Instead of Margot Robbie, this actress was the original choice for “Barbie.”
Andreas Rivera
July 20, 2023 2:35 pm
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3 min read
A “Barbie” live-action film had been in the works for a number of years. However, it could have turned out very differently with the people originally involved, not least because of the cast of Barbie.
With “Barbie,” one cannot only look forward to a timely adaptation of the Mattel dolls but also to the acting performances of the cast, particularly that of Margot Robbie as the main Barbie of the film. During the press tour, she already proved that she is the perfect choice for the role. Whether in Los Angeles, Sydney, Seoul, or London (but unfortunately not Berlin due to the Hollywood strike), she radiates the essence of Barbie with her premiere outfits, which allude to old Barbie doll clothes. However, before Robbie got the role, comedy actress Amy Schumer (“I Feel Pretty”) was cast in the role.
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Not only did the cast originally look completely different, but the entire production was also different. First, the film was supposed to be produced by Universal Pictures. In 2014, the project went to Sony before it finally ended up at Warner Bros. in 2018. During Sony and Mattel’s collaboration between 2014 and 2018, several actresses were considered for the role of Barbie, such as Anne Hathaway (“The Devil Wears Prada”) and Amy Schumer. The latter told Variety in 2017 that she had to leave the project due to scheduling conflicts. However, in a recent interview on Watch What Happens Live, it turned out that wasn’t the real reason. If you’re still not sure whether it’s worth watching “Barbie” in the cinema, the following trailer might convince you. If that’s not enough, you can also read the editorial review.
‘Not feminist and cool enough’: That’s why Amy Schumer left ‘Barbie’ During the interview, Schumer revealed that the scheduling conflicts were just an excuse. The real reason she left the project in March 2017 was creative disagreements with the producers. Schumer had very clear ideas about what “Barbie” should look like. As she says, she would not have participated in other ideas: “They definitely didn’t want to do it the way I wanted to do it, the only way I was interested in.” The script was “not feminist and cool enough” for her, and her proposed revisions were rejected.
Since the film was produced by Warner Bros. in 2018, the whole team has been reshuffled. Robbie’s casting was officially announced in July 2019, as well as Greta Gerwig and her partner Noah Baumbach as screenwriters. In 2021 it was finally announced that Gerwig would also direct. When asked if she would watch the film, Schumer replied, “I can’t wait to see the film. I think it looks fantastic!”
“Barbie” has been in cinemas in Germany since July 20th. For the die-hard and nostalgic fans among you who can’t get enough of the Barbie hype, a box set of the Barbie animated films is available here on Amazon.
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