As soon as upon a time on the net, again when “howdy lady” memes abounded, Ryan Gosling was once identified in positive circles because the Web’s boyfriend. Now, we’re getting a primary glimpse of Gosling as The usa’s boyfriend—he is enjoying Ken, as within the Ken doll, the on-off paramour of Barbie, within the upcoming Greta Gerwig-directed movie Barbie.

(And for what it’s value, Gosling, talking to GQ again in 2016, attributed his boyfriendish public character to his “Canadianness.” Ok!)

In a promo symbol launched lately, Gosling-as-Ken feels a bit like a mashup of earlier characters he’s performed: the icy peroxide mane identical to Luke’s from The Position Past the Pines; the spray-tanned sleaze of Jacob in Loopy, Silly, Love; the self-esteem of courting a plastic girl like he did in Lars and the Actual Lady. Starring reverse Margot Robbie as Barbie, Gosling is rumored to be enjoying one in all a number of Kens—amongst a number of Barbies—within the movie, which additionally stars The usa Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, and Michael Cera, amongst others, extra of whom are positive to be printed within the leadup to its July 2023 unlock.

And whilst the cutoff acid-wash jean vest and customized Calvin Klein-style “Ken” briefs might not be  anything else you’ve ever noticed a Ken doll put on sooner than, the vibe of Gerwig’s manufacturing means that may well be the purpose. (Closing 12 months’s Berluti collab means that Ken would possibly have extra up his sleeve than we notice.)

“Other people typically listen ‘Barbie’ and assume, ‘I do know what that film goes to be,’” Robbie instructed Style remaining 12 months, “after which they listen that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, they usually’re like, ‘Oh, neatly, possibly I don’t…’”

The Barbie franchise has been in the course of the Hollywood ringer for almost a decade now, with quite a lot of gamers on the helm: as IndieWire famous, screenwriter Diablo Cody was once set to jot down and direct at one level; years later in 2016, Amy Schumer was once set to celebrity, with a brand new script by way of Neighborhood manufacturer Hilary Winston. However now it is in Gerwig’s arms, and will probably be right here in a few 12 months.