Ryan Gosling Responds to Barbie Fans Criticizing His Ken Casting

Ryan Gosling has a simple message for critics: He's just Ken.

After details about the highly-anticipated Barbie film began to surface (especially when it came to casting), fans began debating online about whether the actor should be the one living a life in plastic alongside Margot Robbie. But despite the criticism, as Ryan recently noted, he's still ready to party.

"I would say, you know, if people don't want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with," he told GQ in an interview published May 31. "It is funny…this kind of clutching-your-pearls idea of, like, #notmyken. Like you ever thought about Ken before this?"

The Notebook alum added, "But suddenly, it's like, ‘No, we've cared about Ken this whole time.' No, you didn't. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never f--ked with Ken. That's the point. If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So, your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told."

And as Ryan, 42, explained, his connection to his character comes full circle in real life.

"There's something about this Ken that really, I think, relates to that version of myself," he continued. "Just, like, the guy that was putting on Hammer pants and dancing at the mall and smelling like Drakkar Noir and Aqua Net-ing bangs. I owe that kid a lot. I feel like I was very quick to distance myself from him when I started making more serious films. But the reality is that, like, he's the reason I have everything I have."

Fans will be able to enter Barbie world soon enough when the film premieres July 21. But until then, keep reading for a look at all the pics from the movie set so far.

Co-stars Margot and Ryan Gosling sported matching rollerblades and coordinating outfits on the set of the Barbie movie on June 27.

Robbie and Gosling, who star as Barbie and Ken, share a laugh while filming by the beach in Southern California.