CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Oh. My. God. That "is she electable?" thing. Voter Barbie said that same thing in every focus group. But, like...she is LITERALLY THE ONLY VOTER. In July 2022, Rae spoke with “ TODAY” and revealed how Gerwig convinced her to do the role. At first, the California native told the outlet, “I was like, ‘This sounds crazy, but OK. Let me just read the script.'” So we had a meeting, and in that meeting she described her vision of the movie and was giving [me] a bunch of disclaimers and I was a little bit confused. But in that meeting I was able to make out that, one, she wanted me to play President Barbie, and two, that it seemed like the movie was going to be very funny. So I got the script and once I read it, I absolutely loved it and thought it was so smart and it was so well done and self-aware. I was just excited that she thought of me. I'm such a fan of Margot and Ryan Gosling, so the more announcements I saw about who's going to be in it, my excitement grew.

VOTER: Thank God they made me with non-pointed feet. I had to stand there waiting five hours to vote. So yeah, that was an ordeal. IR: Well, oh my gosh, so much. I'm glad you asked that. One of the reasons I did want to be a part of this — and I set a goal for myself at the end of last year — [was] that I want to be in more ensemble projects because I want to learn from actors that I admire, who I'm fans of, just to get a sense of their processes. And this was such an education because there were so many talented people involved in this movie. I got a chance to play alongside most of them and watch them from a distance between takes, watched them find their characters and improv and all those things. Whenever I work with someone, I tend to take things from them and take notes. Don’t get me wrong. Margot Robbie is no slouch as what the movie calls “Stereotypical Barbie” — the blond bombshell that kids in Mattel focus groups point to when presented with diverse Barbie dolls and asked, “Which one is Barbie?” Stereotypical Barbie starts the movie as a confident woman who knows exactly who she is, and doesn’t ever want anything to change. She lives in Barbieland, a fantasy realm conjured by Mattel that’s powered by the imaginations of kids who play with Barbie dolls. It’s a world ruled by Barbies, and unashamed of traditional feminine tropes. The president is a Barbie (played by Issa Rae, in a pink silk “President” sash). The Supreme Court is all Barbie. And every Nobel Prize winner in history is — you guessed it — a Barbie. Every pink-washed DreamHouse mansion in Barbieland is owned by a woman who makes her own money and spends her free time indulging in “girls’ nights” where everybody shares a glorious communal wardrobe.FUNDRAISER: [lights new cigarette, deep drag] Of [expletive] course we took corporate money. We're made by a massive multinational corporation. You think we're gonna turn that [expletive] down? VOTER: Fundraiser Barbie would call me at all hours. At dinner. In the middle of my kids' soccer games.

VOTER: Of course, I was interested in her. She's been at this so long. And so smart and put-together and accomplished. She's done every job out there. Why wouldn't I consider her? CANDIDATE BARBIE: [leans forward] OK, reporter lady. I'll tell you my views on abortion, but we have to go off the record. Stereotypical Barbie has no reason to leave this beautiful feminine realm. She’s forced to trek into the harsh world of Reality only because somewhere, someone is playing with her while experiencing such intense existential angst that their emotions are reaching Barbieland and drilling into Barbie’s psyche. Her real-world owner is inadvertently causing her to think about death, get actual cellulite on her thighs, and even develop articulated ankles that experience all-too-real pain when she stuffs her feet into stiletto heels. VOTER: Candidate Barbie seemed nice enough. I guess I did want her to say a little more about what she stood for, but not in an angry way or anything. Definitely dance parties every 90 minutes. They don’t have to be choreographed and that’s a personal rule for me because it’s hard for me to follow choreography. Go to the beach, beach tanning for me, just laying out in the sun every day is a must. And then girls’ nights every night.

However, Barbie isn’t the only film Rae is featured in, in 2023. The 38-year-old actress will also portray Spider-Woman in the forthcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse movie. She stars alongside actors Daniel Kaluuya, Shameik Moore, Brian Tyree Henry, and many more. TV: The film is quite existential, thematically . Did it make you think anything in particular about being alive, or, on the other hand, dying? FUNDRAISER: [stubs out cigarette] I signed onto that campaign in a heartbeat. I mean, think about the fundraising potential — she's BARBIE. I was trying to channel a presidential Barbie and worked with Wouri to like set the tone for that. For him, I know it was more of an inspiration of Barbie throughout the decades. There were little pieces of the dress that represented the different looks for Barbie over the years. It just made me feel like President Barbie on the carpet. The pink and the velvet almost gave it a change of royalty that I love.

IR: Because it's Greta, likely yes. Again, I'm such a fan and I feel like if it were a serious movie, there would still be elements of humor. Honestly, a serious Barbie movie would be funny whether it wanted to be or not. FUNDRAISER: [gestures with cigarette for emphasis] I was proud as hell to work for a single woman, I'll tell you that. I did not expect Barbie to be a movie about Ken — and more importantly, a movie Ryan Gosling steals with such glorious aplomb that I can’t even be that mad at him for it. But Barbie stays one step ahead of that thought, because it’s all leading up to an expert commentary on how little girls will always realize, sooner or later, that the real world is run by men, and that its Kens have more power than its Barbies. And once Gosling’s Ken makes it to Reality, he realizes this too, and he goes full men’s rights activist, transitioning from Barbie’s placeholder boyfriend into one of the most fascinating antagonists in modern pop cinema. after newsletter promotion Now that I know that I’m capable of making things happen, it’s about building with intentionPresident Barbie sees over Barbieland, approving any policies and heading important meetings. She is far from a harsh or overruling leader, though. Like the other Barbies, she's ultimately a fun-loving individual who wants the best for her people, which has earned her a respected status with the population. After breaking out of her brainwashed state from the Kens' patriarchal society, she and the other Barbies manage to outwit and prevent the Kens from taking control of the Barbie Land constitution.

Barbie® doll wears a full, satiny gown that features a sparkly off-shoulder bodice and shimmery gold accents that trail down her skirt. It seems she has grown into exactly the energetic, entrepreneurial businesswoman that her “bossy” behaviour as a little girl once predicted: “My mom was the one who described me that way; like ‘Stop being so bossy!’ And I always had, I guess, a negative association with being a boss … But I just was always drawn to it! A lot of my games were like: ‘Oh, I’m a restaurant owner’ or, ‘Oh, I’m part of this company and I’m sooo busy!’” CANDIDATE BARBIE: Beyond "I'll create jobs," I said nothing of substance. But I have political views! I swear I do! For example- [campaign manager lunges at her, clamps hand over her mouth. Both fall to floor, wrestle for 30 seconds.] Rae is the first to admit that even having grown into her childhood Business Barbie ambitions – as a CEO, a business owner, a movie mogul and a mentor to others – she’s “still learning the lessons”. She knows what she wants, though, and that’s not “bossy” or “insecure”. That’s confident leadership. FUNDRAISER BARBIE: See, we had that sweet Mattel money, but we needed small-dollar donations. I had to show Voter Barbie that Candidate Barbie has grassroots support. So yeah, I pumped Voter Barbie for donations. A lot.Greetings from Barbie Land! Inspired by President Barbie in Barbie™ The Movie, this collectible doll looks resplendent in her gorgeous presidential gown! A skirt overlay, sparkling gold accents, and satiny sash add beautiful detail to her cinematic look. Celebrating Barbie™ The Movie, this Barbie® doll makes a great gift for fans and collectors alike! Doll stand included. Doll cannot stand alone. Colors and decorations may vary. Normally I wear Chanel No. 5, but last night I wore Chanel Mademoiselle on the carpet because it’s pink. It was so stupid, I was like, Let me just dive all into the pink and smell pinkish, too. CANDIDATE BARBIE: Shatter the glass ceiling? At this point? There's about as much chance as there is of a real woman having this figure. [motions to her own DD-cup breasts and 22-inch waist] In the movie, the main Barbie is played by Margot Robbie, with Ryan Gosling as her Ken, but there are also multiple other Barbies and Kens, played by an excitingly diverse ensemble cast, all living in a fuchsia-fabulous realm called Barbie Land – that is until Barbie decides to venture further afield. The anatomically incorrect Mattel doll has been a fixture of childhood play since she was launched in 1959, and has inspired numerous animated kids’ movies and TV series. This live-action movie will, however, be the first time Barbie has been envisaged as a real (sort of) woman. That alone would be enough to boost box office, but it was in July 2021, when cool-indie-actor-turned-feted-feminist-auteur Gerwig came on board to write and direct, that anticipation for the Barbie movie really began to build.