
The vast majority of the main points behind this summer’s highly-anticipated Barbie movie remain a secret, but Margot Robbie has opened as much as Vogue a bit about making the film. The interview marks her most prolonged interview on the project.
Major revelations include that she actually never planned to play the role herself despite looking like the enduring doll. âIt wasnât that I ever desired to play Barbie, or dreamt of being Barbie, or anything like that,â she said. âThat is going to sound silly, but I actually didnât even take into consideration playing Barbie until years into developing the project.â
Listed here are the important thing things she and others involved in Barbie revealed concerning the film within the interview.
Robbie and her production company LuckyChap sought rights to the Barbie IP to develop a movie that might acknowledge those that hate the toy, too.
âWe in fact would wish to honor the 60-year legacy that this brand has,â Robbie had told Mattel in her pitch. âBut now we have to acknowledge that there are a variety of individuals who arenât fans of Barbie. And in reality, arenât just indifferent to Barbie. They actively hate Barbie. And have an actual issue with Barbie. We’d like to seek out a method to acknowledge that.â
Robbie and LuckyChap were capable of structure their cope with Warner Bros and Mattel so the film’s screenwriters Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach had full creative freedom.
Robbie and her husband Tom Ackerley, who produce together for LuckyChap, read the finished script at the identical time. A joke on page one signaled to them this was going to be removed from the everyday Barbie movie. (The joke didn’t make the ultimate cut, but final version remains to be consistent with the primary). âWe just checked out one another, pure panic on our faces. We were like, Holy fucking shit,â she said. When she finished reading the script, âI believe the very first thing I said to Tom was, That is so genius. It’s such a shame that weâre never going to have the option to make this movie.â
Expect a ton of outfits within the film that pay homage to Barbie’s fashion history.
âThe important thing thing about Barbie is that she dresses with intention,â the film’s costume designer Jacqueline Durran said. âBarbie doesnât dress for the day. She dresses for the duty.â
Gerwig and Robbie sought to solid individuals with âBarbie energyâ to play the dolls.
âGal Gadot is Barbie energy,â Robbie explained, although Gadot was not available to do the film. âBecause Gal Gadot is so impossibly beautiful, but you donât hate her for being that lovely, because sheâs so genuinely sincere, and she or heâs so enthusiastically kind, that itâs almost dorky. Itâs like right before being a dork.â Robbie plays âStereotypical Barbie,â as Vogue put it, within the film.
Robbie left Ryan Gosling presents every single day âfrom Barbie to Kenâ to assist him find his character.
âShe left a pink present with a pink bow, from Barbie to Ken, every single day while we were filming,â he said. âThey were all beach-related. Like puka shells, or an indication that claims âPray for surf.â Because Kenâs job is just beach. Iâve never quite discovered what meaning. But I felt like she was attempting to help Ken understand, through these gifts that she was giving.â
Robbie used a This American Life podcast episode that Gerwig sent her to seek out her character as Barbie.
âI used to be like, Greta, I want to go on this whole character journey. And Greta was like, Oh, I even have a extremely good podcast for you,â Robbie said, noting it was an episode a few woman who doesnât introspect. âYou recognize how you may have a voice in your head on a regular basis? This woman, she doesnât have that voice in her head.â (The episode is probably going âPenny For Your Non-Thoughts.â)
Robbie also said she approached the character as if Barbie doesn’t feel sexual desire.
âIâm like, Okay, sheâs a doll. Sheâs a plastic doll. She doesnât have organs. If she doesnât have organs, she doesnât have reproductive organs. If she doesnât have reproductive organs, would she even feel sexual desire? No, I donât think she could,â Robbie explained. â[So yes,] she is sexualized. But she should never be sexy. People can project sex onto her. Yes, she will wear a brief skirt, but since itâs fun and pink. Not because she wanted you to see her butt.â
Her Barbie’s voice (a âGeneral American accent. Itâs called GenAmâ) will change throughout the film to mark her character journey.
Firstly of the movie, it should be in a better register, and âevery thing may be very definite. Thereâs no second thought. Thereâs no hesitation,â Robbie said. It’s going to sound lower later.
Gerwig said Ken may even go on a significant character journey.
âThe Kens have a journey in front of them. At first of the movie, no person thinks about Ken. No person worries about Ken. Ken doesnât have a house. Or a automotive. Or a job. Or any power. And, um, that’s gonna be type of unsustainable.â
You may read Robbie’s full interview here.
Senior News and Strategy Editor
Alyssa Bailey is the senior news and strategy editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage of celebrities and royals (particularly Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton). She previously held positions at InStyle and Cosmopolitan. When she’s not working, she loves running around Central Park, making people take #ootd pics of her, and exploring Recent York City.