Barbie is heading to become one of the best movies of 2023, and all the fans of the beautiful doll have kept their expectations very high, especially with the great previews that have been presented to us. Every detail, every wink, and every frame of the film makes us get excited and, above all, enter, just like when we were kids, into Barbie’s pink world.
The live-action of the Mattel doll has proven to be a work of art, of course, until you see it, don’t believe it; however, we are confident that it will be better than we expected.
Fun Facts About Barbie That You Surely Didn’t Know
Barbie has countless nods to the real history of the doll and its timeline, and during its filming, details emerged that make it even more interesting.
Barbie is inspired by a feminist book
Barbie is inspired by a feminist book. This was confirmed by director Greta Gerwig, who assured that her main inspiration was the book Reviving Ophelia, written by Mary Pipher in 1994 and that she read when she was a child. The book is about how when you reach adolescence you experience a great journey into sass and fun that is suddenly halted by extreme pressures.
Margot Robbie Almost Didn’t Get the Role of Barbie
The actress revealed to Vogue that she didn’t want to be Barbie and asked for Gal Gadot instead, as she felt her colleague had more of the vibe of the world’s most beloved doll. At the end of the day, Margot accepted the role on one condition: she wanted a slide in Barbie’s house connecting her bedroom with the pool.
Pink Paint Shortage
The fantastic Barbie set was hand painted, yes, all of it, and obviously the standout color is pink. The manufacturing of it caused a worldwide shortage of the Rosco brand fluorescent shade… but it sure was worth all the trouble, plus it was temporary.
Greta Gerwig Never Owned a Barbie
Greta Gerwig, the film’s director, and Katie Spencer, the interior designer, had to order a Dreamhouse from Amazon to study it and thus design the film sets since they have never owned a Barbie in their lives and had never seen a Mattel doll house.
The Dreamhouse Is Inspired by Palm Springs
Barbie’s spectacular dream house was built at Warner Bros. studios outside London; however, the infrastructure is totally inspired by Palm Springs, California. The house has all the characteristic details of the toy piece, such as the three floors, the spiral slide that points to the pool, and the fact that there are no doors or windows.
Barbie Special Edition to Celebrate the Movie
Barbie’s limited edition line will feature a beautiful version, inspired, obviously, by Margot Robbie, and amazing outfits to celebrate the film’s release.
Original Barbie Has a Cameo in the Film
Barbie’s creator, Ruth Handler, named her doll after the nickname of her daughter Barbara Handler, who will now have a special cameo in the 82-year-old film in honor of her mother. “Humans only have endings and ideas live forever,” is the inspiring quote we got to hear in the trailer.
Ryan Gosling Accepted the Role Thanks to His Daughter
Ryan Gosling accepted to be Ken because of his daughter’s influence and not exactly because she asked him to, but because the actor saw a Ken doll thrown on the ground in very poor conditions… so, with a photo of the scene, he proposed Greta to be his Ken because he deserved to tell his story. “I will be your Ken, his story must be told,” wrote the Hollywood actor.
Ken Was Inspired by the Malibu Version
In the film, we see an extremely blond Ken, this is because the character is inspired by the 1979 Sun Livia Malibu Ken doll, hence the turquoise swimsuit and tanned skin.
Barbie will hit theaters in July 2023, and we can’t wait to meet her again, just like in our childhood afternoons at playtime.
Story written in Spanish by Kate Nateras in Cultura Colectiva