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Greta Gerwig’s 40th birthday was on Friday, August 4. For her birthday, she got a couple of really great presents. The first present was Barbie officially surpassing one billion dollars globally just 17 days after it was released. That is crazy and amazing! I was at a wedding this past weekend, and Barbie was a huge topic of conversation among the women in our age group. We spent the entire shuttle ride to the venue talking about the movie and how it spoke to us individually, as well as reminiscing about what Barbie dolls we had as kids. It was an awesome half hour.
Greta’s second birthday gift was equally as awesome. Ryan Gosling aka Beach Ken sent a flash mob to wish Greta a happy birthday while she was in the middle of a Pilates session! The video is posted to the Barbie movie’s official Instagram account and it is definitely worth a watch.
Barbie star Ryan Gosling put his Ken-ergy to great use by giving director Greta Gerwig an epic birthday surprise.
As shown in a video posted to the Barbie movie’s Instagram and TikTok accounts on Friday, the actor — who, of course, played the lead Ken in the film — sent Gerwig a flashmob on her 40th birthday.
In the clip, above, Gerwig can be seen sitting on a Pilates reformer, seemingly in the middle of a workout, before a male dancer — aka a “Ken” — began dancing to “I’m Just Ken,” Gosling’s now-hit song from the film.
More Kens join in, performing a choreographed routine, with Gerwig smiling and laughing as she watched the amazing performance. The music then switched to Dua Lipa’s song from the Barbie soundtrack, “Dance the Night,” and female dancers — aka “Barbies” — entered the studio one by one, before the Barbies and Kens all joined together, and performed a group routine.
The flash mob ended with the dancers all striking a final pose, and yelling, “Happy Birthday, Greta!”
The Oscar-nominated filmmaker — who appeared to be emotional — applauded the dancers, before the clip cut to Gerwig giving out hugs.
OMG, this is so adorable and just looked like it was so much fun! I’ve never been a part of a flash mob, but we accidentally walked into one once during Comic-Con. The Ken dance-off (Ken-off?) was one of the best parts of Barbie. That whole sequence was just *chef’s kiss.* Honestly, this just sounds like a perfect birthday gift for Greta. I smiled with joy watching it. Kudos to Ryan for doing it. I wish that he had been able to show up himself to lead it, but it’s still amazing regardless. I hope Greta had a wonderful 40th birthday! Ryan’s birthday is in November. I wonder if Greta will repay the favor with something equally as clever and fun. Your move, Greta!
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- LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 09: Director/Writer/EP Greta Gerwig attends the World Premiere of “Barbie” at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.,Image: 788399692, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: , Model Release: no, Pictured: Greta Gerwig, Credit line: Jeffrey Mayer / Avalon
Photos credit: Avalon.red, Getty and via Instagram
OMG this is amazing!!! 😍
Given Greta’s deep love for the old MGM musicals and their dance sequences(which she totally was paying homage to in Barbie) this is beyond AMAZING.
Ryan really is full of the Kenergy.
I didn’t realize Greta was a big old HW movie fan!! I am too!!
Anyhoo, this was absolutely FABULOUS!!!! How wonderful of Ryan bringing his Ken out in full force to share a HB to Greta!! It was absolutely adorable and amazing!! So much love!! 💗💗
I think she is just a huge cinephile in general- Barbie has a crazy amount of clever references to other films from French new wave to musicals, to Monty Python.
But she has spoken publicly about her love of films like Oklahoma, Singing in the Rain, and An American in Paris. She has talked about how much she loves Gene Kelly.
I love that Ryan isn’t afraid to be silly. It feels like Greta always manages to foster the feeling of a community on set.
She gave several interviews about the movies that inspired Barbie. She’s done more about her love of old movies, it’s a great rabbit hole to fall down, and a wonderful list of films to watch.
TCM: https://youtu.be/1ugNIPus_FU
Letterboxd: https://youtu.be/s2rNnOGfmv0
It’s thoughtful and original things like this that people remember!! A good lesson for those young dancers, who saw the surprise and joy their effort made, to pass on a kindness whenever they can.
What a cute idea of Ryan!
I really love how surprised and touched Greta was.
But the best news of all was surpassing the Barbillion, and so fast.
Take that, male studio bosses. Especially those stuck in the last millennium who still think no men will watch movies made by women for women.
Many happy returns, Greta – and with that I also mean that she’s able to make more successful movies, and inspires more girls to seek out jobs as writers and directors.
+1,000!! 🙂
I think more men should see it. I’m attempting to get my housemate to come see it with me (I want to see it again and tbh I think it would be good for him). He’s not typically very sexist but occasionally has lapses. He doesn’t especially want to see it, but I might win him over.
The thing is, I don’t go to the movies very often because they’re all these male centric stories that I don’t find especially interesting. So in this case, I went to the theater, loved it, and want to go again and bring someone. That is money they would never have seen if not for Barbie.
I think movies made by women for women are an untapped goldmine. Hopefully the studios will see this and not only give Greta more projects, but make more films for us in general.
There was literally a movie called About a Boy, and I was like, aren’t they all?!
My friend and I went for a second time on Saturday and this time it was probably 50/50 female/male in the audience (first one was more 90/10). Men definitely need to see it even if not everything lands for them, points are still made.
Super cute idea.
I really could not be more thrilled to see Barbie, the pinkest of the pink, doing such amazing box office. It’s another gift from a movie that was full of them. Women are a force, Hollywood, you just have to listen to us.
HBD Greta!! I have a newfound soft spot for Ryan Gosling, who seems more and more to be a man who genuinely likes and appreciates women. Barbie is the gift that keeps on giving this summer!!
This was so sweet, I may have teared up a bit. 😉
Same.
It really is and also seems to reflect the general vibe they had working on it. Like Margot Robbie giving Ryan Gosling a different gift each day on set.
Contrast that to what you hear about other movie sets with people screaming, etc.