One of the most anticipated summer blockbusters of the year, Greta Gerwig’sBarbiehas been marketed just about everywhere to audiences of all ages. The subject of jokes, memes, and controversy,Barbiehas been a hot topic for months prior to its release, competing against another major summer blockbuster,Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimer.Nevertheless, one thing was certain:Barbiewas going to be a box-office success, regardless of its competition. On opening weekend alone,Barbieracked up a whopping $382 million dollars. Did it warrant such a success, or has it been hyped by Mattel’s marketing team and Barbie doll enthusiasts for no discernible reason? The answer; it absolutely deserves every bit of praise directed its way.
Simply put,Barbieis much more than a campy, fantasy-comedy meant to bring in millions at the box office; t’s a nod to childhoods all across the board. It presents characters anyone can relate to, and drives home important social commentaries about current and past generations, and how they’ve shaped our current society. Of course, any great movie relies on its narrative, and notably, characters to deliver a compelling movie. Here are the 20 best charactersin Greta Gerwig’ssummer blockbuster.
Audiences are used to seeing Chris Evans in summer blockbusters, but this time around, it’s his brother, Scott, that’s taking over the big screen as Ken #3. Ken #3 is the bubbliest of the lot, and adds to the already goofy personalities many of the Kens embody.
The only reason he isn’t higher on the list is because he doesn’t have many lines or screen time, but Ken #3 shines whenever he is on-screen, notably during the Ken dance number towards the end ofBarbie. Scott Evans has a bright career ahead, proving that the Evans family has the acting chops in their blood.
Despite being portrayed by the talented Ariana Greenblatt, Sasha just doesn’t hit it off as a compelling character when compared to the rest ofBarbie’scharacters. Embodying every defining characteristic of Gen-Z, one would think Sasha would rank higher on the list as a relatable character; unfortunately, this teen is perfect at being just that, a teen; moody, rude, and sometimes downright mean. While this is initially fun to watch when she and Barbie share the screen, adding an interesting contrast to stereotypical Barbie’s bubbly and aloof nature, it soon becomes tiresome, especially when Sasha mistreats her mother, Gloria, simply because she’s… in a bad mood.
Gloria is virtually a perfect mother; Sasha constantly disrespecting her is uncomfortable to watch and lessens Sasha’s likability. Even if Sasha had treated Gloria with the respect she deserves, her general antagonizing demeanor towards everyone else makes Sasha the most insufferable character inBarbie. A shocker considering how diligently written the rest of the film’s characters are.
18Judge Barbie
Audiences knowAna Cruz Kanyefrom dramas and thrillers such asDepraved,Painkiller, andLittle Women.InBarbie, she shows audiences that she has quite the funny streak as Judge Barbie. The head decision-maker in Barbie Land, Judge Barbie is assertive, and authoritative, but also hilarious.
Judge Barbie brings a nice balance to President Barbie’s leadership role, and together, they dominate the screen in every scene they’re in. There’s a reason Ana Cruz Kanye is one of Greta Gerwig’s staple performers; she’s excellent in any role she takes on.
Related:Every Single Film Greta Gerwig Has Directed, Ranked
17Mattel Intern
Best known for his role as Adam Groff in the Netflix series,Sex Education, Connor Swindells plays a compelling Mattel intern inBarbie. While it’s a small role, Swindells brings a nervousness and rigidity to the character that sells the idea that this intern is trying to prove himself, or simply survive, in the unforgiving Mattel company where any minor mistake means the end of one’s career. Anyone who’s ever tried to ascend the corporate ladder can relate to this nameless intern’s plight.
Related:How Barbie Could Influence the Rest of Ryan Gosling’s Career
16Mermaid Barbie
This songwriter/model made her transition to the big screen withBarbie, and she hits it out of the ballpark as Mermaid Barbie. Dua Lipa’s Mermaid Barbie is always in the background, ready with some one-liners to diffuse the seriousness of a given situation, but for the most part, Mermaid Barbie proves to be the life of the party, even when the Ken patriarchy threatens Barbie Land’s order.
Ken #1 is always there to remind Ken that it is Barbie’s world, and that even among the Ken, he is still a forgettable fixture meant to adorn Barbie Land, over-serving an actual purpose. Ken #1 embodies the dry humor, spunkiness, and wit necessary to land the punchline of several jokes throughoutBarbie, and seeing him go into that climatic dance number with the other Kens is arguably one ofBarbie’smost spectacular sequences. Ironically, Ken #1 antagonizes Ken more than the Barbies or Kens combined.
14Writer Barbie
Known for her roles in theX-Menfranchise andLove, Simon,Alexandra Shipp took on the role of Writer Barbie, and gave audiences a look into her comedic abilities. That noted, Writer Barbie is not to be taken lightly; this established author knows her way with a pen and paper, having won the Nobel Peace Prize. As such, she’s one of the first Barbies to regain her agency once Stereotypical Barbie, Gloria, and Sasha go into action. No one can hinder this Barbie’s intellectual spirit!
13Physicist Barbie
This inside joke can’t be ignored and is a perfect jab by Greta Gerwig at all the people who confuse Emma Mackey with Margot Robbie. Joining the rest of herSex Educationcast members, Mackey portrays Physicist Barbie, one of the smartest Barbies in Barbie Land, if not the smartest.
Mackey proves once again that she can bring a nuanced performance to any character, even one as lighthearted as Physicist Barbie. It’s engaging to see her go from an independent, confident Barbie to one deprogrammed and manipulated by the Kens, only to reclaim her agency once again by the film’s climax. Seeing her share the screen with Margot Robbie is just too funny.
Midge, also known as Pregnant Barbie, is the pun to many jokes about taboo lines of Barbie dolls that Mattel discontinued. Though Pregnant Barbie is more of an ensemble character, often in the background of major scenes, she’s an important part of the film’s central message; taboos perpetuate the way Barbie is seen throughout the world. Certain Barbie dolls have been discontinued solely because they were deemed too controversial for children, resulting in a financial loss for Mattel.
11Dr. Barbie
Barbie can be anything and everything, including a doctor. Actor/writer Hari Nef gives a pretty hilarious performance as Doctor Barbie, tending to mostly non-existent injuries in both Barbies and Kens. What makes Dr. Barbie so comical is the seriousness delivered by Hari Nef; it’s as if audiences are seeing a real-life doctor care for the citizens of Barbie Land. As the saying goes, the key to being funny is not trying to be.
