Writer, actor, and producer Issa Rae recently revealed that she was "incredibly nervous" on one occasion while shooting the 2023 blockbuster film Barbie. Notably, Rae released her personal essay collection I Should Be Smarter By Now on Tuesday, August 26, 2025. In the book of autobiographical essays, the actor recounts several behind-the-scenes anecdotes, thus revealing a more vulnerable aspect of her career in Hollywood.One specific recollection in the book includes her Barbie co-star, Ryan Gosling, and how his presence almost drove her crazy during filming."I was incredibly nervous. I wanted to ask Greta [Gerwig] if she could tell Ryan Gosling to leave so as not to break my concentration, but I had just arrived, I couldn’t make any demands," she revealed.The star, who appeared as President Barbie in Greta Gerwig's record-smashing film, confessed that mounting the set to do a solo dance number was well beyond her comfort zone.What did Issa Rae say about Ryan Gosling and filming Barbie?Issa Rae at Invest Fest 2025 (Image via Getty)Discussing the issue, Issa Rae clarified in her essay that she had only just arrived in London for shooting when she was unexpectedly informed that she would have to do a solo dance number.Rae conceded that she only had 24 hours to get ready after being handed the choreography when she was at an event in Washington, D.C. She remembered finding herself in utter shock, particularly because she had explicitly been informed before signing on that she would not have to dance in the film.With minimal time and self-doubt about her ability to dance, Issa Rae was under a heavy burden to perform on set. She stated that she nearly asked Greta Gerwig to have Ryan Gosling exit the room while she danced so that she could concentrate.Her anxiety increased only upon getting to know that her co-actors had spent weeks rehearsing their dance routines, whereas she had just learned a new one the previous day. Following her initial rehearsal, which she confessed did not quite go as expected, Issa Rae worked in her hotel room and trailer relentlessly.When the cameras started rolling, she performed well and the choreographers appreciated her work. Rae later joked that she was not given a choice but to rehearse nonstop, as quitting was out of the question.In spite of the bumpy beginning, Issa Rae described working on Barbie as one of the most enriching experiences of her career. She credited Gerwig with navigating her vision and taking in contributions from the cast and producers, describing the experience in general as unforgettable.Read More: "Might just go ahead and cancel the subscription": Netizens slam Netflix for its frequent outagesWhat is Barbie about and who stars in it?Directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written with Noah Baumbach, Barbie is a fantasy comedy based on Mattel's iconic dolls. The film tells the story of Stereotypical Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, who starts questioning her immaculate life in Barbieland after experiencing moments of mortality.This leads to a surreal journey that propels her and Ryan Gosling's Ken into the real world, where she faces challenges and discovers things about identity, gender roles, and personal purpose.Issa Rae is President Barbie, one of the numerous forms of Barbie in the movie's vibrant world. Others appear as Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon), Physicist Barbie (Emma Mackey), and Mermaid Barbie (Dua Lipa).America Ferrera is Gloria, a worker at Mattel who assists Barbie on her quest, and Ariana Greenblatt is Gloria's daughter Sasha. Will Ferrell rounds out the cast as the CEO of Mattel.Michael Cera, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Helen Mirren, Rhea Perlman, and many more complete ensemble cast.Released in July 2023, Barbie was a cultural sensation, creating the viral Barbenheimer trend when it opened the same weekend as Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer.It went on to make over $1.4 billion globally, becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023 and one of all-time highest-grossing films. It was critically acclaimed and found itself nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture.Also Read: When will Caught Stealing premiere? Release date, cast details, first look, and moreInterested viewers can watch Issa Rae in Barbie on Amazon Prime Video.