Greta Gerwig’s upcoming “Barbie” live-action film adaptation is already one of the summer’s most buzzed about films. The movie, set to premiere in theaters on July 21, 2023, was announced back in 2019 and confirmed by Margot Robbie, who will be playing the titular character opposite Ryan Gosling as Ken. The news coincided with the famous blonde doll’s 60th anniversary.
In the film, Barbie sets off for the human world to find true happiness after being expelled from Barbieland for being a less-than-perfect-looking doll. In addition to Robbie as the lead, the ensemble cast features writer, producer, and comedian Issa Rae and English-Albanian singer and songwriter Dua Lipa.
Actress and producer Robbie first began working in 2008 on the Australian television soap opera “Neighbours” before moving to America in 2011 and leading the period drama television series “Pan Am.” Her breakthrough role came in 2013 with the black comedy film “The Wolf of Wall Street,” with wider recognition garnered in starring roles as Jane Porter in “The Legend of Tarzan” and Harley Quinn in the DC superhero films, beginning with “Suicide Squad.” She then received critical acclaim and a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of figure skater Tonya Harding in the biopic “I, Tonya.”
Issa Rae first came to prominence for her work on the YouTube web series “Awkward Black Girl.” She gained wider recognition as the co-creator, co-writer, and star of the HBO television series “Insecure,” which earned her multiple Golden Globe Award nominations and Primetime Emmy Awards. Her feature films include the drama “The Hate U Give,” the fantasy comedy “Little,” the romance “The Photograph,” the romantic comedy “The Lovebirds”, and the comedy thriller “Vengeance.”
Dua Lipa has received multiple accolades throughout her career, including six Brit Awards, three Grammy Awards, two MTV Europe Music Awards, an MTV Video Music Award, two Billboard Music Awards, an American Music Award, and two Guinness World Records. She formerly worked as a model appearing in multiple magazine publications and walking the runway for Versace. She is involved in several philanthropic organizations and advocates for better mental health care for artists in creative industries.