Actor Tom Felton Criticizes Ryan Gosling Casting As Ken In “Barbie”

Actor Tom Felton, who famously portrayed the slippery Draco Malfoy in the “Harry Potter” franchise, had some choice words about Greta Getwig’s “Barbie” casting. Felton posted a split-screen image of himself as Malfoy years ago and Ryan Gosling as Ken in the soon to be released “Barbie.” The caption read “kind of pissed I never got a callback.”

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A post shared by Tom Felton (@t22felton)

Gosling’s casting as Ken in “Barbie” was initially met with mixed reactions due to his age. Barbie and Ken’s characters appear to be in their 20s, and Gosling is 42 years old. The doubt was firmly erased when trailers for the film were released, and when the actor began giving interviews regarding the role during the ensuing press tour. Early reviews praise the actor’s performance.

As “Barbie” early screenings begin nationwide today ahead of the Friday wide release of the film, the post is capturing the attention of social media users everywhere. The post currently sits at upwards of 400,000 likes, with screenshots sparking further commentary on Twitter.

Internet Reactions

Fans of Gosling and Gerwig’s films alike were none too pleased at Felton’s Instagram post. Felton has appeared in several films post “Harry Potter,” though his career lacks the critical acclaim of Gosling’s. One Twitter user simply asserted that Felton should not be one to talk regarding the “Barbie” casting.

he needs to get a damn job pic.twitter.com/bN4BdgaIqV

— kie (@criminalplaza) July 19, 2023

Others were surprised that Felton used a photo of himself as a child actor, and were unsure whether the post was meant to be a joke or not.

Oh baby, you gotta let this go. https://t.co/ykhOwW8X5x

— bobbi hosts ✨The Afternoon Special✨ (@hiimbobbi) July 19, 2023

The post led some to draw comparisons to fellow “Harry Potter” star Daniel Radcliffe, who has taken on an interesting array of various roles after starring as the titular character in the franchise. This in turn led to many overall comments on his acting career.

He should've never left The Flash (TV series), because that was the main thing that would've kept him his career up.

— TheMightyZ (@TheMightyZ2) July 19, 2023

Some brought up a quote often delivered by his “Harry Potter” character.

Him rn: pic.twitter.com/XCUKdTNkHT

— Sancheezzzy (@Scoby20) July 19, 2023

Some former “Harry Potter” fans are reminding social media that Felton’s character had less of a storyline than that of the franchise “big three.” The three main characters were Harry Potter (Radcliffe) Hermione Granger (Emma Watson) and Ronald Weasley (Rupert Grint), all of whom went on to have successful acting careers.

i have never seen or heard of anyone latching onto something so hard ESPECIALLY considering he had like.. less than 30 minutes of screen time

— audrey ???? (@saintlikegfw) July 19, 2023

The disdain towards Felton is additionally born from the actor’s alleged lack of concern regarding “Harry Potter” author J.K. Rowling’s allegedly transphobic beliefs. In an interview with the Independent following the rise of Rowling’s controversy, the actor did assert his progressive beliefs, but stated that he “didn’t know what anyone had said.”

On the contrary, Radcliffe, Watson, and Grint all remain outspoken progressive activists. Notably, Radcliffe partners with the Trevor Project to educate the public on trans youth. The organization works to prevent suicide among young LGBTQ+ people.