How Barbie Is EMPOWERING Everyone

Margot Robbie has proved clip and again that she can bash anything—much similar a definite 12-inch-tall manner doll who archetypal popped into the collective consciousness successful 1959 and ne'er left.

Initially dressed for the beach, Barbie has since evolved into a convertible-driving, DreamHouse-owning doctor-businesswoman-rock star-astronaut-president who means thing to everyone, including those who've ne'er owned 1 of the billion-plus Barbies sold. She's been astir agelong capable to some inspire and offend, each portion remaining impeccably dressed, lavishly coiffed (except erstwhile you played hair stylist with existent scissors), happily unmarried (minus her Bridal incarnations) and anatomically impossible.

And now, finally, she's got her ain movie that promises to unpack each of the supra from her signature pinkish box.

"Hopefully by the extremity of it," Robbie told E! News' main analogous Keltie Knight, "you are reasoning astir beingness and what it means to beryllium alive, and however tricky but rewarding that is."

But of people to person immoderate accidental astatine success, overmuch little bask the bordering-on-hysteria run-up to the film's July 21 release, Barbie had to have just the close histrion successful the rubric relation and a compatible endowment playing Ken, her equally fun-loving and acceptable yet gelded fellow who admittedly has nary idea what spending the nighttime unneurotic would achieve.

Enter the fearless Robbie—who as a shaper was instrumental successful getting the movie made astatine all—and fellow risk-taker Ryan Gosling, present of "Hey, Barbie" fame.

"If you were to conjure an representation of Barbie and Ken up successful your mind, you would beauteous overmuch get Margot and you would get Ryan," Simu Liu, who plays one of a fig of Kens who populate Barbieland successful the film, told E!. "They truly bash embody Barbie and Ken energy."

While their carnal quality surely acceptable the measure (and, incidentally, each is simply a two-time Oscar nominee), it was the co-stars' willingness to spell wherever writer-director Greta Gerwig wanted to instrumentality them that was key to unlocking the humanity wrong the plastic.

"It's truthful moving, radical are not prepared for her performance," Gosling said admiringly of Robbie. "They're going to cry, it's truthful touching."

As for himself, helium quipped, "I Ken'd arsenic hard arsenic I could, that's each I tin say."

Then Robbie decided she wanted to springiness it a go and approached Gerwig about penning the movie—which, aft immoderate archetypal hesitation, Gerwig did with partner Noah Baumbach. Robbie and her co-producer husband Tom Ackerley then sent the publication to Mattel successful hopes of getting the good from the protective holder of that oh-so-valuable IP.

The institution "knew we were coming from a spot of respecting the brand," Robbie told the New York Times. "But astatine the aforesaid time, you request to beryllium capable to constituent retired each the things that radical person recovered problematic astir Barbie. Greta would say, tally toward that, that's going to beryllium much interesting."

The Australian histrion noted that, contempt Mattel's "long laundry database of concerns," they yet had "total freedom" to marque the movie they wanted.

And, luckily, the beingness got onboard arsenic well.

Michael Cera, who plays Allan (boyfriend of Barbie's BFF Midge successful the canon), concurred.

"Watching [Margot] and Ryan execute each azygous happening was incredible," helium said. "Sometimes you'd basal determination and watch, and conscionable be, like, 'This is amazing, these are precise high-level professionals.'"

Kate McKinnon, craftily formed arsenic Weird Barbie, cracked that it was intimidating capable conscionable lasting adjacent to Robbie.

"And then she opens her mouth," the Saturday Night Live alum said, "and she's the nicest, astir normal, down-to-earth sweetie pie. And Ryan is the same."

Gosling, for his part, knew from playing dolls with his and Eva Mendes' daughters Esmeralda, 8, and Amada, 7, that Ken was an afterthought successful Barbieland.

"This thought Greta had that radical don't play with Kens is precise true," helium said, noting that helium would find the antheral doll "just discarded astir the house." He was intrigued by the world-building, but chiefly helium thought the script—and the information that it came into his beingness erstwhile his kids were engaged creating their ain Barbie narratives—was amazing.

The 42-year-old besides appreciated that the movie raised questions nary 1 ever thought to inquire astir Ken, specified arsenic what is his intent and wherever does helium live? (No, really, arsenic successful where does the antheral sleep? It's Barbie's sanction connected the deed, aft all.)

"I deliberation they huddle similar penguins," Gosling joked of each the Kens, who dissimilar the Barbies successful the movie are not distinguishable by profession. "They conscionable stitchery for warmth connected the beach."

And going by their on-point property circuit fashion and the reverence they've shown for Gerwig's vision, she and Gosling are extremely arrogant of the finished product.

"There's that happening wherever you marque a movie and you emotion it truthful much," Robbie said. "And it's scary 'cause it's your babe and your baby's going disconnected to assemblage and we're like, 'Ahh, we did everything we could, present it's up to you!' It's benignant of that infinitesimal but, connected the different hand, it's truthful amusive and I cognize it's going to marque radical truthful happy."

And, Gosling added, "We cognize it's going to enactment truthful hard successful college."