Ryan Gosling is in talks to play the role of Barbie’s boyfriend Ken.

That’s Barbie, the fashion doll, by the way. Director Greta Gerwig’s film will star Margot Robbie, who is attached to star as the posable icon in the Warner Bros. film. Gerwig is writing the script with her partner Noah Baumbach.

The La La Land actor initially passed on playing the part, but insiders told Deadline that as pre-production dragged out and the studio never stopped targeting Gosling out as their only choice for the film, an opening in his schedule appeared, allowing him to sign on.

The news that Gosling is close to signing on means that the film looks to be on the verge of getting a greenlight, and the hope would be to start shooting at the beginning of 2022. The script would likely be an unconventional take on the popular doll couple.

The Oscar-nominated Gosling is also a popular internet meme, so it’s not a stretch to imagine him as Ken suavely saying “Hey girl” to Barbie. The recently wrapped production on the Netflix action pic The Gray Man,in which he stars opposite Chris Evans with the Russo Brothers directing.

A live-action Barbie film has been in development for some years, initially at Sony. Before Robbie attached her name (and production company LuckyChap), Amy Schumer and Anne Hathaway were talked about as possible stars.

Barbie was introduced by Mattel, Inc. in 1959 to enormous popularity – Mattel has sold over a billion Barbie dolls to date. Her smooth boyfriend Ken joined her in 1961 and the two have been a couple (on and off) for sixty years.