Barbie was one of the most important pop culture phenomena of 2023. The buzzing anticipation for Warner Bros. summer blockbuster sparked ridiculous levels of hype for all things pink and plastic for the better part of the year, and when Greta Gerwig’s movie was finally released, fans flocked to the theaters. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and eight Oscars, and amassed 1.4 billion dollars globally. Many rumors have been circulating around WFS about Mr. Aldridge and the Barbie movie, which were only heightened when he sported an “I am Kenough” sweatshirt recently. You’ve all been waiting patiently. Finally, Mr. Aldridge is ready to speak.
“Yes, I was supposed to play Ken. The secret’s out; the studio’s done an awful job of covering it up and I’m tired of defending Ryan Gosling.”
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard tell of footage surfacing of Mr. Aldrige singing “I’m Just Ken.” You might have seen the infamous photo of him trying on platinum blonde wigs for the role. Some students even showed the footage to Ms. Butterfield and asked her to analyze the vocal work.
“It was astounding,” said Ms. Butterfield. “I’ve never heard a performance so moving.” When asked to compare the song to Ryan Gosling’s rendition, Ms. Butterfield refused to comment.
For months, Mr. Aldridge has refuted all the accusations. With the rise of AI, he says it was easy to attribute the footage to deep fakes. He convinced several freshmen and some teachers, but now he’s finally come clean.
Mr. Aldridge was pensive when asked about the film as it is now. “Of course it was hurtful,” he told the Whittier. “I barely got any warning that the project was going in a different direction. I was excited to bring the Kenergy to set, and I had already signed several marketing deals.”
Whose fault was it that Aldridge was kicked? He was hesitant to name names. “I don’t think it was Ryan’s fault, really. I know he’s getting all the glory. But we’ve met a few times and he seems nice. I would have liked to get an invitation to the awards shows, though. They might have gotten lost in the mail.” When asked about Gerwig, he commented, “Greta and I are still great friends. We’re actually getting lunch very soon to talk about her upcoming Narnia film.”
When Mr. Aldridge wore the words “I am Kenough” this recent Halloween, it was a badge of pride, of honor, and of grace. He’s been snubbed, and took the high road.
So what’s next for Mr. Aldrige? We’ll see where his talent takes him. An inside source tells us that Hollywood has come knocking. Don’t be surprised if you see him on the silver screen very soon.
