Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s highly-anticipated summer blockbuster Barbie does not have an MPAA rating yet, but the director and star just hinted at how raunchy the movie might be. In a profile in Vogue teasing the film, Robbie spoke about the interesting sexual politics of filming a movie about Barbie—a doll with no genitals.
Though Barbie herself is small, with a cinched waist and petite doll hands, her boobs are blown out of proportion completely—no human has such large breasts, with a waist as small as a dime. Barbie also has no nipples, just as Ken has a “bulge,” as the Vogue article calls the area between his legs, with no defined genitals.
“You feel that there’s something there, which is part of the allure,” Gerwig said. “It’s unclear how this all kinda works. But it’s not without intrigue.”
Intriguing indeed! Robbie also commented on Barbie’s sexuality, which was even more confusing to the creators.
“I’m like, Okay, she’s a doll,” Robbie said. “She’s a plastic doll. She doesn’t have organs. If she doesn’t have organs, she doesn’t have reproductive organs. If she doesn’t have reproductive organs, would she even feel sexual desire? No, I don’t think she could.”
Robbie continued: “She is sexualized. But she should never be sexy. People can project sex onto her,” she said. “Yes, she can wear a short skirt, but because it’s fun and pink. Not because she wanted you to see her butt.”
In this movie, Barbie and Ken (Ryan Gosling) venture out of Barbieland and into the human world. Do they become humans, with functional organs? Can they finally have sex? Clearly, they’re at least thinking about it. In the trailer, Ken asks Barbie if he can stay over at her Dreamhouse.
“Why?” Barbie questions. All Ken can say is that they’re dating. But: “To do what?”
Ken doesn’t have an answer. All of this seems to be hinting at Barbie and Ken’s sexual awakening in the real world, which could really be quite beautiful. Or, if they remain two sexless dolls throughout the entire movie—so be it! Surely we’ll still have a lot to unpack from the movie’s jokes about their confusion over reproduction and intimate relationships. I’m on board.
Plus, if you weren’t hyped for Barbie before, this Vogue article should ramp up your excitement—and no, Warner Bros. isn’t paying me to say this. Gerwig and Robbie go into detail about their inspirations for the film, including a “This American Life” podcast episode about a woman who has no inner-monologue about her life, musicals The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Red Shoes, and 1994 non-fiction book Reviving Ophelia.
But my personal favorite inspiration? An original poem penned by Gerwig: “Greta wrote an abstract poem about Barbie,” Robbie said. “And when I say ‘abstract,’ I mean it was super abstract.”
Unfortunately, Gerwig refused to read the poem to Vogue, though she said it “shares some similarities with the Apostles’ Creed.” If anyone can get their hands on a copy of this poem, I’d put my life on the line to read it. We need the Barbie poem in order to crown Gerwig Poet Laureate.
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