Insider Reveals Barbra Streisand’s Surprise Cameo in Matchbox 20’s ‘Push’, Ryan Gosling's Mysterious Role Finally Explained

Rob Thomas, Ryan Gosling. Kristin Callahan/Shutterstock ; Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.

The Barbie movie has numerous potential takeaways, but an unexpected outcome of watching the film is finding Matchbox Twenty's "Push" continuously playing in your mind.

Lead singer Rob Thomas shared how director Greta Gerwig reached out to his team to obtain permission for Ryan Gosling (playing Ken) to cover the 1996 song in the Margot Robbie-led movie.

In Bring It On, Kirsten Dunst's character had a boyfriend who Thomas describes as douchey. In one scene, the boyfriend is seen in his dorm room with a Matchbox Twenty poster in the background. Thomas reflects on how during the 90s, the band became a bigger target as they gained more success. Despite expecting the band to be mocked in Barbie, Thomas was pleasantly surprised to learn about a scene where the Kens, including Gosling, passionately sing "Push" on the beach to the Barbies.

"Julie Greenwald from Atlantic Records visited the Hollywood Bowl recently after watching the movie. She expressed her admiration for Ken and 'Push,' saying how much she loved them. I was genuinely touched by her words and thought it was really great," he reminisced. Thomas further revealed that Gerwig has always been one of his long-lasting crushes.

He mentioned being on a plane once when he exclaimed with excitement, "Baby, Greta Gerwig just boarded the plane, oh my God." He was pleased that his admiration for Greta remained unaffected, which made it even better. In an episode of the "ReelBlend" podcast, Gerwig confirmed that Matchbox Twenty was aware of their song being used in the movie.

Anthony Harvey/Shutterstock

"She expressed optimism that it would rejuvenate the song," she stated. Despite the fact that the director found amusement in picturing the Kens singing the song on the beach, Gerwig disclosed that several members of the cast were unaware that "Push" was not originally composed for Barbie.

Many members of the cast, especially the younger ones, were unaware that the song had not charted in the U.K. like it had in the U.S. As a result, some believed that the song had been created specifically for the film. Even Issa Rae, who portrays President Barbie, confessed that she was not familiar with the song and had originally thought it was just a fictional creation for the scene. She later expressed her surprise and enjoyment upon discovering that it was, in fact, a real pop hit.

In the EW interview, Gerwig discussed the connection she perceived between the Kens and the band Matchbox Twenty, while acknowledging that Barbie is a devoted Indigo Girls fan. However, she was taken aback by her own surprise upon hearing the lyrics once again.

"In the chorus, Thomas sings, 'I wanna push you around / Well, I will, well, I will. I wanna push you down / Well, I will, well, I will / I wanna take you for granted.'"

During his interview with USA Today, Thomas provided further insight into the song, revealing that he wrote it in just one night about an ex. He explained that the song was inspired by his experience of feeling manipulated and taken advantage of by someone he had been with. In the context of the 90s, a time characterized by manufactured angst, Thomas acknowledged the problematic nature of the song's theme, highlighting the prevalence of emotional manipulation. He emphasized that the song reflected the idea that it was easier to exploit someone rather than invest effort in a relationship. However, Thomas admitted that, in his early 20s, he was unaware of the true meaning behind his lyrics. It is only now, in his 50s and after 24 years of marriage, that he can look back and recognize the personal struggles he was going through. During the 90s, therapy wasn't commonly considered as an option, so Thomas expressed his emotions through journaling and shared them with the world instead.

Despite the controversial lyrics, Thomas stated that there wasn't a significant level of outrage at that time. He added that the band belonged to the George Michael, David Bowie world, where the focus was on sparking discussions and debates.

Thomas further mentioned that the prevailing climate back then was different, and a song like that would be considered more problematic now with our increased awareness. He acknowledged that '90s music was filled with problematic elements, making their song relatively mild in comparison. Thomas humorously pointed out that he, personally, was not the type to intimidate or assert dominance over others.

Barbie, currently showing in theaters, raked in over $162 million during its opening weekend. The soundtrack, featuring Gosling's rendition of "Push" and an original track titled "I'm Just Ken," is now accessible for streaming.