• Amy Schumer was originally cast in the film Barbie, but left due to creative differences, mentioning she wanted Barbie to be an inventor.
• Anne Hathaway was set to replace Amy Schumer in Barbie, but ultimately left the project before Margot Robbie took on the titular role.
• Several actors, including Gal Gadot, Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Dan Levy, Bowen Yang, Ben Platt, and Jonathan Groff, were unable to take on roles in the movie Barbie either due to scheduling conflicts or other reasons.
Here is what happened:
Barbieland was very close to having a different set of characters. Before Margot Robbie landed the titular role in Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-nominated film Barbie alongside Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, and more, Amy Schumer had signed up for a life in plastic. However, creative differences led to her exit from the project, despite initial claims of scheduling conflicts. Anne Hathaway was then set to replace Schumer, but ultimately Barbie wouldn’t get the opportunity to wear Prada that time around.
The ensemble cast also saw a number of actors who had to give up their chance to play Ken alongside Ryan Gosling. Amy Schumer revealed that the studio didn’t share her vision for the character, leading to her departure from the project. Anne Hathaway was next in line to take on the role of Ken, but ultimately the project moved on to Margot Robbie as Barbie instead. Gal Gadot was also considered for the lead role, but was unavailable at the time, leading to Robbie’s casting in the film.
Other potential Ken actors included Dan Levy, Bowen Yang, Ben Platt, and Jonathan Groff, all of whom were unable to take on the role for various reasons. The cast for Barbie went through several changes and adjustments before production, leading to a dynamic mix of actors both portraying the titular character and potential supporting roles. Despite the shifts in casting, Barbie remained a highly anticipated film due to the star-studded potential cast and the intriguing behind-the-scenes developments.
