Why Matt Bomer Declined the Role of Barbie after Playing Ken in 'Magic Mike'
Matt Bomer, known for his role as Ken in 'Magic Mike', surprisingly declined the opportunity to star in Greta Gerwig's 'Barbie' Despite being the ideal fit for the character, Bomer decided against taking on the iconic role
Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for GQ
Matt Bomer, known for his role in Magic Mike, possesses the perfect energy to portray Barbie's boyfriend. However, he made the decision to decline a role in the immensely successful blockbuster film.
Bomer, who is 46 years old, mentioned that he had auditioned for multiple Ken roles in the movie. "I recorded the auditions solo, portraying various versions of Ken and I changed my clothing for each one," Bomer stated in an interview with Vanity Fair published on Tuesday, November 21. "I recorded the other character's lines on my device and then left time to respond to them."
He discussed the possibility of joining the Margot Robbie-led film with director Greta Gerwig, but the filming schedule in London ultimately led him to withdraw from the project. Bomer didn't want to be away from his family for an extended period of time.
Barbie production continued during COVID-19 restrictions, preventing any travel back and forth. This was a dealbreaker for the father of three, Bomer and husband Simon Halls, who got married in 2011 and have sons Kit (2005) and twins Walker and Henry (2008).
While Bomer never had the opportunity to portray an official Ken, he did play a character named Ken who performed a remarkable doll-inspired dance routine in Magic Mike (2012), Magic Mike XXL (2015), and Magic Mike’s Last Dance (2023).
Several other actors, including Bowen Yang, Dan Levy, Ben Platt and Jonathan Groff, also declined roles in the movie due to the logistical challenges of spending three months in London, as casting director Allison Jones disclosed to VF in July. Jones mentioned that the actors were genuinely disappointed that they were unable to participate, with Jonathan Groff expressing, "I can’t believe I’m typing this, but I can’t do Allan."
Ryan Gosling as Ken Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.
Michael Cera portrayed Allan, while Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, and Ncuti Gatwa were part of the diverse cast playing different Kens. In the meantime, Bomer is currently starring in and serving as an executive producer for the Showtime series Fellow Travelers, which airs on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. The series follows the love story of two political staffers in the 1950s, portrayed by Bomer and Jonathan Bailey. Additionally, Bomer has a supporting role in the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, where he plays the lover of Bernstein, portrayed by Bradley Cooper, in a film that is a frontrunner for an Oscar.
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Bomer has plenty of opportunities for roles, and there's a chance he could reprise his popular character, Neal Caffrey from White Collar.
"There have been discussions about a revival. It's a serious conversation that's ongoing," the actor revealed to TVLine recently. "It's not a sure thing yet, but there's a plan in the works, so we'll see."
