Greta Gerwig’s Barbie film features appearances from numerous Sex Education stars and even a cameo from a Gavin & Stacey icon – but cinemagoers probably weren’t expecting a former Love Islander to show up in the movie.
In a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, Chris Taylor, who found fame on the 2019 series of the ITV2 show, features as one Ken in the new film.
Speaking to LadBible, Chris revealed how the cameo came about, explaining that lead star Margot Robbie helped make his big moment happen.
The actor also served as executive producer on the movie and, crucially, she’s a huge fan of Love Island.
Chris and Margot first crossed paths just months after his villa stint, when a group of Islanders attended the Birds of Prey premiere in London.
Although Chris missed out an invite to the red carpet, he did manage to get into the afterparty with his former co-stars.
He explained: “There is a bit of a backstory. The lads [Michael Griffiths and Jordan Hames] went to a premiere. They met Margot, and then afterwards Margot shouted at them and said ‘Come to the after party!’ because she’s obsessed with Love Island.
“I was living with the boys at the time, so I was like ‘I’m coming’ and she knew who we all were. She watches the show.”
At the bash, Margot approached Chris and it seems he made quite the impression, as he later got the call for the small part in the movie.
“I’m like ‘what the fuck is going on?’,” he recalled. “I dunno, she must have just remembered me from then.”
Chris has clearly been enjoying his brush with Hollywood and posted a series of behind-the-scenes snaps to celebrate the movie’s release last week.
Alongside a carousel including a picture of himself and Will Ferrell, he wrote on Instagram: “A series of me annoying very famous people (ft. a heavily circumcised horse). Maddest day of my life, and I often travel to remote desserts for a spot of extreme ironing.”
We promise the horse will make sense once you’ve seen the film.
Margot’s passion for Love Island is well-documented and at the Barbie premiere last month, she had no shame in fan-girling over stars including Ekin-Su Cülcüloğlu and Liberty Poole.