Greta Gerwig's fight behind 'I'm Just Ken' dance sequence in 'Barbie'

Greta Gerwig during a captivating Screen Talk session at the BFI London Film Festival, director shared the creative journey behind the iconic "I'm Just Ken" dance sequence featuring Ryan Gosling in the upcoming film Barbie.

In conversation with creator Jesse Armstrong, Gerwig delved into how the scene came to fruition, shedding light on the initial doubts surrounding its necessity.

As Gerwig explained, the script simply mentioned, "And then it becomes a dream ballet, and they work it out through dance." 

However, the director faced scrutiny during a pivotal meeting where the scene's relevance was questioned. 

Recalling the exchange, Gerwig revealed, "There was a big meeting that was like, 'Do you need this?' And I was like, 'Everything in me needs this.'"

The concept of a dream ballet left some perplexed, prompting Gerwig to elaborate on her vision. She passionately described her vision for the sequence, saying, "They were like, What do you even mean? What is a dream ballet? And I was like, A dream ballet? Where do I begin!"

Gerwig admitted to moments of doubt, acknowledging that while everything felt right to her and brought immense joy, there was also the fear that "this could be just terrible."