Barbie director Greta Gerwig was visited on set by her former collaborator Timothée Chalamet, who proclaimed, “I should have been in this”

Last Updated on August 24, 2023

The cast of Barbie is packed to the brim, so much so that the trailer for the comedy was able to fill the screen with all of their names. The director of the movie, Greta Gerwig, is no stranger to working with a talented ensemble, already helming critical darlings like Lady Bird and Little Women. Two notable actors from those past films would not get to be included in the pink-laded summer hit, — Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet. Though, not for the lack of trying.

The star of the Dune films, another Warner Bros. production, still managed to step foot on the set, according to Variety. As Gerwig admitted she hadn’t succeeded in getting Ronan and Chalamet parts in Barbie, she was still excited to see him visit the set. “I tried to get them both in it. They both couldn’t do it. Although Timothée did come by the set and then said, ‘I should have been in this,’ And I was like, ‘I know! Why aren’t you in this?’” Gerwig stated. Although the cast was already stacked, both Ronan and Chalamet were being planned for what Gerwig referred to as “speciality cameos.” The director explained, “both of them couldn’t do it and I was so annoyed. But I love them so much. But it felt like doing something without my children. I mean, I’m not their mom, but I sort of feel like their mom.”

Ronan’s schedule conflicted with the filming of Barbie as she was filming her own movie, The Outrun, in which she is also attached as a producer. According to Variety, The Outrun “is adapted from the 2016 memoir by Scottish journalist and author Amy Liptrot.” The casting directors of Barbie had revealed that there were other actors that the production went after, but couldn’t commit to appearing. This included Saturday Night Live Emmy nominee Bowen Yang, Schitt’s Creek Emmy winner Dan Levy and Dear Evan Hansen Tony winner Ben Platt. They were all intended to appear as more various versions of Kens in the movie, “but scheduling logistics prevented the castings from happening.” Additionally, Jonathan Groff was also up for the role of Ken’s heavily-attached friend Allan. The part would end up going to Scott Pilgrim star Michael Cera.