Harry Potter’s Tom Felton Jokes About Losing Out On Barbie Role

With an all-star cast including the likes of Margot Robbie, Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, and many, many more, it is no surprise that Greta Gerwig’s Barbie has fast become one of the most hotly-anticipated movies of the year. Although, Tom Felton, known for his portrayal of the menacing Draco Malfoy in the Harry Potter franchise, has expressed his regret over losing out on the role of Ken to Ryan Gosling — kind of.

Taking to Instagram on July 19, Felton shared a side-by-side of his Harry Potter character and Gosling’s Ken, along with the tongue-in-cheek caption: “Kind of pissed I never got a callback.” Referencing his character’s Slytherin House at the fictional Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the actor added the hashtag “#slytherken” to the amusement of his 12 million followers — many of whom were quick to share their thoughts.

“You guys look like father and son,” one fan commented, pointing out Draco and Ken’s matching bleach-blonde hair. “Ken is way too much of a Hufflepuff. They weren’t sure you'd be able to pull it off,” another user joked. Meanwhile, one fan also pointed out that “Draco Malfoy doesn’t have that ‘Ken-ergy,’” a phrase coined by Gosling throughout the Barbie movie press tour.

“I have that Ken-ergy,” the actor explained in 2022, referencing his spiritual connection to the character. “You know a Ken in your life, and then you know that that Ken has Ken-ergy.”

Despite Gosling’s “Ken-ergy,” the actor faced backlash from some Barbie fans online who claimed he was “too old” for the role. Speaking to GQ, the Drive star pointed out that there are “many other Kens to play with” if any fans “don’t want to play with my Ken.”

“Barbie never f***** with Ken,” he added. “If you really cared about Ken, you would know nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told.”