Why Ryan Gosling Thinks Ken Would Be “Really Jealous” Of Noah From The Notebook

If ever you had questions about the level of range Ryan Gosling brings to his roles, look no further than the drastic difference between his star-making role as Noah Calhoun in The Notebook and Just Ken in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. The two men couldn’t be more different. Just ask Gosling, who is pretty sure that Ken would be super jealous of Noah. Especially Noah’s facial hair, which we all can agree is pretty spectacular.

Gosling sat down with his Barbie co-star Margot Robbie for an interview with Keltie Knight from E! News, who noted that the actor had played two of her favorite characters, Ken and Noah Calhoun from the 2004 romantic drama The Notebook. “I Ken’d as hard as I could,” Gosling admitted, and Knight praised him for all of his excellent Kenergy with a chef’s kiss.

Knight then asked both Gosling and Robbie what Ken would think of Noah and vice versa, and it seems like an open and shut case for Ken feeling pretty jealous of moody, complicated Noah.

“I think Ken would love Noah,” Robbie said, and Gosling agreed. “His facial hair,” Gosling said of Ken’s admiration for Noah, “just to have it. To be able to grow it. Grow anything.”

Robbie went on to say Ken would admire the fact that Noah built a house, while Gosling noted that at least “Noah had a house. He would be really jealous of his house. Ken has nowhere to live.”

Plus I have a sneaking suspicion that Ken is a true romantic at heart and might be a bit jealous of Noah and Allie, played by Rachel McAdams, and their epic love story. Which takes place when Noah is sporting a generous beard and taking Allie back to the house he built.

Poor sweet Ken.

While Ken might be jealous of Noah, early reviews of Barbie are singing Gosling’s praise in the role. A role he actually prepared for with his two young daughters, 8-year-old Esmerelda and 7-year-old Amada, acting as his coach. Gosling played Noah years before he and Eva Mendes welcomed their kids, so I really feel like that’s a big point in Ken’s favor.

Perhaps the real one-two punch people need to be watching this week is not Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, with both movies opening July 21, but rewatch The Notebook before heading to the theater to watch Barbie. Ken would be really grateful, I’m sure.