Editor's Note: This entry contains spoilers for Barbie (2023); read at your own caution.

About

Ryan Gosling Ken refers to actor Ryan Gosling's portrayal of the character Ken in the 2023 film Barbie. Due to Ryan Gosling's strong association with Literally Me roles, such as Driver and Officer K, the actor being cast as Ken inspired memes drawing humor from this association after the initial reveal of Gosling's Ken for the movie in early June 2022 when first-look photos were released. In July 2023, following the premiere of the film, Gosling was widely lauded for his performance, while Ken achieved further virality online due to his plotline involving him becoming enamored with patriarchy and bringing it to Barbieland.

Origin

On June 15th, 2022, Warner Bros. Pictures revealed a first-look photo of Ryan Gosling as one of the versions of Ken from its upcoming 2023 film Barbie (shown below). The tweet^[1] received over 7,000 retweets and 61,600 likes in one day. The reveal followed a similar first-look photo of Margot Robbie as Barbie in late April 2022.

Spread

Within the following hours on June 15th, 2022, the casting inspired memes on social media. For example, within 20 minutes of the original post, Twitter^[2] user @stefabsky quote tweeted it, commenting, "can't believe they yassified the place beyond the pines.' The tweet (shown below, left) gained over 1,200 retweets and 18,500 likes in less than 24 hours. Later that same day, Twitter^[3] user @OrangePaulp combined the image with an introduction card from the MTV dating show Next, with the tweet gaining over 7,000 retweets and 77,900 likes (shown below, center). Twitter^[4] user @bashful_michael wrote, "Freddie Prinze Jr's Fred walked so Ryan Gosling's Ken could run," with the tweet gaining over 1,800 retweets and 14,400 likes in less than 24 hours (shown below, right).

Due to Gosling being strongly associated with silent type, Literally Me Guy roles, such as Officer K from Blade Runner 2049 and Driver from Drive, the promo image also inspired memes drawing humor from this association. For example, on June 15th, Twitter^[5] user @raccoonology posted a Tickets to X meme that gained over 300 retweets and 3,500 likes in one day (shown below, left). Twitter^[6] user @ecto_fun photoshopped Ken's jeans jacket to have a pink Scorpion on its back, a reference to the Drive jacket, gaining over 600 retweets and 3,400 likes in a similar timeframe (shown below, center).

Kendom

Following the premiere of the film in July 2023, Ken achieved further popularization online. In the film, Ken and Barbie travel to the real world, where Ken, who used to live as a supporting character in Barbieland, learns about patriarchy. Ken then brings the patriarchy to Barbieland, establishing Kendom where all Kens hang out together while Barbies, formerly politicians, scientists and other professionals, serve them. Ken's plotline also involves him overcoming his own dependence on Barbie as he achieves self-identity as his own person, proclaiming that he is "kenough."

This, combined with Ryan Gosling's performance in the film being generally praised, spawned memes portraying Ken as a Chad and a Sigma Male. For example, on July 19th, 2023, Twitter^[7] user @LavenderGhast tweeted an extract from a review for the film reading "There […] Ken is delighted to discover patriarchy," posting a still image of Ken with transparent GigaChad edited in. The tweet earned over 1,700 retweets and 23,500 likes in five days (shown below, left). On July 21st, Twitter^[8] user @LookAtMyMeat1 posted a meme that received over 2,900 retweets and 35,100 likes in three days (shown below, right).

The trend continued in the following days, with Kenposting achieving virality on Twitter and iFunny. For example, on July 21st, 2023, iFunny^[9] user IShipGnarandPoppy posted an edit that gained over 5,500 smiles in three days

Related Memes

Kenergy

Kenergy, also spelled Ken-ergy is a term coined by actor Ryan Gosling, who portrays the doll Ken in the 2023 movie Barbie, to describe the quality of carrying the vibe of that character and having "Ken" traits. The term, a portmanteau of "Ken" and "energy," has been said by Gosling in multiple interviews about the film, the word caught on online and has been used in multiple memes about the movie.

I Am Kenough

I Am Kenough is a catchphrase that appears on a tie-dye hoodie worn by Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, in the 2023 Barbie movie. The film was released on July 21st, 2023 and the catchphrase began to inspire viral memes over the following days. In promotion of the movie, Mattel began selling tie-dye Sherpa hoodies with "I am kenough" written on them

Various Examples

Template

Search Interest

External References