Eva Mendes: critics hated on Ryan Gosling as Ken, he was an iconic character


Eva Mendes and Ryan Gosling have been together since 2011 and reportedly married since 2016. They have two daughters together, Esmeralda Amada and Amada Lee. They’ve always been pretty private about their relationship and family life. However, Eva has given Ryan shoutouts over the last couple of years, especially on the subject of Barbie. As you all know by now, Ryan was one of only two Barbie actors to be nominated for an Academy Award. He was also a part of the team nominated for Best Song. I would really love to see him get up there and sing “I’m Just Ken,” because I think that would be a delight. If Ryan doesn’t want to do a lot of the actual singing, make it a singalong! Take that mic out into the audience and get Cillian Murphy or Christopher Nolan to singalong. That how you get some positive Oscar hashtags trending. Anyway, Eva, who has been hella proud of her husband’s role, took to Instagram to speak out, doing a satisfying little “I told you so” to the haters.

“So proud of my man,” Mendes wrote Wednesday on Instagram. “So much hate when he took on this role. So many people trying to shame him for doing it. Despite all the #Notmyken ridicule and articles written about him, he created this completely original, hilarious, heartbreaking, now iconic character and took it all the way to the Oscars.”

Mendes even shared parts of an article partially titled, “Ryan Gosling Is Giving Major Cringe as Ken in ‘Barbie,’” which likened him to “one of those creepy, older West Hollywood men who still think they’re in their 20s.”

While presumably tongue in cheek, it was no anomaly. Some saw “Barbie” as a cash-grab of Mattel’s famous doll line or an earnest failure in tackling corporate influence. Others deemed it a zippy clarion call for feminism that turned its star and producer Margot Robbie and Gerwig into role models for women.

“So beyond proud to be this Ken’s Barbie,” wrote Mendes in her post.

[From HuffPo]

Awww, this is so sweet! It’s really nice that Eva is so supportive of Ryan. I bet she’s really proud of him for not only his performance but for taking a role that was integral in teaching younger generations, like their daughters’, about the patriarchy and what a Barbie World run by women looks like. Bring on an all-female Supreme Court! Ryan’s unprecedented statement of support for Margot Robbie and Greta Gerwig after they were snubbed was pretty freaking great, too

I wonder how much all of the negative publicity while the movie was filming affected Ryan at home behind-the-scenes. I remember when those first images of Ryan and Margot dressed in the rollerblading outfits leaked. At the time, members of production were reportedly upset about them getting out, but a lot of the Internet was intrigued and excited by them, myself included. Honestly, the joke was on all of the critics out there because I agree with Eva: Gosling was an awesome and iconic Ken.

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7 Responses to “Eva Mendes: critics hated on Ryan Gosling as Ken, he was an iconic character”

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  1. Josephine says:

    On a completely superficial level, I hope we get to see more of Eva during awards season. I love her style and look forward to seeing what she does. I know they don’t appear together that often, but I’m hoping for at least a couple outings!!

  2. BlueNailsBetty says:

    I know it would never happen but it would be hilarious if during the I’m Just Ken performance Cillian made a cameo and joined them in the final chorus.

  3. Myeh says:

    I’m waiting to see if the white feminist backlash will come against a woman of color praising her white husband. I get why everyone is upset that Margo and Greta got snubbed and no one is noticing how nominated women of color are having to explain, apologize and not truly celebrate their success because they know that will draw ire.

  4. Lady Esther says:

    Good for Eva! Nicely stated, heartfelt and true. I am as devastated as my sisters and girlfriends about Greta and Margot’s snubs, but Ryan deserves his nomination and he’s acted perfectly in support of the movie and his costars. I have been waiting for him to rock I’m Just Ken at the Oscars and he can bring it….

  5. bisynaptic says:

    Wasn’t the point of the movie that Barbie is the icon and Ken is an afterthought? That’s how it’s been, historically.