I dressed up like Ryan Gosling playing Ken in new Barbie film – but people thought I looked like another famous face
WITH peroxide blond hair, stonewashed double-denim and bright white boxers, it is certainly a look for the brave.
This is Ryan Gosling, 41, dressed as Ken for the upcoming Barbie film but fans aren’t impressed.
Not even the Hollywood heartthrob’s Adonis-like abs have saved him from a bashing online.
Many have called him “actually terrifying” and “horrendous” and long-term fans quizzed: “How did they make Ryan Gosling not hot?”
Even his wife of 11 years Eva Mendes, 48, described it as “So. F. Funny” on Instagram.
Most say it’s a doll disaster but is that really fair? Sun writer Josh Saunders takes the look for a spin on the mean streets of London…
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“OH my god, you look like Donald Trump,” cackled a passerby, as the last of my two-hour transformation into Ken was complete.
While Aqua famously told us “Life in plastic, it’s fantastic” – I’d soon find out a lot of work goes into becoming a desirable doll doppelganger.
My first pitstop was for a 15-minute spray tan to give my ashen, sun-allergic, skin that dreamy pump-Ken, ahem pumpkin, glow.
Next, I lopped off the arms of my favourite jacket to achieve the double denim look – which is tipped as this summer’s hottest fashion trend.
Writing ‘Ken’ on the waistband of my tightie-whities was a throwback to school uniform nametags but at least there’s no chance of them being nicked.
Now to don a bleach-blond wig, scruff it up into a messy mop like a Californian surfer and I was nearly there.
The final step was to turn my portly paunch into a six-pack and thankfully, it didn’t take endless gruelling gym sessions.
Within minutes, I was sculpted to look like my chiselled counterpart thanks to shadowing, contouring and lines being drawn on in make-up.
Now, in the words of my idol Ken: “Come on Barbie, let’s go party”.
It was time to hit the streets to see what the public thought and there were a few surprises in store.
You definitely pull it off better than Ryan Gosling. But I wouldn’t like to see my husband wearing it!
Aija Siitonen
“To be honest, it’s my idea of perfection,” Nadia Abdullah, 24, told me. “Blond hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, abs. It caters for everyone.”
Moments later, she and her friend Jamila Nola, 27, splayed their bodies across me and one placed their hand millimetres away from my crotch.
“We want the goods!” they chanted, much to my surprise and delight.
Not only was I highly fashionable but I’d been transformed from an average-looking bloke from Birmingham into a babe magnet.
Moments later, two tourists raced over and in broken English asked for a selfie which of course, as Ken, I was only too happy to oblige.
While striking a model-like pose, across the street a woman began to shake. “It’s Ryan Gosling!” she yelled, before being consoled by a passerby.
The look seemed a hit with the young and the old, as Aija Siitonen, 64, proved – despite receiving disapproving stares from her husband.
She said: “My first reaction was, ‘Wow, that’s very blond hair!’ I was wondering who you were!”
With a wink, Aija added: “You definitely pull it off better than Ryan Gosling. But I wouldn’t like to see my husband wearing it.”
Nearby Andrew Foster, 66, who was waiting for a haircut in Borough Market, said he wouldn’t rule out copying my look.
“It’s the only colour I’ve never been and it looks good on you. It reminds me of Annie Lennox,” he added. “But you’ll have to be very careful where you go out looking like that.”
Not everyone was so keen on Ken. Josh, 30, flatly said he “definitely wouldn’t” steal my style this summer.
To be honest, it’s my idea of perfection – blond hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, abs. It caters for everyone!
Nadia Abdullah
He added: “I’ve never liked the bleached blond look. It looks very fake and like a Californian.”
Next, we spoke to a trio of young Love Island fans, who believed it could be a recipe for matchmaking success in Casa Amor.
Molly Blay, 19, said: “Some of the boys on the show are a bit weird and would love this. Anything goes on Love Island.
“While it’s not how I envisaged Ken when I played with Barbie dolls, it’s unique and cool. I guess!”
Gabbi Wolfe described the look as “bad, very bad” and believed no one would date a person who dressed like me.
But Gilbert Kabwende, 20, disagreed and told us a few of his friends would try ‘the Ken look’ at nightclubs, although he “wouldn’t be seen with them”.
He added: “Ryan Gosling doesn’t wear it well but you do. He may be the Hollywood heartthrob but you’re London’s heartthrob.”
“Wow. Maybe being plastic, really is fantastic,” I thought while standing on London Bridge, imagining what Ken would do in my situation.
Seconds later a number of fans flocked demanding selfies and for me to flaunt my muscles. All was finally clear: give the people what they want.
Despite being compared to a Backstreet Boy, H from Steps and even a former US President, it seemed London loved the look.
It’s true, they could have been toying with my emotions. But one thing’s for certain, I’d received more compliments and attention from strangers than I had over my lifetime.
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Before I never would have dared to walk bare-chested with a drawn-on six-pack, a spray tan or a blond hair in a busy, bustling city before Ken.
Now my confidence was sky-high and a broad smile spread across my face. While many are put off by Ryan’s new look it turns out I’m a Barbie Boy and proud.
