The pink carpet on the “Barbie” premiere in Los Angeles on Sunday evening was riddled with self-proclaimed Barbie Ladies, however there was just one run-in that could possibly be described as “When Barbie Met Barbie.”
Simply minutes earlier than the Greta Gerwig-directed film debuted earlier than a packed home within the Shrine Auditorium, “Barbie” lead Margot Robbie met the OG Barbie, rapper Nicki Minaj.
It’s the most recent in a line of meta moments in and across the WB movie, with Robbie posing — in a customized Schiaparelli robe that paid homage to 1960’s “Solo within the Highlight Barbie” — alongside Minaj, who has proclaimed herself a Barbie for the reason that early days of her profession. Minaj’s newest monitor “Barbie World” — a collab with Ice Spice that remixes Aqua’s 1997 hit “Barbie Lady” — serves because the movie’s finish title track.
And far to the delight of followers gathered exterior the Shrine Auditorium, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Barbie magic, the 2 superstars made their desires come true, with the gorgeous pair serving blond magnificence for photographers. At one level within the photograph shoot, Robbie bent down to make sure Minaj’s ultra-long locks laid completely.
“Oh, my God, that was iconic. I’m dying,” Robbie, who additionally produced the movie, advised Selection as she virtually floated again to the road of reporters ready to interview her. “I’m gonna need to take a minute later to be like, ‘Wow, I really simply obtained an image with Nicki Minaj.’”
On Monday afternoon, Minaj despatched some love proper again, tweeting that Robbie is “strikingly attractive in particular person.”
She additionally shared her preliminary assessment of the movie, which hits theaters on the July 21. “Btw, your complete forged of this film nailed it. The movie is so visually stimulating. The actors can really act, & the comedic timing is definitely on time. Bravo,” the musician wrote. She promised to see the film once more to present her remaining evaluation and signed off with, “Will Ferrell, I💖U.”
Minaj was the final star to hit the pink carpet, arriving in the midst of Selection’s interview with America Ferrera, who performs Gloria, one of many movie’s few human characters. The Emmy winner was simply starting to clarify which Barbie impressed her powder pink St. John two-piece ensemble when the group erupted in screams for somebody simply out of Ferrera’s sightline.
“It’s Nicki Minaj,” her publicist confirmed. Ferrera’s interior fangirl was unleashed, as she squealed with pleasure. Laughing as she got here again to actuality, Ferrera mentioned, “I can’t imagine I simply did that on digital camera. That was so embarrassing.” (The web’s embrace of the meme-able clip proves that there was nothing to be embarrassed about — she’s simply one of many Barbz!)
So, why does Ferrera love Minaj a lot?
“Her monitor on this album is unbelievable,” Ferrera defined. “Like, how may you are taking a monitor [Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’] that already was so ingrained in folks’s thoughts as one factor, and simply make it essentially the most wonderful factor that we want for this film, for this second?”
She continued, “Additionally, she’s only a badass. I bow and am grateful for and say nightly prayers to each girl who’s on the market being who they’re unapologetically. It provides the remainder of us braveness. And I really feel like she’s one among them and like, you gotta love Nicki.”
Whereas Robbie and Ferrera freaked out over assembly one other real-life Barbie, Issa Rae — who surprised in a scorching pink velvet Marc Bouwer robe that gave a touch of the “comfortable lady summer time” she declared in her Ebony cowl shoot — gave a shout out to the unique Black Barbie doll, Christie, who debuted in 1968.
“Christie walked so President Barbie may run for president,” Rae shared. “My mother and my aunt, I take into consideration them and the way essential it was for them for me to play with with Black Barbie, so to really have the ability to play one and signify one simply means the world to me and I’m certain means the world to them.”
Maintaining with the Barbiecore style pattern, Ryan Gosling channeled his “Ken-ergy” right into a salmon Gucci swimsuit and shirt unbuttoned to disclose a 3D-pendant of an “E” written in Barbie’s signature font to honor of his doll, Eva Mendes.
Following swimsuit, Michael Cera sported a pink look that matched Gosling’s, seemingly alluding to his doll Allan’s shared historical past with Ken. The character was launched in 1964 as Ken’s “buddy” and the doll’s field famous that “All of Ken’s garments match him.” (Allan was discontinued.)
Additionally suited in pink had been Kate McKinnon and Scott Evans, in addition to Billie Eilish and Finneas, who contributed the emotional tune “What Was I Made For?” to the soundtrack and each rocked appears to be like impressed by Ken. Simu Liu was outfitted in a lightweight blue swimsuit courtesy of “Mermaid Barbie” and “Dance the Night time” songstress Dua Lipa’s Versace assortment, and rounding out the forged of glamorous Barbies and Kens had been Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp and Kingsley Ben-Adir, in addition to Ariana Greenblatt.
The movie’s director Gerwig regarded each inch a Barbie herself in scorching pink Valentino — her first time sporting the doll’s signature coloration on the press tour — and geeked out over the truth that she’d been made into her personal doll in honor of the movie.
“Once I obtained the Barbie Mattel made for me, I used to be very overwhelmed. It was a really stunning second and so they made me look very good,” she shared.
The entire expertise of bringing “Barbie” to the large display screen has been a childhood dream come true for Gerwig, who performed with the dolls rising up. And the Los Angeles premiere — which marked the primary time the world would see the total scope of Gerwig and Robbie’s tackle the enduring IP — was like taking Barbie out of the plastic.
“It’s actually unbelievable and I’m actually simply attempting to take it in and never miss it. A lot as led as much as this second, so it’s very emotional,” Gerwig mentioned.
Gerwig additionally shared her essential takeaway from this course of: “How a lot folks wished to go for the flicker and go for the bigness. Once we had been making the film, all the boys on the crew cherished sporting pink on Wednesdays; they obtained so into it and I used to be like all people desires to be joyful and have a joyful, exuberant, like unashamed dance celebration.”
Later, whereas introducing the movie earlier than a packed auditorium, Gerwig defined why she’s been selling the movie with out one very particular member of that crew – her accomplice and “Barbie” co-writer, filmmaker Noah Baumbach, who she confirmed is a “Barbie lady.”
“He’s passionately supporting the struggle of the Writers Guild of America,” Gerwig mentioned, explaining that she’s on the circuit fulfilling her duties because the movie’s director. “Nothing in ‘Barbie’ occurred with out him, and nothing in Hollywood occurs with out writers.”
With the writers strike nonetheless ongoing and a possible SAG-AFTRA strike looming, the “Barbie” premiere could possibly be one of many final outings for the celebs of Hollywood’s slate of summer time blockbusters, together with Common’s “Oppenheimer” and following Paramount’s “Mission: Unattainable – Useless Reckoning Half One.”
After all, “Barbie” is seemingly in every single place due to numerous collaborations with manufacturers like Airbnb (the place followers can hire Barbie’s Malibu dream home), HGTV (which launches the fact present “Barbie’s Dreamhouse Problem” on July 16), OPI, Progressive and numerous different manufacturers. Plus, the movie loved overwhelmingly constructive early reactions from its world premiere and early press screenings — together with requires Ryan Gosling to obtain his third Oscar nomination for his efficiency as Ken. However there’s rather a lot driving on its success. LuckyChap Leisure producer (and Robbie’s husband) Tom Ackerley put a superb level on that perspective.
“It’s a tremendous extension of every part we’ve finished and it’s additionally the most important factor we’ve ever finished,” Ackerley mentioned of “Barbie’s” significance to the manufacturing firm. “At first of creating this film we mentioned to Ynon [Kriez, CEO of Mattel], ‘That is like climbing Everest for us.’ And it’s with one of many greatest studios. It’s theatrical. It’s an enormous piece of IP. It’s an A-plus director. It’s large film stars. It’s a terrific soundtrack. And it’s taking part in within the greatest leagues and it’s essentially the most thrilling [thing]. I believe we’ve delivered — I hope we delivered — and we wish to do it once more.”