There’s never actually been a Lawyer Barbie doll
In Barbie, Sharon Rooney plays Lawyer Barbie. Unlike many other characters present in Barbieland, Rooney’s character was created just for the movie and doesn’t currently exist anywhere in doll form. Lawyer Barbie does take inspiration from past dolls though, such as the 1963 Career Girl Barbie, 1992 Business Executive Barbie and 2003’s Elle Woods Barbie.
The elderly lady on the bench is a two-time Oscar winner
While on her journey throughout the real world, Barbie rests on a bench and chats with an older woman, who offers her some encouragement. This woman is actually Ann Roth, a famous Hollywood costume designer. Roth has been nominated for five Oscars, winning on two occasions.
Ryan Gosling’s Ken is based on Sun Lovin’ Malibu Ken
There are multiple Kens in Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, all with different aesthetics and professions. While Ryan Gosling’s Ken wears various outfits throughout the film, he reveals that his profession is not surfer or lifeguard, but just beach, revealing that he was inspired specifically by the tan, blond iteration of 1979’s Sun Lovin’ Malibu Ken.
The font choice ties the movie to a specific era
While the Barbie movie features dolls from many different decades and takes inspiration from playsets that are both pretty contemporary and fairly old, the font choice used throughout the film does anchor the movie in a specific Barbie era. The font shown on the movie posters and the exit to Barbieland was specifically used between 1975 and 1991, as it is refreshed for each generation.
Emerald Fennell’s character Midge was highly controversial
While not the most featured character in the movie, Barbie’s friend Midge does make an appearance in the film. This is notable, as even though Midge has been Barbie’s friend ever since 1963, she became a controversial figure in the early 2000s. Despite being canonically married, consumers thought that the 2003 Pregnant Midge & Baby doll was promoting teen pregnancy and single motherhood.
The film has a color palette inspired by Technicolor
It’s fair to say that Greta Gerwig’s Barbie contains a lot of pink, so much so that it exacerbated an international paint shortage of that color. Keeping the shots varied and dynamic while utilising so much of one color inspired cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto to invent Techni-Barbie, a special color palette inspired by the techniques utilised in old Technicolor movies.
One character pays tribute to the “Mother of Barbie”
Barbara Handler-Segal isn’t the only person connected to the real-life story of Barbie to make it into the movie. Margot Robbie’s Barbie also chats with a character called Ruth (played by Rhea Perlman) during her journey through the real world. Ruth is named after Ruth Handler, the so-called “Mother of Barbie” who created the initial doll for her toy company Mattel.
The movie has been banned in Vietnam
Barbie dolls are a worldwide phenomenon, so it’s no surprise that the movie has international appeal. However, audiences in Vietnam may have trouble seeing Greta Gerwig’s newest project, as it doesn’t appear set to be screened in the country. This is allegedly down to the use of a map that alleges Chinese ownership of the majority of the South China Sea by way of its boundary markings.
Barbie’s home doesn’t have stairs to be more accurate
Barbie’s home having no stairs might just seem like a random whimsical choice, but it is backed up by logic. While some modern iterations of Barbie’s Dreamhouse have stairs between floors, most early designs did not. As a result, the child playing with the playset would “float” their dolls from one floor to the next, just as Barbie herself does.
It’s Barbie’s first-ever live-action appearance
Barbie is no stranger to the silver screen. Even discounting her numerous appearances in the Toy Story franchise, she also has starred in numerous movies of her own, like Barbie: Fairytopia, Barbie in the 12 Dancing Princesses and Barbie and Rapunzel. All in all, Barbie has 43 movies of her own, not counting Greta Gerwig’s, which is her first foray into live-action.
The opening scenes start with a nod to 2001: A Space Odyssey…
The Barbie movie is awash with cultural and cinematic references and director Greta Gerwig hasn’t been afraid to hide them from the very start. The opening for the movie featured an unexpected homage to Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 classic, 2001: A Space Odyssey. Gerwig replaced Kurbrick’s chimps with little girls playing with run-of-the-mill baby dolls, before introducing Barbie to their sheer amazement.
…and Barbie wore the first-ever Barbie costume in those scenes
The opening scenes also featured a nod to Barbie’s heritage. Margot Robbie is introduced as Barbie while wearing the same black and white striped swimsuit that the first ever Barbie doll was wearing in 1959. This was the first, but not the last tribute to the original Barbie dolls made in the movie, as Gerwig was determined to represent Barbie’s trailblazing influence in the toy market.
Barbie’s odometer displays the date of the original Barbie launch
When driving her car through Barbie Land, the odometer displays the number 030959. Not only is this an impressively low mileage for a car of that age, but it also represents the date that the original Barbie doll was made available to the public. The 9th of March, 1959 was a huge day for the toy industry, as Barbie became the first mass-produced doll with adult features in the USA.
Barbie drives a 1961 Chevrolet Corvette
Fans of American classic cars will almost certainly have noticed Barbie’s pink 1961 Chevrolet Corvette that she drives throughout the movie. It seems no coincidence since the Barbie movie has been in cinemas the amount of AutoTrader searches for pink Corvettes has risen by 93% compared to 2022.
There’s no natural sunlight until Barbie and Ken leave Barbieland
The artificial aesthetic of Barbie Land was created at the Warner Bros. Studios in Hertfordshire, England, with most of the filming taking place there until Barbie and Ken leave for the Real World. Shooting then moved to Los Angeles, which is the first time in the movie that audiences get to see natural sunlight. Greta Gerwig even called the director of The Truman Show for tips on how to master the artificial feel of the movie.
Margot Robbie did all her own stunts in the movie
While she wasn’t driving off a mountain on a motorbike like Tom Cruise in Mission: Impossible, Margot Robbie did all her own stunts in the Barbie movie. This involved jumping off the top of the 25-foot-high Barbie DreamHouse and mastering the art of walking out of high-heeled shoes on her tip-toes.
The Barbie ambulance is a life-size replica of a toy ambulance
To fully carry through the Barbie message, the set designers created a life-size replica of the Barbie toy ambulance to help nurse Ryan Gosling’s Ken back to full health after a surfing accident. Coincidentally, 2023 marks the 50-year anniversary of the first Doctor Barbie, which was released all the way back in 1973.
Barbie doesn’t wear any rings
To keep the Barbie characters true to their doll selves, none of the Barbies in the movie wore rings. This is because Barbie dolls have always had fingers that are connected, which makes them impossible to fit a ring on. The movie makes it known when they are veering away from a traditional aspect of the Barbie doll, such as when Margot Robbie’s Barbie announces that she now has flat feet.
All of the Kens have waxed bodies
As well as keeping the Barbie characters as close to their doll form as possible, Greta Gerwig also did the same with the Ken characters. All of their bodies are waxed in order to accurately represent the hairlessness of Ken dolls. This didn’t always go down well with the male cast, with Gerwig having to constantly remind them they were not mammals, but dolls.
Emma Mackey was cast as a Margot Robbie lookalike joke
Margot Robbie has said multiple times in interviews that she often gets mistaken for Sex Education star Emma Mackey. This prompted Robbie and Barbie director Greta Gerwig to cast Emma Mackey as a Barbie for, well… a laugh. Robbie admitted in a promotional interview that once they both got their Barbie outfits on, they realized they don’t look as similar as they first thought.
The Wizard of Oz is playing at the Barbie theater
Greta Gerwig has made no secret that The Wizard of Oz was one of her biggest inspirations when making the movie. There are a few nods to the 1939 classic, including The Wizard of Oz poster outside the theater as Barbie was driving past. Other Oz references include the pink road out of Barbie Land which was designed to resemble the iconic Yellow Brick Road.
Michelangelo’s work on the Sistine Chapel was referenced
Barbie has drawn from influences very far and very wide. From The Wizard of Oz to… the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel work included the Creation of Adam scene, which Greta Gerwig attempted to recreate when Barbie meets Ruth Handler, inventor of the Barbie doll. Their two hands touch as Handler gives Barbie a cup of tea, in a very obvious tribute to a 16th-century Renaissance masterpiece.
Bratz dolls may have been included in the film
The early 2000s brought along some competition for Barbie in the form of Bratz dolls. They were more modern, less clean-cut, and wore the latest fashion (of the time). It is unconfirmed, but highly likely, that Sasha and her three friends represented Bratz dolls. They looked similar to the four Bratz, with the leader of both of the groups being called Sasha.
Aqua recorded a new version of Barbie Girl for the movie
It would have been wrong to not have included Aqua’s Barbie Girl in the Barbie movie. However, this is what the directors believed they would have to do when they found out they didn’t have clearance from the song’s publishing company to use it in the movie. Instead of giving up, they got Aqua to make another version of the song named Barbie World featuring Ice Spice and Nicki Minaj, which may well age worse than the original.
Barbie Land used up a paint company’s entire stock of Barbie pink
As Barbie Land was completely studio based, they had to make it all from scratch. This included painting the buildings in their famous shade of bright pink. In fact, Barbie Land used so much pink paint, they exhausted the entire stock of a local paint supply company.
Wearing pink on Wednesdays was a rule on set
To raise team spirit and morale, Margot Robbie decided to make it a rule that everyone on set must arrive in a pink outfit on Wednesdays. To lower team spirit and morale, she decided to fine anyone that didn’t comply with the rule. There hasn’t been any confirmation of where the money from the fines went, but there was a rather large check from a local paint company that needed to be paid.
Greta Gerwig had 11 weeks to get the costumes ready
As you can imagine, a movie full of characters who are known for each having individual jobs and purposes requires a lot of costumes to pull off. Greta Gerwig only had 11 weeks to get each and every costume ready for filming, which is a very short amount of time when you consider each of the costumes were bespoke fittings for each actor playing each Barbie.
There are nods to the animated Barbie movies
There have been a lot of Barbie movies made over the years, which weren’t forgotten about during the production of the live-action Barbie movie. The Pegasus statue on the beach is most definitely a reference to the animated Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus movie that young audiences were treated to back in 2005.
Weird Barbie made a Matrix reference
When Barbie visits Weird Barbie in an attempt to find out what is going wrong with her life, she gets offered a choice between a Birkenstock (representing the Real World) or a high heel (representing her current life). This is a reference to the Matrix movies, where the main character gets offered a similar choice, just in the form of a red pill and a blue pill.
The horse book Ken holds up was a gift from Margot Robbie
During the scene where Margot Robbie’s Barbie interrupts Ryan Gosling’s Ken, he holds up a horse book that he had been reading. This book was actually a gift that Margot Robbie had bought for Ryan Gosling during filming for the movie. In fact, Robbie bought Gosling a different Ken-themed gift each day of filming.
Allan’s outfit was an exact replica of his 1964 doll’s outfit
Allan, one of the very few male dolls not called Ken, was wearing an outfit in the movie identical to the outfit that his doll was wearing when it was released in 1964. Unfortunately, the Allan doll was discontinued a mere two years later, in 1966, because of a lack of popularity compared to Ken dolls. Poor guy.
Barbie wears Birkenstocks when living in the Real World
As well as being an immensely effective product placement opportunity, Birkenstocks are used as a representation of the Real World in the Barbie movie. They are first seen as part of the Real World of Barbie world option from Weird Barbie, and last scene on Barbie’s feet when she is living in the Real World at the end of the movie.
Barbie Land’s airport references LAX airport
We see a lot of background scenery during scenes where Barbie is driving around, making it a perfect opportunity for easter egg and reference spotting. One of these references is in the form of the Barbie Land airport, which is named BAX, undoubtedly a nod to LAX airport in Los Angeles, where Barbie would eventually end up later in the movie.
Rob Brydon makes an appearance as Sugar Daddy Ken
Margot Robbie has previously mentioned her love for British TV and in particular, her love for sitcom Gavin and Stacey. As the Barbie Land scenes were filmed in Hertfordshire, England, Gerwig and Robbie were able to rope in a multitude of British actors for cameo roles. One of these cameos was performed by The Trip’s Rob Brydon.
There was a reference to Top Gun
Even the movie Top Gun got its own reference in the Barbie movie. It came in the form of a volleyball match that the Ken’s were playing on the beach during their takeover. Nothing screams authoritative masculinity like a game of beach volleyball. Thankfully, the Ken version of beach volleyball was a little more tongue-in-cheek than its Top Gun counterpart.
The dog in the movie was once sold by Mattel
It is well-documented that the creators wanted to include as many of the different Barbie and Ken dolls that have been sold as they possibly could, but did you know they also once sold the dog seen in Weird Barbie’s house? Tanner the dog was sold for a very brief period before they were all recalled due to a magnet that could come loose on the poop-scoop feature. Yes, that is true.
Ruth Handler’s comments about tax in the movie are a reference to a real life incident
During the movie, Barbie creator Ruth Handler makes a handful of comments about tax. This isn’t just a bit of relatable humor for the adults watching, but also a reference to the tax evasion charge she received in 1978. The charge led to a $57,000 fine, as well as 2500 hours of community service.
Weird Barbie’s house is based on the Psycho house
The skewed stairs leading up to Weird Barbie’s house are based on the stairs outside the house used in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic, Psycho. Thankfully there were no references to Psycho in the plot, otherwise Barbie would have been an entirely different movie indeed.
The dance scene is a reference to John Travolta
One of the dance scenes in the early stages of the movie was based on John Travolta’s electrifying dance moves in 1977’s Saturday Night Fever. It brings together the colors and all the joy of the dance scenes in Saturday Night Fever with an added sprinkle of Barbie campness.
The cast and crew have 50 Oscar nominations between them
Greta Gerwig brought in a highly impressive cast and crew to make the Barbie movie, with 50 Oscar nominations between all of them. Gerwig, Margot Robbie, and Ryan Gosling have seven nominations between them. Ann Roth, the elderly lady who sits on the bench with Barbie has even won two Oscars for best costume design.
The Pegasus statue is a reference to Barbie’s 2005 film
In a beach scene in Barbie Land, viewers spot a winged horse statue, a nod to the 2005 film Barbie and the Magic of Pegasus. This reference is particularly nostalgic for many Gen z/millennials who cherished the iconic movie.
Tanner the pup serves as a reminder of reality to Barbie
At Weird Barbie’s residence, we encounter Tanner. Although Tanner doesn’t play a significant role in the Barbie plot, he adds cuteness and humor, serving as a reminder that even Barbie isn’t too proud to clean up her doggie’s doo doo.
Video Girl Barbie was inspired by an actual toy
On the Island of Misfit Toys, which is also Weird Barbie’s residence, we are introduced to Video Girl Barbie. This Barbie is inspired by an actual toy that allowed kids to capture footage using a video camera concealed within the doll’s body. The camera lens was cleverly placed in her necklace, while the monitor was ingeniously positioned on her back. It’s a unique and fascinating concept!
Skipper, Tutti and the treehouse replicates the Chelsea Doll playset
Barbie’s little sister, Skipper, briefly appears in her treehouse next to Barbie’s Dreamhouse, replicated from the Chelsea doll playset. Unfortunately, Skipper’s other sister, Tutti, one of the discontinued twin dolls she shares with Barbie, doesn’t show up on screen. However, the existence of a restaurant named Tutti Frutti in Barbie Land seems to be a nod to her.
Sugar Daddy Ken was actually a real doll
Weird Barbie’s group also features Sugar Daddy Ken, a real-life doll named after his main accessory, a West Highland Terrier called Sugar. According to a Mattel spokeswoman, as reported in Women’s Wear Daily and the New York Post in 2009, he is referred to as “Sugar’s daddy” due to his connection to the dog.
Earring Magic Ken was also real
Among Weird Barbie’s unconventional companions, Earring Magic Ken stands out, inspired by the ’90s doll with the unofficial moniker “Gay Ken.” This toy’s introduction sparked an infamous column by journalist Dan Savage titled Ken Comes Out, where he humorously implied that the ring is not worn on Ken’s finger.
“Sí Se Puede” is a Gotta Kick It Up Reference
In one scene, Gloria’s husband tries to uplift Barbie with basic Spanish, saying “¡Sí se puede!” Gloria responds, pointing out that it’s a political statement. Their daughter, Sasha, rolls her eyes, calling it “appropriation.” This line holds several references, including a nod to Ferrera’s 2002 Disney film, Gotta Kick It Up!
Gloria’s husband in Barbie is played by America Ferrera’s real-life husband
The connection between Gloria’s husband in Barbie and Ryan Piers Williams, who is America Ferrera’s real-life husband, adds an interesting layer of personal and professional intertwining within the entertainment industry.
Proust Barbie not selling well is a nod to the author himself
The humor in Proust Barbie’s poor sales slyly tips its hat to Remembrance of Things Past, a novel by French author Marcel Proust. In this literary masterpiece, the protagonist is delightfully hurled back to his youth by the flavor of a madeleine, as recounted by Greta Gerwig. This Barbie jest echoes that evocative journey through time.
The Kens’ favourite indie band is real
In scenes resonating with many women who have experienced similar situations, one Ken talks about The Godfather while Ncuti Gatwa’s character discusses indie singer Stephen Malkmus. Stephen is the lead singer of California band Pavement, known for tracks like Debris Slide and Here.
Weird Barbie is an Old Doll
Weird Barbie stands out with a distinctive feature – she can always do the splits. Unlike modern bend-leg dolls, this characteristic doesn’t reference old Barbie models with one-piece legs, which might be unfamiliar to today’s kids.
Emma Mackey and Ncuti Gatwa are BFF’s
In the show Sex Education, Emma Mackey and Ncuti Gatwa play characters that are very close friends. In the movie’s finale, when the Kens and Barbies reunite, Ncuti Gatwa’s Ken expresses his longing for his friend Barbie. Notably, Emma Mackey plays the role of Physicist Barbie in this heartwarming scene.
The Barbie ambulance was an actual toy that was made to look like a full-sized ambulance.
Who would have thought? Once again, the departments teamed up to create a cool scene where the room magically transforms into an operating room on set. The way they pay attention to every little detail and come up with such creative ideas is mind-blowing.
Barbie’s bedtime hair references The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg
Barbie wears a pink ribbon in her hair when things start to go wrong for her in Barbieland, and it’s a nod to Catherine Deneuve’s hair in the 1964 film, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. This film was another inspiration for Greta Gerwig, and was part of the cast’s required viewing before filming started.
Barbie’s car was controlled by a remote-controlled transmitter
Similar to any child who plays with Barbie dolls, Margot Robbie’s Barbie doll was able to cruise around the set as if driving on its own. This was made possible by a member of the special effects (SFX) team who sat in a specially crafted chair and controlled the doll using virtual reality drone technology.
Ken’s Stallone coat is lined with horses
We witness Ken fall in love with everything he sees when he enters the real world. When he trades his shorts for the Sylvester Stallone coat, we can see the lining of the coat is designed with horses – this hints at Ken’s horse obsession.
The yellow dress was the most popular outfit
When Barbie walks out of Barbieland with Ruth, she is wearing a yellow dress. According to Mattel, this yellow dress is toy Barbie’s most popular costume of the last 5 years.
The cowboy costumes reference Midnight Cowboy
When Barbie and Ken find their cowboy outfits in Venice beach, this scene is a homepage to Midnight Cowboy (1969) when Joe Buck arrives in NYC. Many people thought the outfits were inspired by actual Barbies, but parallels between the scene are uncanny!
The offices were inspired by Playtime
When we see Aaron Dinkins and the interns at Mattel, their cubicles are set up like the offices in Playtime (1967) directed by Jacques Tati. Many think it is just a reflection of your standard 9-5 workplace, but the similarities between the two are incredibly similar.
The film references Bloomingdale’s with look-a-like buildings
When all of the Kens serenade the Barbies, you can see the ‘Barbiedales’ store in the background. This is a reference to legendary luxury department store chain Bloomingdale’s. This goes back to Barbie typically wearing designer clothes, as Bloomingdale’s is a fashion outlet.
One of Ken’s outfit is a High School Musical 2 reference
Ryan Gosling brought some serious Kenergy to his performance. Through his performance, there were many references to High School Musical 2’s ‘Bet on It’ sequences. This is clear through the all black outfit but with the addition of a Paisley headband.
Margot Robbie imitates Jessie from Toy Story 2
In one scene, Barbie has an emotional montage of memories of her owner playing with her doll – this is where she sheds her first tear. This is a parallel to Toy Story 2’s Jessie when she relives her time with her owner.
Ken removing Barbie’s glasses is a reference to The Princess Diaries
This is a classic trope in many films where a man removes a woman’s glasses to finally see her beauty. This is similar to The Princess Diaries, poking fun at another misguided representation of female beauty.
There are thousands of hidden Bs
Greta Gerwig herself confirms that there are ‘thousands’ of hidden cursive Bs everywhere. From the carpet to the car, they can be found quite literally everywhere. Gerwig did this on purpose – how many did you spot?
Barbie disses director Zack Snyder
Man of Steel and Justice League director Zack Snyder is famous for having a very dedicated, sometimes toxic, fanbase. After being un-brainwashed, Journalist Barbie snaps back to herself and says “It’s like I’ve been in a dream where I was really invested in the Zack Snyder’s cut of the Justice League” – this is a diss at the Snyder fans who are overly passionate about the project.
Barbie’s convertible is purposely too small
Greta Gerwig actually insisted on the car being slightly disproportionate, to replicate the actual toys. This is a humorous touch not many notice!
Stereotypical Barbie’s gold jumpsuit is from the 80’s
In the 1980’s, the Golden Dreams Barbie Doll was released. This was a very popular doll and outfit combination of this time. This outfit is seen on Robbie in the sequence of the infamous blowout party, where Robbie shows off her dancing skills.
Aaron Groff is the only Mattel employee who has a name
Numerous scenes occur at the Mattel headquarters in California. While there are multiple employees, none of their names are revealed, except for the intern, Aaron Dickins. Even, the CEO who is played by Will Ferrell does not have his name stated.
There are references to The Shining
When Gloria saves Stereotypical Barbie from Mattel, the pair bond. As they bond, Sasha breaks up the moment by saying “Are you two like shining? Are you shining with a real Barbie?”, referencing Stanley Kubrick’s 1980 horror classic.
There’s a Warner Bros. Building in the Background of Mattel HQ
Warner Bros. Discovery is the studio that produced the film. At one point, a Mattel employee states Warner Bros. had decided to make a movie on Ken. This is where you see the building. Incorporating spooky and glamor!
