MORE THAN BARBIE'S BOYFRIEND

Critics are raving about Ryan Gosling’s performance as Ken in the hit movie and say he’s tipped for Oscar glory

- MAXINE PETERS

IT’S been Barbie this and Barbie that since the world first got a whiff of a movie in the making – but now that the film is finally here in all its pinkness, another character is emerging as the scene-stealing star.

Margot Robbie as Barbie is good – but it’s Ryan Gosling as Ken the critics are really raving about.

He plays the adoring doll that orbits Barbie’s world, flashing his washboard abs and staring dreamily at the love of his life with his striking baby blues. His job is simply “beach” and just as clean-cut and athletic as Barbie’s boyfriend should be.

But this Ken is a lot more than an easy-on-the-eye jock with perfect hair and bright-white teeth. He belts out ballads, manoeuvres his way through choreographed moves and is equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.

In short, he’s the highlight of the show – and for Margot, who also produced the Barbie movie, it’s proof she was right in wanting Ryan and only Ryan to play her beau. He was written into the script as “Ken Ryan Gosling”, she says. “We pretty much wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

He eventually agreed – but not everyone was convinced Ryan would be fantastic in plastic. The hashtag Not My Ken started doing the rounds with Barbie fans lamenting the choice.

“I can’t be the only one that thinks Ryan Gosling looks old to play Ken,” one said. “That man is ancient,” another agreed.

The 42-year-old clapped back in an interview with GQ magazine. “If people don’t want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with,” quipped Ryan, who now refers to himself as “Ken’s representative”.