Barbie is the year’s top-grossing movie, so it makes sense that Ryan Gosling’s salary for his part was one of his highest yet. Gosling has had a successful career, full of memorable performances. He has even been nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars twice: first in 2007 for Half Nelson and again in 2017 for La La Land. While he is best known for his dramatic work, though, Gosling’s role as Ken in Barbie highlights his strength in comedy, which makes it stand out.

Ryan Gosling’s role in The Nice Guys proved Ken was the perfect role for him, given its earlier showcase of his comedic ability. The reception to Barbie and Gosling’s role, in particular, has added to his already impressive resume and could even lead to another Oscar nomination for his hilarious portrayal of the iconic doll. With this role being so memorable, from his iconic costumes to his performance of the song “I’m Just Ken,” Gosling was paid well for his work in the movie.

Ryan Gosling Was Reportedly Paid $12.5 Million For Barbie

While official figures are rarely released from either the studios or the actors themselves, Ryan Gosling’s Barbie salary has been revealed. According to Variety, Gosling earned $12.5 million for his role as Ken, which matched Margot Robbie’s salary for her leading role as Barbie. This shows that his performance was valued highly by being paid the same as Robbie despite not playing the title character. It was later revealed that Margot Robbie’s Barbie salary was actually a lot higher, though, as she received bonuses of over $50 million. It is unclear if Gosling was also paid any bonuses for the film.

Being paid an initially equal salary to Robbie does make sense given he has a substantial role in the movie and was key to its marketing. Gosling and Robbie went on a tour to promote the film showing he more than earned his pay. These salaries are high, especially compared to some of the previous work the duo has done, yet this gamble appears to have paid off. With a worldwide gross of $1.419 billion, Barbie broke Warner Bros.’ box office record, so the studio has more than recouped what it paid the actors.

How Ryan Gosling’s Barbie Salary Compares To His Other Movies

While Barbie wasn’t Ryan Gosling’s biggest salary, it was certainly one of his better paydays. Ryan Gosling’s The Gray Man salary saw the star make a reported $20 million, his highest earnings for a film to date. Alongside this, Gosling made $10 million for Blade Runner 2049, $8 million for La La Land, and $6.5 million for First Man. This places his Barbie pay nicely in comparison to his previous work and lines up with where Warner Bros. might value him for this role. He is certainly an established actor in 2023, and it is likely any upcoming major roles will feature a somewhat similar pay to what he received for Barbie.

Sources: Variety