Ryan Gosling’s subtle tribute to Eva Mendes at the Barbie premiere

Actor has been busy promoting his new movie with co-star Margot Robbie

Ryan Gosling has been praised by fans for his subtle tribute to wife and fellow actor Eva Mendes, as he appeared on the red carpet at the Barbie premiere.

On Sunday 9 July, stars of the forthcoming live-action film, inspired by the iconic Mattell doll, gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate its release.

Gosling, who plays Ken, arrived in a pink Gucci suit that he accessorised with a chain necklace that had the letter “E” dangling from it, in the same typeface used for the film.

Fans immediately put two and two together and presumed the initial was in reference to Mendes, with whom the 42-year-old actor shares two children: Esmerelda, eight, and Amada, seven.

“Ryan Gosling rocking not just a sexy little chain but a sexy little chain with a Barbie font E for EVA on it I’m gonna throw myself off a cliff,” tweeted one person.

“How cute wearing a necklace with an E for Eva. He really is making sure his wife feels secure,” added another.

Mendes, who was not present at the premiere, has previously made it clear that she would rather avoid doing press to spend time with her daughters.

“What people don’t know about me is that I love being home,” she told Shape in 2017. “Instead of hitting the red carpet, I’d rather be with our girls.”

Gosling, meanwhile, has spoken about how his children were a huge influence on how he approached his role in the film.

“They’ve seen a lot pieces of [the film], and helped me a lot with it,” he told ET at the Barbie premiere.

“Well, it was, I think, weird enough for them that I played Ken anyway. I might like, you know, just hold off on them seeing the full Ken energy.”

Gosling and Mendes first starred together in the 2012 film The Place Beyond the Pines. However, earlier this year she appeared to suggest that their relationship actually began just before filming commenced.

Posting on Instagram in April, she shared a clip from the film, in which her character and Gosling’s character could be seen walking towards each other. In the movie, the Canadian actor played Luke, a motorcyclist who robs banks in order to financially provide for his girlfriend Romina, played by Mendes, and their newborn.

As the actress praised the scene in the caption of her post, she also shared a new detail about her and Gosling’s relationship.

“Magic is real,” she wrote. “We did not meet on set. The magic started way before but here’s a little magic captured on camera. Gracias to the increíble director Derek Cianfrance.”

Barbie (Getty Images)

Early reactions to the film have been largely positive, with Gosling singled out as a “scene-stealing” highlight.

This Week Media editor Eze Baum said: “Barbie is a triumph. A pitch-perfect script backed by great performances – particularly from Ryan Gosling – turns what could be a simple studio comedy into a sharp commentary on our society that makes its nuance palatable for those that may not take it at face value. GG is 3/3.”

Variety’s social media editor Katcy Stephan wrote: “Greta Gerwig delivers a nuanced commentary on what it means to be a woman in a whimsical, wonderful and laugh-out-loud funny romp. The entire cast shines, especially Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in roles they were clearly born to play.”

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff, meanwhile, enjoyed the costume and production design in the movie, but wasn’t quite as convinced on story. “I think the film serves Margot Robbie’s Barbie and her journey especially well,” she wrote, “but there are other characters experiencing important arcs that needed more screen time to really dig into and explore to the fullest.”