Ben Affleck could’ve been a part of Barbie, Michael Cera recently shared in an interview, and he was supposed to be in the fight scene.
Barbie received great reviews since its premiere in the summer of 2023. The film ended up being the highest-grossing movie of 2023, with $1.4 billion at the worldwide box office (via The Numbers), and eight Academy Award nominations. The cast and crew did a great job creating Barbieland, where Barbies, Kens, and Allan, lived happily.
However, it turns out that Michael Cera, who truly shined in his role as Allan, wasn’t initially in the fight scene. In an interview with The A.V. Club, Cera shared, “I wasn’t even supposed to fight in the movie,” he revealed. He followed up by revealing that Ben Affleck was supposed to be in Barbie. “Am I allowed to say what it was supposed to be? It was supposed to be Ben Affleck. Right? Am I allowed to say that?”
Affleck, who has been constantly roasted over his bored face and Sad Batman, would’ve made a very interesting, yet exciting choice for Barbie. The Academy Award-winning actor was also interested in the role, Cera confirms. “I think Ben wanted to do it, but he was directing his movie.” The one Cera is mentioning is 2023’s Air, which started production in May 2022. Barbie began shooting in March 2022.
Alan Wasn’t Initially Supposed To Be In Barbie’s Fight
During the interview, Cera also revealed that Allan wasn’t supposed to fight anyone in the film. However, Ben’s dropping out of the project led to some changes. “They’re like, ‘Okay, Ben’s out, something has to happen here. So you’re gonna fight them.’ So I had to jump in with the stunt team,” he recalled. “I had just gotten over COVID and they had me training, and I almost died. Just doing the warm-up! I had to lay down in my trailer and they sent the nurse to see me, and I was sent home. So then we had a second rehearsal, and I learned it. That’s the story basically.”
Cera added, “That was never part of Allan’s journey. In the rehearsal, we did the thing where I murder the guy with the shovel and it was just a joke, and we were like ‘Greta’s not going to let me murder someone in the movie.’ And it’s in the movie!” Allan became one of the most beloved parts of the film, as he was relatable and on the right side of history.
Barbie is streaming on Max.
