The Real-Life Couple Who Made An Appearance In Barbie

There is no small shortage of clever cameos and Easter eggs hidden throughout Greta Gerwig's smash-hit "Barbie," but there was one little detail in the Barbie movie that was so subtle that you just might've missed it if you happened to blink (or refill your popcorn). Though this guest appearance was only seen for a few short seconds, the walk-on actor has a strong connection to America Ferrera, who plays Gloria in the movie. 

As Ferrera put it in an Instagram caption following the film's premiere, the actor is her "forever Ken" — more specifically, her husband, Ryan Piers Williams. As it turns out, it wasn't just Ferrera's superb acting skills that made Gloria, her husband, and her daughter Sasha's family seem so authentic. Ferrera was actually acting alongside her husband and father to her two children, Sebastian Piers and Lucia Marisol. 

Williams and his well-intentioned Duolingo gaffes couldn't have been better suited for his role as "El Esposo de Gloria," which translates to "Gloria's Husband." Now that's some real-life Kenergy.

Ryan Piers Williams is an accomplished actor and writer in his own right, but as is only appropriate in a movie celebrating the independent ferocity and aptitude of women, he takes a backseat as the lovably dopey husband who continuously tries to practice his Spanish on his wife and daughter. The audience first sees El Esposo de Gloria showing off his Duolingo streak to a distracted Gloria, who exasperatedly corrects his Americanized Spanish pronunciation. 

He doesn't reappear until the final scene in which he tries to encourage Margot Robbie's Barbie with a supportive, "Sí se puede!" Though Sasha points out that his usage isn't entirely appropriate in that context (labor rights activist Dolores Huerta coined the phrase in the '60s), long-time Ferrera fans likely recognized this saying as yet another clever Easter egg expertly placed by the "Barbie" team.

Indeed, Gerwig tugged on the nostalgic heartstrings of '90s kids everywhere with her subtle callback to Ferrera's first Disney film, "Gotta Kick It Up!" In the 2002 television flick, Ferrera and her fellow cheerleaders use "sí se puede" as their inspirational call to action, making Williams' line all the more sentimental.

Three years after the release of "Gotta Kick It Up," America Ferrera was studying at the University of Southern California when she auditioned for a short film covering crimes against women in Juarez, Mexico, called "Muertas." Ryan Piers Williams, who wrote, directed, and starred in the film, cast Ferrera as Rebecca. The two began dating shortly after.

Williams popped the question to Ferrera in 2010, and one year later, the couple wed at the home of Ferrera's "Ugly Betty" co-star, Vanessa Williams. After marrying, they stayed committed to the professional relationship that brought them together. Ferrera discussed working with Williams with Metro US in 2015, saying, "To be consumed by the same project and be on set together in the long run becomes quite a bonding experience." 

Ferrera and Williams welcomed their first child, Sebastian, in May 2018, followed by Lucia in May 2020. The cast of Barbie's real-life partners added an extra layer of romance, levity, and sincerity to Gerwig's plastic, fantastic, and empowering film of the summer.