Ben Affleck’s Scrapped Barbie Cameo Revealed By Michael Cera

Summary

• Ben Affleck was originally planned to have a cameo in the
  Barbie
  movie but couldn’t participate due to his commitment to another film.
• The scene that was supposed to feature Affleck instead had Michael Cera’s character engaging in a fight with multiple versions of Ken.
• Despite missing out on the Affleck cameo, the
  Barbie
  movie remains influential and ground-breaking with its clever Easter eggs and pop culture references.

Barbie star Michael Cera has revealed original plans for a Ben Affleck cameo in the hit comedy. Based on the iconic line of fashion dolls by Mattel, in the movie, Cera plays the sole Allan doll in Barbieland, representing a line of male dolls originally marketed as Ken’s friend who could also fit into his clothes. In the movie’s final act, Cera’s character is forced to fight several Kens dressed as road workers as he attempts to escape from the renamed Kenland with America Ferrera’s Gloria and Ariana Greenblatt’s Sasha.

Speaking at a recent Q&A (via The A.V. Club), Cera revealed that original plans for the scene would have featured a cameo from Ben Affleck, with him initiating the fight instead of Allan. Suggesting that Affleck wanted to do the movie but couldn’t due to his commitments on Air, they instead tapped Cera to tackle the fight scene at “the 11th hour.” Check out his comments below:

I wasn’t even supposed to fight in the movie. Am I allowed to say what it was supposed to be? It was supposed to be Ben Affleck. Right? Am I allowed to say that?

I think Ben wanted to do it, but he was directing his movie. They’re like, “Okay, Ben’s out, something has to happen here. So you’re gonna fight them.” So I had to jump in with the stunt team.

I had just gotten over COVID, and they had me training, and I almost died. Just doing the warm-up! I had to lay down in my trailer, and they sent the nurse to see me, and I was sent home. So then we had a second rehearsal, and I learned it. That’s the story basically.

Why Ben Affleck’s Scrapped Barbie Cameo Was A Missed Opportunity

While it is unclear whether director Greta Gerwig originally planned for Affleck to play another Ken, or even a long-lost second Allan doll, his presence in the movie would have offered moviegoers another memorable moment in a movie already packed with Easter eggs and hilarious pop culture references. Moreover, with Affleck’s previous association with the old DC Extended Universe, his presence could have potentially offered another spin on Barbie’s infamous Zack Snyder’s Justice League joke.

In a throwaway moment that upset many fans of the former DCEU director, when Alexandra Shipp’s Writer Barbie is rescued from being brainwashed by the Kens, she quipped “It’s like I’ve been in a dream where I was really invested in the Zack Snyder cut of Justice League.” While some viewers, including Snyder himself, appreciated the humor behind the good-natured jibe, several of his fans felt the joke was in poor taste and were not shy about expressing their displeasure about its inclusion.

Yet, had Barbie featured an appearance from the man responsible for playing Batman in the very movie the joke poked fun at, it would likely have played very differently. Moreover, given the self-aware nature of Gerwig and Noah Baumbach’s script, it is possible Affleck’s cameo would have gone on to make additional references to his time as the DC superhero. Nonetheless, Barbie’s status as one of the most influential and ground-breaking movies of 2023 remains untarnished despite missing out on a potential Affleck cameo.

Source: The A.V. Club