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SNL: How Ryan Gosling Went from "Soho House Guy" to Barbie (VIDEO)

With Ryan Gosling hosting NBC's Saturday Night Live tonight, let's look back at the SNL "Weekend Update" sketch that led Gosling to Barbie.

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With Ryan Gosling returning to NBC's Saturday Night Live for his third hosting gig tonight (with musical guest Chris Stapleton), how could we not look back on the SNL role that would go on to have a huge impact on his career? Of course, we're talking about 2017's Season 43 opener (with musical guest Jay-Z), with "Weekend Update" anchors Colin Jost & Michael Che welcoming back Alex Moffat's "Guy Who Just Bought a Boat" – but Moffat's "Guy" didn't come along. It would be Gosling's "Guy Who Just Joined Soho House" that would go on to inspire Barbie director/co-writer Greta Gerwig to bring Gosling aboard the film as her "Ken" – and we don't think that we need to remind you of just how well that worked out…

SNL
Image: SNL Screencap; Warner Bros. Discovery

Here's a look back at Gosling's recent visit to NBC's The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (kicking in at around the 4-minute mark), where he discusses that famous "Weekend Update" sketch, how he's feeling more nervous hosting for the third time, trying to keep from breaking mid-sketch, and more. Following that, we have a look back at Gosling's "I'm Just Ken" performance from this year's Oscars and what Gerwig had to share regarding her decision to hire Gosling off of his SNL performance:

During a visit with the SmartLess podcast last summer, Gerwig discussed the success of Barbie and discussed one SNL sketch of Gosling's, in particular, that had an impact on Gosling getting the role. "You know those actors you can… just sort of feel that they know what's funny, and I always felt that about him," Gerwig shared about Gosling. "And then I'm a big fan of all of his SNLs; I always thought he was great on SNL… He did 'Guy That Just Got a Boat' on 'Weekend Update,' and it's so good."

In fact, Gerwig also shared that Gosling was in mind when she wrote the part of Ken – even including Gosling's name in the screenplay. And that was before Gosling was signed for the role. "We actually, in writing it, cast Ryan, like we wrote his name into the script and everything… and [Gosling's name] was everywhere," Gerwig revealed. "And then when we handed them the script, the studio was like, 'Oh, it's so wonderful that you know Ryan.' And I was like, 'Oh, I don't know Ryan. I've never met Ryan, I have no idea.'"

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Ray FlookAbout Ray Flook

Serving as Television Editor since 2018, Ray began five years earlier as a contributing writer/photographer before being brought onto the core BC team in 2017.
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