While the newly-coined phrase "She's everything… He's just Ken," has been non-stop repeated amid press for the upcoming Barbie movie, it appears the sentiment didn't ring true for Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling while filming the highly-anticipated film.
Though the Australian actress is the undisputed star of the summer's most hyped film – and has perfectly recreated Barbie's signature style – director Greta Gerwig has revealed a moment on set where the dynamic between Margot and Ryan unexpectedly shifted.
The acclaimed director, who co-wrote Barbie with her partner Noah Baumbach, gave behind-the-scenes insight into one of the most viral on-set moments from the making of the film, when its lead stars were pictured roller blading at Venice Beach, and the "surreal" fan reaction it caused.
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Speaking with Rolling Stone, Greta explained how some set visitors made Margot feel "self-conscious" when most of their attention was unexpectedly directed towards Ryan instead.
"How Barbie operates in Barbie Land is she's entirely continuous with her environment," she started, explaining: "Even the houses have no walls, because you never need to hide because there's nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed of. And suddenly finding yourself in the real world and wishing you could hide, that's the essence of being human."
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She continued: "When we were actually shooting on Venice Beach, with Margot and Ryan in neon rollerblading outfits, it was fascinating because it was actually happening in front of us."
Greta then revealed: "People would go by Ryan, high-five him, and say, 'Awesome, Ryan, you look great!' And they wouldn't actually say anything to Margot."
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And while the Lady Bird writer sympathized with her lead star, she admitted that when it came to the particular moment in Barbie's life they were filming, it made for far more real and vulnerable acting on behalf of Margot.
"They'd just look at her. It was just surreal. In that moment, she did feel self-conscious," Greta recalled, adding: "And as the director, I wanted to protect her. But I also knew that the scene we were shooting had to be the scene where she felt exposed. And she was exposed, both as a celebrity and as a lady."
She added: "To be fair, Ryan was like, 'I wish I wasn't wearing this vest.' But it was a different kind of discomfort."
Though little still has been unveiled about the plot of Barbie beyond the fact that fans will see the iconic anthropomorphic doll depart Barbie Land and head for the real world, already there has been praise for both Margot and Ryan's roles.
Speaking with Vogue for a cover story, Margot described Ryan's performance as "the greatest version of Ryan Gosling ever put on screen."
Margot is not only lead actress but also producer, alongside her husband Tom Ackerley and their production company LuckyChap. Barbie also stars Dua Lipa, Issa Rae, Emma Mackey, Nichola Coughlan, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, and more.