Ryan Gosling was one of the many to pick up a 2024 Oscar nomination, as he earned a Best Supporting Actor nod for his performance as Ken in the critically lauded Barbie. The star has received massive acclaim for his turn as the chiselled and misunderstood doll. With that, a number of notable names have been weighing in on his work and providing honest thoughts. The latest to do so is Denis Villeneuve, who notably directed the leading man in Blade Runner 2049. The filmmaker caught up with our own ReelBlend podcast, during which he reviewedGosling’s performance and recalled how he was funny while they made the sci-fi epic.

The Canadian actor’s turn as hardened replicant K in Denis Villeneuve’s 2017 flick is a far cry from the campy and heartfelt turn he gives as Ken in Greta Gerwig’s fantasy film. Of course, Ryan Gosling was able to pull off both flawlessly, though some may have wondered whether Denis Villeneuve thought he had the latter performance in him. Well, after our own Sean O’Connell asked for his thoughts on Gosling’s work, the French-Canadian auteur dropped some highly positive sentiments on Gosling's role as Ken. Not only that, but he also explained why Gosling’s comedic sensibilities in the blockbuster aren’t all that shocking to him: