Ryan Gosling agreed to 'Barbie' film after finding a muddied Ken doll in his backyard

• Ryan Gosling appeared on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" Thursday.
• Gosling, 41, revealed why he agreed to play Ken in the upcoming "Barbie" film.

Ryan Gosling revealed why he agreed to play Ken in Greta Gerwig's upcoming film, "Barbie."

Gosling, 41, recalled the day Gerwig offered him the role during a Thursday appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," to promote his new Netflix film, "The Gray Man."

According to Gosling, he walked outside in his backyard for a moment to think after receiving the offer to star in "Barbie."

"Best script I've ever read," Gosling told Fallon. "I walk out in the backyard and you know where I found Ken, Jimmy? Face down in the mud next to a squished lemon."

Variety reported that the doll belonged to one of Gosling's daughters that he shares with actress Eva Mendes. The couple first met while filming the 2012 film "The Place Beyond the Pines."

Gosling told Fallon he then texted a photo of the Ken doll to Gerwig and accepted the role.

"I texted it to Greta and said, 'I shall be your Ken, for this story must be told,'" he told Fallon.

Deadline reported in October 2021 that Gosling was in "final negotiations" to join the film. According to the outlet, Gosling initially passed on the role due to his busy schedule but later signed on after the project was pushed back, adding that the studio "remained persistent" about his participation.

Last month, official photos of Gosling's Ken hit the internet and caused a buzz among fans.

The highly anticipated film also stars Margot Robbie as the titular character, as well as America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, and many more.

The film will premiere in theaters on July 21, 2023.