Matt Bomer Chose ‘Maestro’ Over Role in ‘Barbie’ for Family Time

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Actor Matt Bomer revealed that he turned down a role in the acclaimed film ‘Barbie’ to spend more quality time with his family, opting instead to work with Bradley Cooper on the biopic ‘Maestro.’ This decision highlights the personal sacrifices actors often make in balancing career and family life.

In a recent interview, Bomer shared that he had auditioned for one of the Kens in Greta Gerwig’s ‘Barbie’ but chose to step away from the project after considering the time commitment required. ‘I wanted to focus on my family and ensure I was present for them,’ he stated.

His rationale for choosing ‘Maestro’ over ‘Barbie’ was based on the immersive experience he had while filming. ‘Even though my part in ‘Maestro’ was smaller, Bradley was so collaborative with me from the get-go,’ said Bomer. ‘It was such an immersive experience that to have just flown in from London to film my scenes [in ‘Barbie’] really quick and fly back to London — I feel like ‘Maestro’ wouldn’t have been the same experience for me.’

Bomer portrays David Oppenheim, a romantic interest in Cooper’s portrayal of Leonard Bernstein in the film. Although his role appears mainly in the first half, he emphasized that ‘Maestro’ significantly impacted his career. ‘It changed my working approach for probably the rest of my career on film,’ Bomer reflected.

Interestingly, before deciding against ‘Barbie,’ Bomer mentioned he had sent in a self-tape audition where he explored multiple iterations of the character. ‘I recorded it on my own, played a bunch of different Kens — and I dressed differently for all of them,’ he explained. ‘I played the lines of the other person’s dialogue on my recorder and then gave myself space to respond.’

Currently, Bomer stars alongside Nathan Lane and Nathan Lee Graham in Hulu‘s new comedy series ‘Mid-Century Modern,’ developed by creators of ‘Will & Grace.’ The show follows three gay men who unexpectedly find themselves living together after a sudden death, offering a fresh take on friendship and comedy in a new era.

Critics have started to respond positively to the series, with Variety‘s chief TV critic Aramide Tinubu noting that it ‘offers more than a few laugh-out-loud moments, a new portrayal of golden-age friendships, and some genuinely delightful guest stars.’