Ben Affleck’s Missed Barbie Cameo: The Story Behind the Switch

Ben Affleck’s career has seen its fair share of box office hits, even if not all of them have been critical darlings. His top earners are all superhero flicks, mostly from the DC Extended Universe, which, let’s be honest, didn’t exactly set the world on fire. Dig a bit deeper and you’ll spot a few Michael Bay blockbusters, a couple of questionable rom-coms, and the infamous Daredevil. Clearly, Affleck’s got a knack for landing in superhero films, no matter who’s publishing them.

Things could have looked a bit different for Affleck if one particular opportunity had panned out. He was originally lined up for a cameo in Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar smash, set to pop up during the “Beach Fight” scene—possibly as another version of Ken. But with his hands full directing Air, he had to give the Barbie gig a miss.

The Role That Got Away

This behind-the-scenes tidbit came straight from Michael Cera, who plays the lone ‘Allan’ in Barbieland. During a Q&A with the cast and crew, Cera let slip that Affleck was meant to appear. After realising he might have said too much, he asked,

“Am I allowed to say that?”

He got the nod to continue, adding,

“I think Ben wanted to do it, but he was directing his movie.”

With Affleck out, Cera was called up to fill the gap.

“They’re like, ‘Okay, Ben’s out, something has to happen here. So you’re gonna fight them,’”

Cera explained.

“So I had to jump in with the stunt team. I had just gotten over Covid, and they had me training, and I almost died.”

Star-Studded Cameos and What Might Have Been

If Affleck had managed to squeeze in the cameo, he’d have joined a pretty eclectic line-up. John Cena made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance as the aquatic ‘Kenmaid’, despite being told not to take the role. Rhea Perlman popped up as Ruth Handler, the original creator of the Barbie doll back in 1959. But the standout cameo for many was Ann Roth, the legendary costume designer and two-time Oscar winner, who shared a touching moment with Margot Robbie’s character at a bus stop. At 94, Roth is a close mate of Gerwig’s and a true industry icon.

Meanwhile, Air—despite being about a shoe—ended up as one of the most well-reviewed films of 2023. It went head-to-head with Barbie at several awards shows, both nabbing nominations for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ at the Writers Guild of America Awards, though The Holdovers took the prize. At the Critics’ Choice Awards, Barbie edged out Air for the same category. Barbie scored eight Oscar nominations, while Air didn’t quite get a look in.

Affleck’s Near Miss and the Film’s Success

In the end, Affleck’s absence didn’t slow Barbie’s momentum. Would his cameo have changed the film? Maybe. Was he gutted to miss out on a billion-dollar payday? Almost certainly. Still, you can’t really blame the bloke—he was just doing his thing.