How Barbie Hid Multiple Sylvester Stallone References – Ryan Gosling, Greta Gerwig Were in on it

Barbie’s star-studded love for Sylvester Stallone shines through, from Oscar-winning designer Jacqueline Durran to Ryan Gosling and director Greta Gerwig.

SUMMARY

Famous British costume designer revealed that she drew inspiration from the Rocky star when designing Ken’s outfits in Barbie.
She incorporated Sylvester Stallone’s ‘archetypal masculine’ visuals into them.

The presence of various Sylvester Stallone references in the Barbie movie is huge. From Barbie‘s Oscar-winning costume designer, Jacqueline Durran, to actor Ryan Gosling and director Greta Gerwig, it looks like everyone loves the Rocky star.

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa in Rocky
This is why there are multiple references to him in the new blockbuster, even in the costumes. Margot Robbie impressed everyone by wearing a black-and-white swimsuit, cat-eye sunglasses, and heeled mules as Barbie. Even Ryan Gosling as Ken was seen implementing broader aesthetic choices within the movie, taking a cue from Stallone.

Barbie‘s Secret Tribute to Sylvester Stallone With Ken’s Fur Coat

Ryan Gosling as Ken in Barbie (2023)
Jacqueline Durran (who worked on Greta Gerwig’s film Little Women) told Entertainment Weekly that she drew inspiration from the Rocky star when designing Ken’s real-world outfits in Barbie. She incorporated Sylvester Stallone‘s “archetypal masculine” visuals in them.

Durran stated that Ken’s faux fur coat is “100% inspired” by Sly. In the storyline, when Ken sees the images of the Italian Stallion in the real world, he questions what a “real man” is.

Ken’s fur coats show off his rich lifestyle. Ken sees this as a way to be seen as a successful man with authority. He wears a big fur coat to be like Stallone—a strong and commanding figure—in his own dreamland. That’s how Stallone played a major role in the comedy fantasy.

Not only the British costume designer but director Greta Gerwig also share a mutual love for the 77-year-old.

Greta Gerwig’s Immense Admiration for Sylvester Stallone

Greta Gerwig told Uproxx‘s Mike Ryan about Stallone’s iconic 70s look from the Rocky movies and how this coaxed Ken’s character design. The Sacramento native said:

“I love all those Rocky movies. I love him a lot. So it was a really early thing, actually. When Ryan Gosling and I were texting a lot, we kind of both stumbled upon our mutual love of Sly Stallone. And then we were talking about his look in the ‘70s and how terrific it was. And he really adorned himself as a man. And we thought, ‘Well, that’s a good place to start.’ I mean, there are just sort of fabulous images of him, particularly in the Rockys.”

Gerwig also asserted that it “would be such an honor” if Stallone joined Barbie 2. The director added that “he’s welcome to it” in any way, either for a cameo or even co-directing.

Barbie is available to watch on Amazon’s Prime Video.