The cast of Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie is already as star-studded as they come, featuring the likes of Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Hari Nef, Michael Cera, Issa Rae, and Emma Mackey — to name but a few. But, as it turns out, the long-anticipated film was supposed to feature two more A-listers: none other than Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan.
In a new interview with CinemaBlend, director Greta Gerwig revealed that her original vision for the Barbie movie included "specialty cameos" from Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan, both actors with whom she had worked previously on Lady Bird and Little Women. The director proposed the cameos, rather than fully-fledged roles, to both actors to accommodate their busy schedules, but they both ended up not panning out.
"It was always going to have to be like a sort of smaller thing because [Ronan] was actually producing at the time, which I am so proud of her for," Gerwig shared. “I was also going to do a specialty cameo with Timmy, and both of them couldn't do it, and I was so annoyed. But I love them so much. But it felt like doing something without my children. I mean, I'm not their mom, but I sort of feel like their mom.”
If you are an avid fan of Ronan, you would know about the failed cameo already. The actor admitted she was "gutted" to have had to pass on the Barbie cameo speaking to People in September 2022. "I was supposed to do a cameo because I live in London, and they were [filming] there," Ronan revealed at the time, sharing that the schedule clashed with filming for The Outrun. "There was a whole character I was going to play — another Barbie. I was gutted I couldn't do it."
Ronan was so sad to have missed the chance that she even tried to get involved once more after her filming had wrapped. "I have texted Margot and Greta, and I'm like, 'If you're doing any pick-up [shots], maybe I can just walk through the background?'" she continued. While Timmy himself has not spoken about his potential role in Barbie at all, it's fair to assume he would have been another Ken, and it's likely that his schedules for Dune 2 were the reason it couldn't work out. (Gerwig picked two busy bees!)
Still, in a parallel universe, we are happy knowing Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan would have reunited onscreen for the third time in Barbie Land. And in this one, we'll rejoice with the already-stacked cast!
