‘Barbie’: Ken Has Never Been Barbie’s Boyiend. He’s Her Gay BFF.

Contents:

• 'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY
• ‘SPOILER ALERT’: THE HERO DI THE GAY LOVE STORY OF THE YEARKLEENEX ALERTJIM PARSONS AND BEN ALDRIDGE STAR THE ADAPTATN OF MICHAEL AIELLO’S BOOK, ABOUT HOW HE FELL LOVE WH HIS HBAND, K—AND WHAT WAS LIKE TO RE FOR HIM AS HE DIED.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED DEC. 08, 2022 4:45AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LUIS G. RENDON/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY IMAGSEVEN-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO, MICHAEL AIELLO SAID GOODBYE TO HIS HBAND, K COWAN, WHO DIED OF NCER. HE HAS BEEN SAYG GOODBYE TO HIM—GRIEVG HIM, REMEMBERG HIM, CELEBRATG HIM—ALMOST NSTANTLY SCE.HE SAID GOODBYE TO HIM HIS BOOK, SPOILER ALERT: THE HERO DI, ABOUT MEETG AND FALLG LOVE WH K AND RG FOR HIM AT THE END OF HIS LIFE, WHICH HE WROTE WHILE STILL THE GRIEVG PROCS. HE SAID GOODBYE AGA ON THE BOOK’S PRS TOUR, SPEAKG TO WRERS LIKE ME, TO HIS IENDS, AND TO CELEBRI WHO ARE MENTNED , LIKE KRISTEN BELL AND KERI RSELL. AIELLO IS AN ENTERTAMENT JOURNALIST, WHO WROTE FOR TV GUI AND ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY BEFORE FOUNDG THE WEBSE HE GOT THE PHONE LL THAT K MIGHT HAVE NCER WHILE ON THE SET OF THE AMERINS WAG TO TERVIEW RSELL. AFTER A DOCTOR GAVE K HIS PROGNOSIS, AIELLO HAD TO FILM AN ON-MERA NVERSATN WH BELL.HE SAID GOODBYE ON A MOVIE SET, WHILE WATCHG EMMY-WNER JIM PARSONS PLAY HIMSELF, AND THE PLATONIC IAL OF A PERFECT AND TALENTED MAN, BEN ALDRIDGE, PLAY K THE NEW MOVIE SPOILER ALERT, WHICH EXPANDS TO WI RELEASE THIS WEEKEND. HE WATCHED AS PARSONS, ACTG AS HIM, HELD K’S HAND AS HE PASSED AWAY A TEAR-JERKG HOSPAL ATH SCENE. NOW, DOG MORE PRS SUPPORT OF THE MOVIE, HE'S HAVG TO TALK ABOUT ALL—AND SAY GOODBYE—AGA. BUT THAT’S THE THG THAT BOTH AIELLO’S BOOK AND THIS GEOLY FAHFUL FILM ADAPTATN MAK SO BETIFULLY, EMOTNALLY CLEAR: WHEN YOU’VE HAD A LOVE LIKE MICHAEL AND K HAD, YOU DON’T EVER STOP SAYG GOODBYE. BEE THE PERSON NEVER ACTUALLY LEAV YOU COURTY OF FOC FEATUR WHEN I FIRST SPOKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT WH AIELLO, WAS 2017, WHEN SPOILER ALERT: THE HERO DI WAS FIRST RELEASED. AT THAT POT, K HAD BEEN GONE FOR TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS, AND AIELLO HAD SPENT A MAJORY OF THAT TIME LIVG THE SADNS OF THAT LOSS WHILE WRG THE BOOK. I ASKED HIM, AFTER VOTG SO MUCH ENERGY TO K’S RE AND THEN TO WRG HIS STORY, IF HE’S HAD A CHANCE TO THK OF HOW HE HIMSELF IS DOG. BOTH OF BEGAN CRYG AS HE ANSWERED.“IT’S BEEN TWO-AND-A HALF YEARS AND I’M STILL NOT OVER HIM,” HE SAID. “I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUTN UNTIL I REALLY ACCEPT THAT HE’S GONE AND MOVE ON.” AS HIS VOICE UGHT, HE NTUED: “I’M NOT THERE YET. I THK PART OF THAT IS BEE THE BOOK HASN’T ALLOWED ME TO LET GO. PART OF IS I DON’T WANT TO LET GO. THE BOOK IS HELPG ME BY GIVG ME WHAT I WANT. HE’S STILL HERE A WAY. I’M STILL TALKG ABOUT HIM. HE’S STILL MY LIFE.” IT’S BEEN FIVE MORE YEARS SCE THEN, AND AIELLO HAS VOTED MUCH OF THAT TIME TO PRODUCG THE FILM VERSN OF SPOILER ALERT—WHICH IS TO SAY, AGA TELLG K’S STORY. I ASK HIM IF HIS RELATNSHIP TO THAT GRIEF AND TO K’S MEMORY HAS CHANGED AT ALL.“I THK GRIEF IS SUCH A WEIRD THG,” HE SAYS. “IT'S SUCH A MOVG TARGET. IT STILL CHANG OM WEEK TO WEEK. I FEEL LIKE I N SAY I FEEL LIKE I'M AT A PLACE MY GRIEVG PROCS WHERE I N WATCH THE FILM AND NOT FEEL PA. I MOSTLY FEEL JOY AND GRATU FOR HAVG THAT EXPERIENCE AND MEETG K.”“IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO GO BACK AND EVEN READ THE BOOK, BEE WAS HARD READG SOME OF THOSE PAFUL, PAFUL PARTS,” HE NTU. “I THK, IALLY, MY MEMORY WAS FILLED MOSTLY WH THAT FAL YEAR AND THE SUFFERG. NOW AS I MOVE ON, I'M THKG ABOUT THE HAPPY TIM.” THAT HAPPS IS THE THG, THOUGH. THERE IS SO MUCH JOY SPOILER ALERT.IT IS THE GREATT LOVE STORY YOU WILL SEE ON SCREEN THIS YEAR. THAT’S NOT BEE HS THE CLICHéS OF GRAND ROMANTIC GTUR. (THERE ARE THOSE, BUT LS THE “BOOMBOX OUTSI YOUR WDOW” TYPE AND MORE THE “VE YOUR -LAWS TO THE BEACH VATN BEFORE YOUR HBAND DI” TYPE.) IT’S BEE IS SO AFFIRMG. Y, SPOILER ALERT IS ALSO THE SADST LOVE STORY YOU WILL SEE. BUT IS SO BETIFUL. IT REMDS YOU OF WHY WE FALL LOVE.WE DO FOR THE FUN OF THE FIRST PART OF ROMANCE: THE GETTG OVER SECURI, LIKE MAYBE YOU HAVE AN OUTRAGEO LLECTN OF SMURFS MEMORABILIA (AIELLO DID) OR MAYBE YOU WERE STILL CLOSETED (LIKE COWAN WAS). BUT REAL LOVE IS MOVG PAST THAT—AND PAST ANNOYANC, LIKE SMOKG TOO MUCH WEED, DRKG TOO MUCH, EMOTNAL FILY, DISTANCE, WORK DISTRACTNS, OR DIMISHG PASSN. THOSE ARE ALL THE THGS THAT ARE CREDIBLY HUMAN, THAT ALL DON’T MATTER WHEN MATTERS: BEG ALONGSI THE PERSON WHO YOU LOVE THE MOST AS THEY FACE THEIR ATH. I N BARELY GET THROUGH TYPG THAT WHOUT CRYG. SPOILER ALERT IS REALLY LEANG TO THE KLEENEX OF ALL WH S MARKETG, AND RIGHTFULLY SO. AT A PRS SCREENG FOR THE FILM, PUBLICISTS HAND OUT BRAND TISSU; A GIRL STG TO MY RIGHT WAS SOBBG SO LOUDLY, AT FIRST I THOUGHT SHE WAS SCREAMG. BUT THE THG IS: SPOILER ALERT IS ALSO A VERY FUNNY FILM. (SURPRISE!)“I THK THE CRYG AND THE TISSU GET A LOT OF ATTENTN,” AIELLO SAYS. “BUT AS WH THE BOOK, SO MUCH OF IS TOLD THROUGH A IC LENS, BEE THAT WAS MY RELATNSHIP WH K A NUTSHELL. I THK WHAT GOT THROUGH EMOTNALLY THE YEAR THAT HE WAS SICK WAS EDY AND GALLOWS HUMOR.”THAT ISN’T TO SAY THAT HE’S NOT TAKG A CERTA LIGHT HEARG ALL OF THE STORI ABOUT HOW MUCH PEOPLE WEEP WHILE WATCHG THE FILM. “IT SEEMS WEIRD TO SAY THAT I LOVE SUFFERG,” HE SAYS, LGHG. “IT MEANS TO ME THAT PEOPLE ARE NNECTG WH THE MOVIE AND BEG MOVED BY . WHEN I HEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE CRYG OR THEY HAVE THAT KD OF REACTN TO THE MOVIE, SEEMS LIKE THE BT KD OF PLIMENT TO THE FILM.” BRANDON WILLIAMS/GETTY IMAG WHEN I ZOOM WH PARSONS AND ALDRIDGE TO TALK ABOUT THE MOVIE, THEY SHARE THAT SENTIMENT. “ANY OF WHO WERE APPROACHED WH THE MATERIAL WANTED TO DO BEE WE WERE H THE SAME HARD WAY,” PARSONS SAYS.IN ADDN TO STARRG SPOILER ALERT, PARSONS PRODUCED THE FILM WH HIS HBAND, TODD SPIEWAK. AIELLO, WHO HAD TERVIEWED PARSONS MANY TIM OVER THE YEARS THAT HE STARRED ON THE BIG BANG THEORY, ASKED THE ACTOR TO MORATE A Q&A LOS ANGEL WHEN SPOILER ALERT: THE HERO DI WAS RELEASED. AS PARSONS READ THE BOOK TO PREPARE FOR THE NVERSATN, SPIEWAK WOULD DISVER HIM THE LIVG ROOM SOBBG A PUDDLE OF TEARS. IT WAS SPIEWAK’S IA, AFTER OBSERVG HIS HBAND’S VISCERAL REACTN, TO OPTN THE BOOK FOR A FILM—THOUGH PARSONS WASN’T TOTALLY ON BOARD AT FIRST.“ONE TIME I SAT NEXT TO FRANC MCDORMAND AT A DNER FOR A GOLN GLOB THG—THAT’S THE ONLY TIME WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR ANYTHG OR SPOKEN,” HE SAYS. “BUT WE WERE THERE FOR A LONG TIME. ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT ME UP WAS ADAPTG MATERIAL. SHE SAID THAT SHE FELT LIKE THGS THAT DON’T NECSARILY SUCCEED THEIR ORIGAL GENRE ARE THE BT THGS TO TAKE AND TRY AGA, IF THE STORY SELF IS GOOD, ANOTHER GENRE. THE REASON I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ADAPTG THE BOOK WAS BEE REALLY POWERFULLY SUCCEED S ORIGAL FORM, MY OPN.”HE LGHS. “I DON’T KNOW WHY I BOTHERED TO TELL YOU ALL THAT, BUT ANYWAY... I JT WANTED TO NAME-DROP FRANC MCDORMAND.” ULTIMATELY, OF URSE, HE CID TO MAKE THE FILM. LIKE AIELLO’S BOOK, SPOILER ALERT CHARTS THE ENTIRETY OF MICHAEL AND K’S RELATNSHIP—AND, LIKE THE BOOK, THE FACT THAT K DI IS TABLISHED IMMEDIATELY. THEY FIRST MET AT WEBSTER HALL NEW YORK CY’S EAST VILLAGE ONE NIGHT 2001, NOT LONG AFTER 9/11 HAPPENED AND THE CY WAS STILL AN EERIE, UNCERTA PLACE. THEY FELL FAST AND HARD FOR EACH OTHER.K WAS ABLE TO OVERLOOK MICHAEL’S OBSSN WH SMURFS, AND THE FACT THAT HIS APARTMENT WAS A FACTO SHRE TO THE CHARACTERS. (AIELLO’S ACTUAL SMURFS LLECTN IS ED THE FILM. “THERE’S A LTLE CEMATIC EMBELLISHMENT,” HE SAYS. HE NEVER HAD A SMURFS FORTER ON HIS BED, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A ALBREAKER FOR K—AND MICHAEL WOULD HAVE UNRSTOOD. “I WOULD SAY THEY EMBELLISHED BY MAYBE 20 PERCENT.”) MICHAEL HELPED K TO E OUT TO HIS PARENTS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE FUNNIT, MOST CHARMG SCEN THE MOVIE.THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THEY BATTLED MONS, SEPARATELY AND TOGETHER. MICHAEL WORKED TOO MUCH, AND DRANK A LOT. K HAD AN AFFAIR. THEY SAW A UPLE’S THERAPIST TOGETHER. AT ONE POT, THEY SEPARATED AND LIVED DIFFERENT APARTMENTS. BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERED WHEN K RECEIVED HIS DIAGNOSIS. MICHAEL WAS GOG TO BE THERE. IT WASN’T EVEN A QUTN.“THE FILM SHOWS THE RELATNSHIP S ENTIRETY: THEM FALLG LOVE AND THE JOYFUL ELEMENT OF THAT, HOW THEY DISARM EACH OTHER, THEIR PLAYFULNS,” ALDRIDGE SAYS. “IT FELT VERY REAL TO ME THAT SPANNED A LONG PERD OF TIME, AND SHOWS WHAT LIFE AND TIME DO TO YOUR RELATNSHIP. IT SHOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIGHT BE ATTRACTED TO SOMEONE OUTSI OF THE RELATNSHIP, AND THOSE PLITNS AND PLEXI. IT SHOWS HOW YOU HAVE TO NURTURE SOMETHG. SOMETIM THAT’S DIFFICULT. IT JT FELT, FOR ME, A FULLY REALIZED RELATNSHIP—BEE ’S BASED ON EXACTLY THAT.” “YOU N’T LOVE WHOUT RISK OF PA. THEY GO HAND HAND.” THERE’S A SENSE WHEN TALKG TO ALDRIDGE AND PARSONS, WHO ARE BOTH GAY, THAT FILMG SPOILER ALERT WAS LS A JOB THAN WAS A LLG. “I JT LOVED THEIR LOVE AND WHAT TEACH ABOUT LOVE,” ALDRIDGE SAYS. “YOU N’T LOVE WHOUT RISK OF PA. THEY GO HAND HAND. THERE’S SOMETHG REALLY HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FILM. WHEN I WATCHED , I FELT LIKE I DIDN’T JT WATCH SOMEONE PASS AWAY. I GOT VIGORATED, AND WAS TGHT TO CHERISH LIFE AND TGHT TO LOVE BETTER, I THK.”PARSONS REMEMBERS THAT, AFTER HE READ SPOILER ALERT, HE WENT ON AIELLO’S INSTAGRAM AND SCROLLED THROUGH PAST PHOTOS. HE FOUND A PHOTO OF THE TWO OF THEM AT THE EMMY AWARDS, AND DAWNED ON HIM THAT, AT THE MOMENT THEY TOOK THE PICTURE, AIELLO WAS THE THICK OF , RG FOR K. “IT WAS A LTLE B CHILLG TO ME TO LOOK BACK AT THAT AND THK, ‘OH GOD…’ TALK ABOUT GIVG A REAL-LIFE LSON OF YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOG THROUGH WHEN YOU’RE TALKG TO THEM OR ALG WH THEM.”THERE’S ALWAYS A TEMPTATN, PECIALLY WHEN A FILM CENTERS ON LGBT CHARACTERS, TO DISTILL A LSON OR A TAKEAWAY. ALDRIDGE, PARSONS, AND AIELLO ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPNS ON WHAT THAT MIGHT BE. BUT THE NVERSATN RELIABLY CENTERS AROUND THE SCENE WHICH MICHAEL LIVERS K’S LOGY, WHICH HEWS CLOSE TO THE WORDS AIELLO SAID AND PUBLISHED FULL HIS BOOK: “IT SOUNDS RNY, I KNOW, BUT [K] SPENT THE LAST YEAR LIVG LIKE HE WAS DYG, AND I FEEL SO PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HAD A RGSI SEAT FOR WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE HIS FAREWELL TOUR.” COURTY OF FOC FEATUR THAT WORD, “PRIVILEGE,’ RONAT POWERFULLY. IT SHATTERS YOUR HEART. FOR AIELLO, RG FOR K WASN’T A BURN, OR SOME SORT OF DUTY. BEG ABLE TO DO THAT FOR K WAS AN HONOR. IT WAS HIS GREATT ACT OF LOVE.“THE PRIVILEGE AND THE GIFT OF THAT TRAGEDY, LERALLY STARG LIFE AND ATH THE FACE FOR TWO PEOPLE, IS THAT RARE MOMENT THAT TWO SOULS GET TO TRAVEL TOGETHER, AS CLOSELY AS JT TWO SOULS, THROUGH SOMETHG LIKE THAT,” PARSONS SAYS. “SO MUCH STATIC FALLS AWAY. NECSY. CLARY. WH THE BOOK AND THE MOVIE, YOU UNRSTAND THAT THE BETY OF TRAVELG THAT REALLY DIFFICULT ROAD IS THAT ’S A VERY, VERY RARE GIFT OF AN OPPORTUNY TO BE A BUBBLE, A SACRED SPACE WH THEM.”THE MOVIE—AND AIELLO AND COWAN’S STORY—IS A POIGNANT REMR OF HOW LUCKY ANY OF ARE TO HAVE FOUND LOVE OUR LIV AT ALL, AND A WHAT A PRIVILEGE IS, TO E THAT WORD AGA, TO BE ABLE TO RE FOR THE PERSON YOU LOVE WHEN THEY NEED YOU THE MOST, DIFFICULT AS MAY BE.“I REMEMBER FEELG THAT GRATU EVEN EXTREME PA AFTER K DIED,” AIELLO SAYS. “JT FEELG SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN AT WEBSTER HALL THAT NIGHT, TWO MONTHS AFTER 9/11 AND WALKG OUT ON THE DANCE FLOOR AND SEEG HIM. I’M GETTG CHILLS JT THKG ABOUT . EVEN KNOWG NOW THE PA AND THE TRMA AND THE LOSS THAT WAS TO E, I WOULDN’T HAVE TRAD FOR ANYTHG. HOW LUCKY WAS I TO BE THERE THAT NIGHT AND TO MEET HIM?” KEV FALLON
• KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

'PASSAG' DIRECTOR NOUNC 'DANGERO' NC-17 RATG ON A FILM PICTG A GAY LOVE STORY

Rt assured, there are still plenty of cematic treats on the horizon: We’ve got an Atralian ballroom romance, a Bayard Rt bpic, Pedro Pasl playg a gay wboy, and loads of lic queer horror. Night Shyamalan’s Knock at the Cab tells the story of a gay uple (Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge) and their adopted dghter Wen (Kristen Cui) as they grapple wh an impossible ultimatum: sacrifice someone or else the world will end.

Hontly, the whole thg sounds like Booksmart meets, well, Fight Club, and that’s exactly the kd of energy queer-themed teen edi — TBDDavid Lee / NetflixRarely has there been a bpic stg cisn as perfect as tappg Tony and Emmy-wng actor Colman Domgo to play gay civil rights activist Bayard Rt, a man who was an enormo fluence on Mart Luther Kg, Jr., among other key lears, but who mostly worked behd the scen. So if you make him a gay wboy a short film directed by Pedro Almodóvar — who, by the way, was once poised to direct Brokeback Mounta — I’ll s up straight my chair and pay rapt attentn.

‘SPOILER ALERT’: THE HERO DI THE GAY LOVE STORY OF THE YEARKLEENEX ALERTJIM PARSONS AND BEN ALDRIDGE STAR THE ADAPTATN OF MICHAEL AIELLO’S BOOK, ABOUT HOW HE FELL LOVE WH HIS HBAND, K—AND WHAT WAS LIKE TO RE FOR HIM AS HE DIED.KEV FALLONSENR EDOR, OBSSEDPUBLISHED DEC. 08, 2022 4:45AM EST PHOTO ILLTRATN BY LUIS G. RENDON/THE DAILY BEAST/GETTY IMAGSEVEN-AND-A-HALF YEARS AGO, MICHAEL AIELLO SAID GOODBYE TO HIS HBAND, K COWAN, WHO DIED OF NCER. HE HAS BEEN SAYG GOODBYE TO HIM—GRIEVG HIM, REMEMBERG HIM, CELEBRATG HIM—ALMOST NSTANTLY SCE.HE SAID GOODBYE TO HIM HIS BOOK, SPOILER ALERT: THE HERO DI, ABOUT MEETG AND FALLG LOVE WH K AND RG FOR HIM AT THE END OF HIS LIFE, WHICH HE WROTE WHILE STILL THE GRIEVG PROCS. HE SAID GOODBYE AGA ON THE BOOK’S PRS TOUR, SPEAKG TO WRERS LIKE ME, TO HIS IENDS, AND TO CELEBRI WHO ARE MENTNED , LIKE KRISTEN BELL AND KERI RSELL. AIELLO IS AN ENTERTAMENT JOURNALIST, WHO WROTE FOR TV GUI AND ENTERTAMENT WEEKLY BEFORE FOUNDG THE WEBSE HE GOT THE PHONE LL THAT K MIGHT HAVE NCER WHILE ON THE SET OF THE AMERINS WAG TO TERVIEW RSELL. AFTER A DOCTOR GAVE K HIS PROGNOSIS, AIELLO HAD TO FILM AN ON-MERA NVERSATN WH BELL.HE SAID GOODBYE ON A MOVIE SET, WHILE WATCHG EMMY-WNER JIM PARSONS PLAY HIMSELF, AND THE PLATONIC IAL OF A PERFECT AND TALENTED MAN, BEN ALDRIDGE, PLAY K THE NEW MOVIE SPOILER ALERT, WHICH EXPANDS TO WI RELEASE THIS WEEKEND. HE WATCHED AS PARSONS, ACTG AS HIM, HELD K’S HAND AS HE PASSED AWAY A TEAR-JERKG HOSPAL ATH SCENE. NOW, DOG MORE PRS SUPPORT OF THE MOVIE, HE'S HAVG TO TALK ABOUT ALL—AND SAY GOODBYE—AGA. BUT THAT’S THE THG THAT BOTH AIELLO’S BOOK AND THIS GEOLY FAHFUL FILM ADAPTATN MAK SO BETIFULLY, EMOTNALLY CLEAR: WHEN YOU’VE HAD A LOVE LIKE MICHAEL AND K HAD, YOU DON’T EVER STOP SAYG GOODBYE. BEE THE PERSON NEVER ACTUALLY LEAV YOU COURTY OF FOC FEATUR WHEN I FIRST SPOKE ABOUT THIS PROJECT WH AIELLO, WAS 2017, WHEN SPOILER ALERT: THE HERO DI WAS FIRST RELEASED. AT THAT POT, K HAD BEEN GONE FOR TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS, AND AIELLO HAD SPENT A MAJORY OF THAT TIME LIVG THE SADNS OF THAT LOSS WHILE WRG THE BOOK. I ASKED HIM, AFTER VOTG SO MUCH ENERGY TO K’S RE AND THEN TO WRG HIS STORY, IF HE’S HAD A CHANCE TO THK OF HOW HE HIMSELF IS DOG. BOTH OF BEGAN CRYG AS HE ANSWERED.“IT’S BEEN TWO-AND-A HALF YEARS AND I’M STILL NOT OVER HIM,” HE SAID. “I DON’T KNOW IF I’LL HAVE THE ANSWER TO THAT QUTN UNTIL I REALLY ACCEPT THAT HE’S GONE AND MOVE ON.” AS HIS VOICE UGHT, HE NTUED: “I’M NOT THERE YET. I THK PART OF THAT IS BEE THE BOOK HASN’T ALLOWED ME TO LET GO. PART OF IS I DON’T WANT TO LET GO. THE BOOK IS HELPG ME BY GIVG ME WHAT I WANT. HE’S STILL HERE A WAY. I’M STILL TALKG ABOUT HIM. HE’S STILL MY LIFE.” IT’S BEEN FIVE MORE YEARS SCE THEN, AND AIELLO HAS VOTED MUCH OF THAT TIME TO PRODUCG THE FILM VERSN OF SPOILER ALERT—WHICH IS TO SAY, AGA TELLG K’S STORY. I ASK HIM IF HIS RELATNSHIP TO THAT GRIEF AND TO K’S MEMORY HAS CHANGED AT ALL.“I THK GRIEF IS SUCH A WEIRD THG,” HE SAYS. “IT'S SUCH A MOVG TARGET. IT STILL CHANG OM WEEK TO WEEK. I FEEL LIKE I N SAY I FEEL LIKE I'M AT A PLACE MY GRIEVG PROCS WHERE I N WATCH THE FILM AND NOT FEEL PA. I MOSTLY FEEL JOY AND GRATU FOR HAVG THAT EXPERIENCE AND MEETG K.”“IT WAS HARD FOR ME TO GO BACK AND EVEN READ THE BOOK, BEE WAS HARD READG SOME OF THOSE PAFUL, PAFUL PARTS,” HE NTU. “I THK, IALLY, MY MEMORY WAS FILLED MOSTLY WH THAT FAL YEAR AND THE SUFFERG. NOW AS I MOVE ON, I'M THKG ABOUT THE HAPPY TIM.” THAT HAPPS IS THE THG, THOUGH. THERE IS SO MUCH JOY SPOILER ALERT.IT IS THE GREATT LOVE STORY YOU WILL SEE ON SCREEN THIS YEAR. THAT’S NOT BEE HS THE CLICHéS OF GRAND ROMANTIC GTUR. (THERE ARE THOSE, BUT LS THE “BOOMBOX OUTSI YOUR WDOW” TYPE AND MORE THE “VE YOUR -LAWS TO THE BEACH VATN BEFORE YOUR HBAND DI” TYPE.) IT’S BEE IS SO AFFIRMG. Y, SPOILER ALERT IS ALSO THE SADST LOVE STORY YOU WILL SEE. BUT IS SO BETIFUL. IT REMDS YOU OF WHY WE FALL LOVE.WE DO FOR THE FUN OF THE FIRST PART OF ROMANCE: THE GETTG OVER SECURI, LIKE MAYBE YOU HAVE AN OUTRAGEO LLECTN OF SMURFS MEMORABILIA (AIELLO DID) OR MAYBE YOU WERE STILL CLOSETED (LIKE COWAN WAS). BUT REAL LOVE IS MOVG PAST THAT—AND PAST ANNOYANC, LIKE SMOKG TOO MUCH WEED, DRKG TOO MUCH, EMOTNAL FILY, DISTANCE, WORK DISTRACTNS, OR DIMISHG PASSN. THOSE ARE ALL THE THGS THAT ARE CREDIBLY HUMAN, THAT ALL DON’T MATTER WHEN MATTERS: BEG ALONGSI THE PERSON WHO YOU LOVE THE MOST AS THEY FACE THEIR ATH. I N BARELY GET THROUGH TYPG THAT WHOUT CRYG. SPOILER ALERT IS REALLY LEANG TO THE KLEENEX OF ALL WH S MARKETG, AND RIGHTFULLY SO. AT A PRS SCREENG FOR THE FILM, PUBLICISTS HAND OUT BRAND TISSU; A GIRL STG TO MY RIGHT WAS SOBBG SO LOUDLY, AT FIRST I THOUGHT SHE WAS SCREAMG. BUT THE THG IS: SPOILER ALERT IS ALSO A VERY FUNNY FILM. (SURPRISE!)“I THK THE CRYG AND THE TISSU GET A LOT OF ATTENTN,” AIELLO SAYS. “BUT AS WH THE BOOK, SO MUCH OF IS TOLD THROUGH A IC LENS, BEE THAT WAS MY RELATNSHIP WH K A NUTSHELL. I THK WHAT GOT THROUGH EMOTNALLY THE YEAR THAT HE WAS SICK WAS EDY AND GALLOWS HUMOR.”THAT ISN’T TO SAY THAT HE’S NOT TAKG A CERTA LIGHT HEARG ALL OF THE STORI ABOUT HOW MUCH PEOPLE WEEP WHILE WATCHG THE FILM. “IT SEEMS WEIRD TO SAY THAT I LOVE SUFFERG,” HE SAYS, LGHG. “IT MEANS TO ME THAT PEOPLE ARE NNECTG WH THE MOVIE AND BEG MOVED BY . WHEN I HEAR THAT PEOPLE ARE CRYG OR THEY HAVE THAT KD OF REACTN TO THE MOVIE, SEEMS LIKE THE BT KD OF PLIMENT TO THE FILM.” BRANDON WILLIAMS/GETTY IMAG WHEN I ZOOM WH PARSONS AND ALDRIDGE TO TALK ABOUT THE MOVIE, THEY SHARE THAT SENTIMENT. “ANY OF WHO WERE APPROACHED WH THE MATERIAL WANTED TO DO BEE WE WERE H THE SAME HARD WAY,” PARSONS SAYS.IN ADDN TO STARRG SPOILER ALERT, PARSONS PRODUCED THE FILM WH HIS HBAND, TODD SPIEWAK. AIELLO, WHO HAD TERVIEWED PARSONS MANY TIM OVER THE YEARS THAT HE STARRED ON THE BIG BANG THEORY, ASKED THE ACTOR TO MORATE A Q&A LOS ANGEL WHEN SPOILER ALERT: THE HERO DI WAS RELEASED. AS PARSONS READ THE BOOK TO PREPARE FOR THE NVERSATN, SPIEWAK WOULD DISVER HIM THE LIVG ROOM SOBBG A PUDDLE OF TEARS. IT WAS SPIEWAK’S IA, AFTER OBSERVG HIS HBAND’S VISCERAL REACTN, TO OPTN THE BOOK FOR A FILM—THOUGH PARSONS WASN’T TOTALLY ON BOARD AT FIRST.“ONE TIME I SAT NEXT TO FRANC MCDORMAND AT A DNER FOR A GOLN GLOB THG—THAT’S THE ONLY TIME WE’VE BEEN TOGETHER FOR ANYTHG OR SPOKEN,” HE SAYS. “BUT WE WERE THERE FOR A LONG TIME. ONE OF THE TOPICS THAT ME UP WAS ADAPTG MATERIAL. SHE SAID THAT SHE FELT LIKE THGS THAT DON’T NECSARILY SUCCEED THEIR ORIGAL GENRE ARE THE BT THGS TO TAKE AND TRY AGA, IF THE STORY SELF IS GOOD, ANOTHER GENRE. THE REASON I DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT ADAPTG THE BOOK WAS BEE REALLY POWERFULLY SUCCEED S ORIGAL FORM, MY OPN.”HE LGHS. “I DON’T KNOW WHY I BOTHERED TO TELL YOU ALL THAT, BUT ANYWAY... I JT WANTED TO NAME-DROP FRANC MCDORMAND.” ULTIMATELY, OF URSE, HE CID TO MAKE THE FILM. LIKE AIELLO’S BOOK, SPOILER ALERT CHARTS THE ENTIRETY OF MICHAEL AND K’S RELATNSHIP—AND, LIKE THE BOOK, THE FACT THAT K DI IS TABLISHED IMMEDIATELY. THEY FIRST MET AT WEBSTER HALL NEW YORK CY’S EAST VILLAGE ONE NIGHT 2001, NOT LONG AFTER 9/11 HAPPENED AND THE CY WAS STILL AN EERIE, UNCERTA PLACE. THEY FELL FAST AND HARD FOR EACH OTHER.K WAS ABLE TO OVERLOOK MICHAEL’S OBSSN WH SMURFS, AND THE FACT THAT HIS APARTMENT WAS A FACTO SHRE TO THE CHARACTERS. (AIELLO’S ACTUAL SMURFS LLECTN IS ED THE FILM. “THERE’S A LTLE CEMATIC EMBELLISHMENT,” HE SAYS. HE NEVER HAD A SMURFS FORTER ON HIS BED, FOR EXAMPLE, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN A ALBREAKER FOR K—AND MICHAEL WOULD HAVE UNRSTOOD. “I WOULD SAY THEY EMBELLISHED BY MAYBE 20 PERCENT.”) MICHAEL HELPED K TO E OUT TO HIS PARENTS, WHICH IS ONE OF THE FUNNIT, MOST CHARMG SCEN THE MOVIE.THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THEY BATTLED MONS, SEPARATELY AND TOGETHER. MICHAEL WORKED TOO MUCH, AND DRANK A LOT. K HAD AN AFFAIR. THEY SAW A UPLE’S THERAPIST TOGETHER. AT ONE POT, THEY SEPARATED AND LIVED DIFFERENT APARTMENTS. BUT NONE OF THAT MATTERED WHEN K RECEIVED HIS DIAGNOSIS. MICHAEL WAS GOG TO BE THERE. IT WASN’T EVEN A QUTN.“THE FILM SHOWS THE RELATNSHIP S ENTIRETY: THEM FALLG LOVE AND THE JOYFUL ELEMENT OF THAT, HOW THEY DISARM EACH OTHER, THEIR PLAYFULNS,” ALDRIDGE SAYS. “IT FELT VERY REAL TO ME THAT SPANNED A LONG PERD OF TIME, AND SHOWS WHAT LIFE AND TIME DO TO YOUR RELATNSHIP. IT SHOWS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU MIGHT BE ATTRACTED TO SOMEONE OUTSI OF THE RELATNSHIP, AND THOSE PLITNS AND PLEXI. IT SHOWS HOW YOU HAVE TO NURTURE SOMETHG. SOMETIM THAT’S DIFFICULT. IT JT FELT, FOR ME, A FULLY REALIZED RELATNSHIP—BEE ’S BASED ON EXACTLY THAT.” “YOU N’T LOVE WHOUT RISK OF PA. THEY GO HAND HAND.” THERE’S A SENSE WHEN TALKG TO ALDRIDGE AND PARSONS, WHO ARE BOTH GAY, THAT FILMG SPOILER ALERT WAS LS A JOB THAN WAS A LLG. “I JT LOVED THEIR LOVE AND WHAT TEACH ABOUT LOVE,” ALDRIDGE SAYS. “YOU N’T LOVE WHOUT RISK OF PA. THEY GO HAND HAND. THERE’S SOMETHG REALLY HOPEFUL ABOUT THE FILM. WHEN I WATCHED , I FELT LIKE I DIDN’T JT WATCH SOMEONE PASS AWAY. I GOT VIGORATED, AND WAS TGHT TO CHERISH LIFE AND TGHT TO LOVE BETTER, I THK.”PARSONS REMEMBERS THAT, AFTER HE READ SPOILER ALERT, HE WENT ON AIELLO’S INSTAGRAM AND SCROLLED THROUGH PAST PHOTOS. HE FOUND A PHOTO OF THE TWO OF THEM AT THE EMMY AWARDS, AND DAWNED ON HIM THAT, AT THE MOMENT THEY TOOK THE PICTURE, AIELLO WAS THE THICK OF , RG FOR K. “IT WAS A LTLE B CHILLG TO ME TO LOOK BACK AT THAT AND THK, ‘OH GOD…’ TALK ABOUT GIVG A REAL-LIFE LSON OF YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT SOMEBODY ELSE IS GOG THROUGH WHEN YOU’RE TALKG TO THEM OR ALG WH THEM.”THERE’S ALWAYS A TEMPTATN, PECIALLY WHEN A FILM CENTERS ON LGBT CHARACTERS, TO DISTILL A LSON OR A TAKEAWAY. ALDRIDGE, PARSONS, AND AIELLO ALL HAVE DIFFERENT OPNS ON WHAT THAT MIGHT BE. BUT THE NVERSATN RELIABLY CENTERS AROUND THE SCENE WHICH MICHAEL LIVERS K’S LOGY, WHICH HEWS CLOSE TO THE WORDS AIELLO SAID AND PUBLISHED FULL HIS BOOK: “IT SOUNDS RNY, I KNOW, BUT [K] SPENT THE LAST YEAR LIVG LIKE HE WAS DYG, AND I FEEL SO PRIVILEGED TO HAVE HAD A RGSI SEAT FOR WHAT TURNED OUT TO BE HIS FAREWELL TOUR.” COURTY OF FOC FEATUR THAT WORD, “PRIVILEGE,’ RONAT POWERFULLY. IT SHATTERS YOUR HEART. FOR AIELLO, RG FOR K WASN’T A BURN, OR SOME SORT OF DUTY. BEG ABLE TO DO THAT FOR K WAS AN HONOR. IT WAS HIS GREATT ACT OF LOVE.“THE PRIVILEGE AND THE GIFT OF THAT TRAGEDY, LERALLY STARG LIFE AND ATH THE FACE FOR TWO PEOPLE, IS THAT RARE MOMENT THAT TWO SOULS GET TO TRAVEL TOGETHER, AS CLOSELY AS JT TWO SOULS, THROUGH SOMETHG LIKE THAT,” PARSONS SAYS. “SO MUCH STATIC FALLS AWAY. NECSY. CLARY. WH THE BOOK AND THE MOVIE, YOU UNRSTAND THAT THE BETY OF TRAVELG THAT REALLY DIFFICULT ROAD IS THAT ’S A VERY, VERY RARE GIFT OF AN OPPORTUNY TO BE A BUBBLE, A SACRED SPACE WH THEM.”THE MOVIE—AND AIELLO AND COWAN’S STORY—IS A POIGNANT REMR OF HOW LUCKY ANY OF ARE TO HAVE FOUND LOVE OUR LIV AT ALL, AND A WHAT A PRIVILEGE IS, TO E THAT WORD AGA, TO BE ABLE TO RE FOR THE PERSON YOU LOVE WHEN THEY NEED YOU THE MOST, DIFFICULT AS MAY BE.“I REMEMBER FEELG THAT GRATU EVEN EXTREME PA AFTER K DIED,” AIELLO SAYS. “JT FEELG SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE BEEN AT WEBSTER HALL THAT NIGHT, TWO MONTHS AFTER 9/11 AND WALKG OUT ON THE DANCE FLOOR AND SEEG HIM. I’M GETTG CHILLS JT THKG ABOUT . EVEN KNOWG NOW THE PA AND THE TRMA AND THE LOSS THAT WAS TO E, I WOULDN’T HAVE TRAD FOR ANYTHG. HOW LUCKY WAS I TO BE THERE THAT NIGHT AND TO MEET HIM?” KEV FALLON

As Variety noted last year, Jul hatch the scheme after spottg Prton a gay sna and realizg that, bee he was drag when the attack occurred, his assailant won’t regnize him.

KEN HAS ALWAYS BEEN BARBIE’S GAY BT FRIEND—NOT HER BOYIENDBARBIE’S BELOVED BEARD?FOR YEARS, PEOPLE HAVE QUTNED WHAT ROLE KEN REALLY PLAYS BARBIE’S LIFE. BUT THE TTH IS PLA SIGHT: KEN’S NOT BOYIEND MATERIAL. AT LEAST, NOT FOR BARBIE.BARRY LEVTFREELANCE WRERPUBLISHED JUL. 21, 2023 4:35AM EDT PHOTO ILLTRATN BY THE DAILY BEAST/GETTYIT’S BARBIE WEEK AT THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED, CELEBRATG THE DOLL’S POP-CULTURE HISTORY, OUR FAVORE BARBIE MEMORI, AND A CERTA MAJOR MOVIE. READ ALL OF OUR VERAGE HERE!“SHE’S EVERYTHG. HE’S JT KEN.” THAT’S THE TAGLE FOR THE WILDLY ANTICIPATED BARBIE MOVIE, DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG AND STARRG MARGOT ROBBIE AND RYAN GOSLG. THE IMPLITN IS CLEAR: COME FOR BARBIE, AND STAY FOR BARBIE… BUT KEN HAPPENS TO BE THERE TOO.KEN HAS LONG BEEN SEEN AS NOTHG BUT BARBIE’S HUMAN ACCSORY, BUT WASN’T ALWAYS THIS WAY FOR THE POOR MISUNRSTOOD DOLL. WHEN KEN WAS FIRST TRODUCED 1961, HIS FIRST MERCIAL TRIED TO POSN HIM AS BARBIE’S EQUAL AND, UNMISTAKABLY, BOYIEND. “GET BOTH BARBIE AND KEN AND SEE WHERE THE ROMANCE WILL LEAD!” THE MERCIAL PROMISED.SCE THEN, LIKE BARBIE, KEN HAS UNRGONE UNTLS TRANSFORMATNS AND FASHNS. BUT AS TIME WENT ON, KEN FOUND HIMSELF AN AFTERTHOUGHT. TOYMAKERS MATTEL NEVER GAVE HIM THE SAME KD OF BACKSTORI AS BARBIE—WHILE SHE’S HAD OVER 200 REERS, KEN HAS HAD JT SOME 40-ODD PROFSNS. (AN CREDIBLE AMOUNT OF JOBS FOR A PERSON, SURE. BUT FOR A DOLL? EMBARRASSG.) BARBIE HAS STARRED LOTS OF VIO GAM AND MORE THAN THREE DOZEN FILMS; KEN HAS HAD A MAJOR ROLE A MERE HANDFUL OF THEM. BUT THERE’S ONE KEY REASON WHY KEN IS ALWAYS LAGGG SIGNIFINTLY BEHD BARBIE AND 'S A LOT EPER THAN THE DOLL’S SEEMG LACK OF POPULARY: KEN HAS BEEN MISST. HE’S NOT BARBIE’S BOYIEND. HE’S BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.DPE MATTEL’S SISTENCE THAT BARBIE AND KEN ARE A HAPPY ROMANTIC RELATNSHIP, THERE’S PLENTY OF SPECULATN ABOUT KEN’S SEXUALY. EVEN IF HIS MAKERS CLAIM HIM TO BE STRAIGHT, THERE’S MOUNTG PROOF TO THE NTRARY. PERHAPS THE MOST DISPUTABLE EVINCE THAT KEN IS FACT BOTH A MEMBER OF THE QUEER MUNY AND BARBIE’S BTIE, NOT BOY TOY, OM A RATHER SURPRISG PLACE: 2010’S TOY STORY 3.IN TOY STORY 3, BARBIE AND KEN PLAY A SURPRISGLY LARGE ROLE. THEIR TRODUCTN TO THE FILM IS TGED WH ROMANTIC TENSN. WHEN THE PAIR MEET, THE FILM VOK A MON TROPE: A ROMANTIC NEEDLE DROP HS THE MOMENT THE LOVERS LOCK EY. IN THIS SE, ’S “DREAM WEAVER” BY GARY WRIGHT. AS FAR AS BARBIE AND KEN ARE NCERNED, THEY’RE THE ONLY ON THE ROOM. “I LOVE YOUR LEG WARMERS!” KEN TELLS BARBIE. “NICE AST,” SHE BANTERS, WH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON THE FIRST SYLLABLE. BEFORE THGS GET TOO HEATED, THEY LOCK ARMS AND WALK OFF TOGETHER. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / GETTY LET’S BE HONT—SPE THE ROMANTIC OVERTON OF THE SCENE, THEIR BRIEF EXCHANGE TELLS EVERYTHG ABOUT HOW THEY SEE EACH OTHER. KEN DON’T MENTN ANYTHG ABOUT BARBIE’S BODY, STEAD HIGHLIGHTG HER LEG WARMERS. BUT BARBIE IS UNSUBTLY TRYG TO SCE KEN JT TWO WORDS. SHE’S AFTER KEN, BUT KEN IS AFTER SOMEONE WHOSE CLOTH HE N ADMIRE.SURE, LATER THE FILM, KEN AND BARBIE SAY “I LOVE YOU” TO EACH OTHER. AND THEY GO BACK AND FORTH BETWEEN SAYG EACH WORD OF “I LOVE YOU”—SO SOMEONE DIFFERENT N SAY “LOVE” EACH TIME, AS KEN EXPLAS. HE MENTNS OFFHAND THAT HE HAS EVERYTHG EXCEPT SOMEONE TO SHARE WH. BARBIE AND KEN EVEN NUZZLE THEIR NOS TOGETHER. Y, THERE’S FELY LOVE BETWEEN IENDS—BUT THROUGH ALL, THERE’S NOT A HT OF SEXUAL CHEMISTRY.LOOK, I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THKG—SIR, THIS IS TOY STORY; WHAT EXACTLY ARE YOU EXPECTG? IF YOU LOOK AT OTHER ROMANC THE ANCHISE—WOODY AND BO PEEP, AND JSE AND BUZZ—THERE’S NO DOUBT THAT THERE’S REAL LOVE THERE BETWEEN THE SENTIENT TOYS. THEIR PASSN FOR ONE ANOTHER TRANSCENDS MORE THAN SIMPLY BEG TERTED EACH OTHER’S OUTFS. THE SAME NNOT BE SAID OF THE MATTEL DOLLS. THAT’S MA EVINT WHEN KEN FALLY GETS AN OPPORTUNY FOR TIMACY WH BARBIE. “THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS,” HE TELLS BARBIE WHEN THEY FALLY GO TO HIS DREAMHOE TOGETHER, HAVG PARENTS ALL OVER THE WORLD CLUTCHG THEIR PEARLS. BUT FEAR NOT: KEN SIMPLY TAK BARBIE TO… HIS WALK- WARDROBE. ANY SEMBLANCE OF ROMANCE MAK WAY FOR IENDSHIP, WHEN THE PAIR JUBILANTLY PESE KEN’S OUTFS. AND STEAD OF DOG SOMETHG WILD LIKE KISSG BARBIE, KEN PUTS ON A FASHN SHOW FOR HER STEAD. THE FILM WON’T SAY , BUT A POST-CREDS PUNCHLE ABOUT KEN’S HANDWRG, PLETE WH HEARTS AND STARS SURROUNDG HIS NAME, TELLS WHAT WE NEED TO KNOW.THE HEAVILY IMPLIED NATURE OF KEN’S GAYNS TOY STORY 3 HARKENS BACK TO HOLLYWOOD’S TRADNAL GAY BT IEND-TYPE CHARACTERS. IN THE HAYS CO ERA, EXPLIC REFERENC TO HOMOSEXUALY WEREN’T ALLOWED, SO CHARACTERS LIKE VAN BUREN (FRANKL PANGBORN) 1937’S EASY LIVG, KIP (DAVID WAYNE) 1949’S ADAM’S RIB, OR ADDISON (GEE SANRS) 1950’S ALL ABOUT EVE STEAD WERE IMBUED WH EFFEMATE CHARACTERISTICS, OFFERG A GLIMPSE OUTSI OF HETERONORMATIVY WHOUT EXPLICLY BEG QUEER.NONE OF THE CHARACTERS WERE THE SAME—SOME WERE TTY, OTHERS SWEET. SOME HAD ULTERR MOTIV, AND OTHERS OFFERED UNNDNAL SUPPORT. BUT EACH OF THE GAY BT IENDS WAS TRSILLY FED BY THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT IENDS. WE NEVER REALLY LEARNED MUCH ABOUT THEM AS DIVIDUALS. THEY LIVED ON THE MARGS, FLHG OUT THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS, HARDLY HAVG A PURPOSE WHOUT THEM; THAT PORTRAYAL REMAS TE TODAY. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO / THE DAILY BEAST / PHOTOS BY GETTY / WARNER BROS. DES LATER, 2010, THE GAY BT IEND WAS ALL THE RAGE; TEEN VOGUE EVEN WENT SO FAR AS TO PROCLAIM THE GBF AS THE SUMMER’S MT-HAVE ACCSORY. BUT UNLIKE THE FIRST HALF OF THE 20TH CENTURY, TODAY’S CEMA, THE GBF IS ALLOWED TO BE OPENLY GAY. AT THE SAME TIME, THEY STILL BARELY REGISTER AS PEOPLE WH CHARACTER TRAS BEYOND THEIR RELATNSHIPS WH THEIR STRAIGHT UNTERPARTS. IN MOVI LIKE MEAN GIRLS (2004), THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA (2006), EASY A (2010), NO STRGS ATTACHED (2011), AND ISN’T IT ROMANTIC (2019), GAY IENDS EXIST ENTIRELY THE ORB OF THEIR FEMALE IENDS. IT’S SUCH A STRONG TROPE THAT EVEN PERSISTS QUEER ROMANTIC EDI: 2020’S HAPPIT SEASON FDS JOHN (DAN LEVY) OFFERG ADVICE AND SNARKY ONE-LERS TO HIS LBIAN BTIE LI OF MEANGFUL CHARACTER VELOPMENT.IN TOY STORY 3, THE SAME IS TE OF KEN. HIS EXISTENCE PENDS ON AND CIRCULAT AROUND BARBIE. IN BARBIE, KEN HAS FOUND SOMEONE WHO REALLY UNRSTANDS HIM. HE DON’T GET ALONG WH THE OTHER TOYS, WHO MOCK HIM FOR BEG A “GIRL'S TOY.” BUT BARBIE LOV FASHN, JT LIKE HE DO. “NO ONE APPRECIAT CLOTH HERE, BARBIE,” KEN LAMENTS TO BARBIE, ABOUT THE OTHER TOYS’ TREATMENT OF HIM. “NO ONE!” BUT BARBIE DO, AND FOR KEN, THAT’S LIFE-CHANGG.THERE ARE PLENTY OF REASONS WHY THE FILM WOULDN’T OUTRIGHTLY STATE THAT KEN IS HOMOSEXUAL. NOT ONLY DO DISNEY SELF HAVE A PLITED HISTORY WH QUEER CHARACTERS, BUT KEN AND BARBIE ARE ALSO THE PROPERTY OF MATTEL, WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN STEADFAST ASSERTG KEN’S HETEROSEXUALY. THAT’S NEVER BEEN CLEARER THAN 1993 WHEN THE TOY PANY TRIED TO REIGNE KEN’S POPULARY MATTEL’S SOLUTN? EARRG MAGIC KEN. EARRG MAGIC KEN WAS A FIERCER, FELY MORE QUEER KEN THAN EVER BEFORE. THIS VERSN OF THE DOLL HAD BLEACHED BLON HAIR, A PURPLE LEATHER VT (!), A PK-PURPLE MH TOP (!!), AND OF URSE, AND EARRG THE “GAY EAR”. BUT THAT’S NOT ALL: AROUND KEN’S NECK WAS SOMETHG THAT ANY ACTIVE PARTICIPANT OF THE QUEER SCENE THE ’90S REGNIZED STANTLY—A CK RG (!!!).THE EARRG MAGIC KEN TURNED BARBIE’S BOYIEND TO AN OUT-AND-PROUD HOMOSEXUAL RAVER. MATTEL, OF URSE, VEHEMENTLY NIED ANY CLAIMS THAT KEN WAS GAY, LET ALONE THAT HE HAD SOMETHG AS PREPOSTERO AS A CK RG AROUND HIS NECK. AS LISA MCKENDALL, FORMER MANAGER OF MARKETG AND MUNITNS, SAID AN TERVIEW ABOUT THE DOLL, “WE’RE NOT THE BS OF PUTTG CK RGS TO THE HANDS OF LTLE GIRLS.”REGARDLS OF MATTEL’S TENTNS, ’S HARD TO NY WHAT THE EYE N SEE. DPE THE NAME, CK RGS AT THE TIME WERE ED AS A FASHN ACCSORY AND A SIGN OF FIANT QUEERNS AND SEX POSIVY. AS A RULT, GAY MEN BOUGHT THE DOLL DROV, AND SPE MATTEL ULTIMATELY RELLG THE DOLL AND WIPG AWAY ANY TRACE OF EARRG MAGIC KEN, WAS NEAR-IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE KEN AS ANYTHG BUT THE GLOR HOMOSEXUAL HE WAS BORN TO BE OM THEN ON. MATTEL SPENT THE NEXT UPLE OF S TRYG TO RETA KEN’S MORE HETERONORMATIVE, MASCULE IMAGE, BUT THE VEIL WAS LIFTED, AND THERE WAS NO GOG BACK. PHOTO ILLTRATN BY KELLY CAMERO/THE DAILY BEAST/PHOTOS BY GETTY/WARNER BROS. THOUGH MATTEL DON’T SEEM TO BE WILLG TO SAY KEN IS ACTUALLY GAY, THE KEN DOLLS OF RECENT YEARS SEEM TO REALLY LEAN TO KEN’S QUEERNS. THE YASSIFITN OF KEN IS CLEARLY UNRWAY. WHILE THERE IS NO WAY TO “DRS GAY,” THERE ARE SEVERAL DOLLS THAT SEEM TO SUGGT OTHERWISE, SUCH AS:FASHNISTA KEN #193, WHO LOOKS VERY EXCED TO TELL YOU ABOUT HIS NEW OBSSN, TROYE SIVAN;TRAVEL KEN DOLL, WHO HAS A SATCHEL PERFECT FOR BATHHO AND A PURPLE OVERNIGHT BAG THAT LERALLY PROCLAIMS HE’S “EXTRA;”KEN LOOKS DOLL, SERVG “I’M GONNA GIVE YOU A MAKEOVER”-TYPE REALNS WHILE SPORTG BLACK PLEATHER PANTS;THIS KEN, WHO WEARS THE LEAST HETEROSEXUAL DOUBLE NIM IMAGABLE.WHILE I HAVE A FEELG THE NEW BARBIE MOVIE WILL PUT THE WORK TO NVCE THAT KEN IS A HETERO DU WHO LOV NOTHG LIFE MORE THAN BARBIE HERSELF, THE WRG’S ALREADY ON THE WALL: KEN IS, AND ALWAYS WILL BE, BARBIE’S GAY BT IEND.KEEP OBSSG! SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY BEAST’S OBSSED NEWSLETTER AND FOLLOW ON FACEBOOK, TWTER, INSTAGRAM AND TIKTOK.READ MORE OF OUR BARBIE VERAGE HERE. BARRY LEVT

A Gay Happy Endg for All.