We're just three months away from Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie, with Oscar nominee Margot Robbie taking on the role of the iconic toy. After dozens of animated movies, fans will enter Barbie's world in her first live-action feature. On Tuesday, 24 character posters premiered showing the entire main cast full of Barbies, Kens, and even some humans.
Barbie has had many careers spanning decades, including a veterinarian to even an astronaut and President of the United States. The posters confirm the actors who had been announced and the Barbie, or Ken, that they're playing in the movie. Insecure's Issa Rae will play President Barbie and Dua Lipa will swim as mermaid Barbie, who has her series of spin-off movies as well.
As for the Kens, we get Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu (Shang-Chi), the future Doctor Who Ncuti Gatwa, and Scott Evans (Looking, Fringe). There's even Allan, played by Michael Cera, who is a discontinued doll introduced as Ken's friend.
The movie has been in the works since 2009 and is finally set to premiere in theaters on July 21.
Margot Robbie as Barbie
The original. Seen in her trademark ponytail and a striped bathing suit that was introduced with the doll back at the 1959 New York Toy Fair. Mattel has sold over a billion Barbie dolls, making it the company's largest and most profitable line. Robbie was cast back in 2019 and also serves as one of the movie's producers.
Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie
The former Transparent star shows off a new look with red hair and a prismatic dress. Doctor Barbie was first introduced in 1973 and packaged with an x-ray image, her diploma, a labcoat, a stethoscope, a head mirror, and her teal rotary phone.
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Ken
The former Peaky Blinders and One Night In Miami star is a Ken.
Dua Lipa is Mermaid Barbie
The Mermaid Barbie franchise has been a successful series of straight-to-video movies and toyline. The first Mermaid Barbie was a Gold Label collector item designed by Linda Kyaw and released in 2012. The Gold Label designated the doll as a collector's item with 4,300 made.
Emma Mackey as Nobel Prize Winner Barbie
While Barbie doesn't have a Nobel Prize doll--yet--three dolls are focused on science. There's the astrophysicist Barbie that comes with a telescope, star map, and galaxy print top. The other two are Lab Scientist as part of the career line and simply "Scientist" with blue hair, but both come with microscopes.
Scott Evans as Ken
Yup, Chris Evans' younger brother is a Ken! While not dressed as any particular Ken doll, Evans is donning a look that seems to be a mix of Cowboy Ken and the long-forgotten Campus Hero Ken attire.
Ana Cruz Kayne as Supreme Court Justice Barbie
Introduced in 2019, the Judge Barbie line was released for Barbie's Career of the Year. "The Barbie Judge Doll encourages girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better," Mattel said at the reveal.
Sharon Rooney as Lawyer Barbie
The Scottish actress is playing a Barbie first. Lawyer Barbie was never an official doll, but an outfit part of the Cool Career fashion line. There were Elle Woods dolls released as part of the Legally Blonde tie-in, but nothing official as part of the Barbieland careers. How else did she become a judge though?
Emerald Fennell as Midge
Midge's history is pretty interesting and maybe one of the most in-depth character profiles in all of Barbieland. Margaret "Midge" Hadley Sherwood was introduced in 1963 around the same time as Barbie's cousin, Skipper (who is so far absent from the movie).
Midge was marketed as Barbie's best friend and later revamped as part of the Happy Family line and was sold as "pregnant" as seen in the poster. Her daughter Nikki as a newborn baby was also released as well.
Alexandra Shipp
The former X-Men and Tick, Tick, Boom actress is playing another not-quite-official Barbie. It'll be interesting to see what kind of books Barbie is known for.
Michael Cera as Allan
There's only one! Not to be confused with Midge's partner Alan, Allan with two L's was created as Ken's best friend. Ken's buddy came with the notable feature of being the same size as Ken so all of Ken's clothes fit him as well.
The last Allan doll was released almost 10 years ago as part of the Double Date 50th Anniversary Giftset.
Ritu Arya as Pulitzer Winner Barbie
The Umbrella Academy star and drummer is another non-canonical Barbie, but the company did celebrate the life of Ira B. Wells. Wells, a Black American journalist, suffragist, and anti-lynching crusader had her likeness transformed into a Barbie doll last year.
Ncuti Gatwa as, yes, a Ken
The future Doctor Who takes his fashion cues from Western Stampin' Ken, a doll released in 1993. However, with the guitar, Gatwa could also be some sort of Country Duet Ken, which was part of a set with Barbie featuring a Grand Ole Opry diarama.
Kate McKinnon as Barbie
This Barbie has seen better days. We've all seen dolls tattered with awful haircuts and crudely applied makeup. These dolls were treated as art projects for toddlers and given not exactly the best ensembles.
Ryan Gosling as Ken
Gosling plays the original Ken, Ken Carson, who was created in 1961, just two years after Barbie. Ken was named after Kenneth Handler, son of Barbie creator Ruth Handler, just as Barbie was named after her daughter, Barbara.
Nicola Coughlan as Diplomat Barbie
The Bridgerton Star is yet another new Barbie for the film. She is seen in something reminiscent of the rare Fab City outfit with her shawl and gloves from 1969.
Simu Liu as Ken
The Kim's Convenience and Shang-Chi star looks to be Gosling's top rival for the film. The first Asian Ken Doll was released in 2010. The doll is also known as Samurai Ken and was designed by Linda Kyaw.
Issa Rae as President Barbie
President Barbie actually has a few variations going back to 1992 in her red, white, and blue taffeta gown. Since then she's scaled back her looks taking on a more modest approach to presidential fashion sticking to pencil skirts and pantsuits. Rae will be the first Black President Barbie.
Will Ferrell as CEO of a toy company
We're still really not quite sure of Ferrell's purpose aside from him being a nameless toy company CEO. The poster simply just says to call him mother.
Connor Swindells as toy company Intern
Another human that Barbie meets when she and Ken travel to the real world, the Sex Education star plays a toy company intern.
America Ferrera as a human woman
Her role is still undisclosed and we haven't gotten a lot of information about her character, but the former Ugly Betty star shines in her solo poster.
Jamie Demetriou as a suit
Another business-type character with an unknown role, the comedian and Fleabag actor is looking super serious in his featured poster.
Ariana Greenblat as another human
The youngest star of the movie, Greenblat (young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War) plays a human girl in the real world.
Helen Mirren as the narrator
Every good story needs a great storyteller. Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren provides the narration of Barbie's story while in Barbieland. Through her, we get to know these characters and what they're all about.
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