy nominee Bowen Yang from "Saturday Night Live" (below left) and Tony-winner Ben Platt from "Dear Evan Hansen."
The Kens who never were
It's hard to imagine how this group of actors didn't make it in, but it comes down to production logistics, because the cast for "Barbie" was required to reside in London for three months as the film was shot because of the pandemic rules. That didn't work for Yang, Levy, and Platt's schedules. There is some really great Ken potential here, so if they do a sequel or a spin-off (which seems inevitable), I do hope all of these guys make it in.
It sounds like all of the actors who missed out hope they get another chance as well. Casting director Allison Jones ("The 40-Year-Old-Virgin"), who cast the film alongside Lucy Bevan ("The Batman"), told the site that the three actors were "really bummed they couldn't do it." Another missed casting opportunity also extended to Allan, another dude doll played by Michael Cera. This doll only had a single version on store shelves, and he's a little sad, very funny, and maybe the most level-headed guy in Barbieland. Jones revealed, "Dear, dear Jonathan Groff ["Frozen"] was like, 'I can't believe I'm typing this, but I can't do Allan.'"
I don't know about you, but I could watch the film again, just to focus on the background Kens, particularly Kingsley Ben-Adir's joyfully innocent face looking admiringly at Gosling. It's even a little disconcerting after seeing him as the villain Gravik in Marvel's "Secret Invasion." Perhaps another vewing is in order to think about what might have been. I fully admit to wondering what sort of amazing Ken dolls these three would have been dressed as.
"Barbie" is in theaters now.