"How do you adapt a doll?!" Greta Gerwig on bringing Barbie to life & Ryan Gosling being "SUBLIME!"

The director and co-writer of Barbie, Greta Gerwig, talks to Radio 1's Film Critic Ali Plumb about how the record-breaking pop culture phenomenon came to be, touching on Ryan Gosling's line readings, Proust and the importance of space (you'll see). Also includes a little on Ken's wrap gifts and, well, actually, better let you find out the rest for yourself...
The interview took place on 12th July, 2023.
#gretagerwig #barbie
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[@Missjunebugfreak]

Ryan's performance in this film was the standout for me. Just a joy to watch every time he was on screen.

[@LuaBloe]

Really...? He was just being a carictaure of a dumbass....

[@beverlykrejsa5709]

He kinda stole the scenes, and maybe he was supposed to.

[@juliagoolia72]

My favourite thing about this movie is how it’s brought back the joy of going to the movies again. Everyone is dressing up, they are going in groups, having fun. It’s great.

[@laischagas6994]

@fritzthecat do you need a hug? There you go 🤗. Now calm down, will you?

[@Garcelle1987]

I love how the interviewer noted how emotional this movie is And considering Margot’s Barbie is at the centre of those moments I really hope she becomes an Oscar nominee from this role. It would be very well deserved 🙌

[@priyac7054]

She's already an Oscar nominee

[@looney1023]

I hope it gets a Best Picture nomination too because Margot really produced the HELL out of this movie, and she's a terrific, passionate producer too.

[@Garcelle1987]

@@looney1023 Absolutely. Along with that, in a perfect world (Lol), I think the nominations should be Best Actress for Margot. Best supporting actor for Ryan Best supporting actress for America Best Director for Greta Best costume design for Jacqueline Durran

[@wylierichardson-tu6zs]

I think it is more likely to be up for key Golden Globes, as they have a separate category for comedy. It's best best for an Oscar would be for it's art direction, I am guessing.

[@magaffi]

Greta is so talented as an Actor ….but now is a legend for writing and directing this Masterpiece ❤

[@ltrzepalko]

ROTFL

[@shyaminator]

@@ltrzepalko where's the joke?

[@magaffi]

My voice text spelled her name wrong and I just edited so apparently this simpleton thinks it warrants Rotfl ….there’s always one moron in every comment section

[@e11esounds]

@@shyaminatordo not feed the trolls

[@jasminekaram880]

She was a great director before this film. :)

[@indiiedreamer]

I was aware that people cried in the film when I went to see it, and I'm a very easy cryer, so I was ready, and in like the middle of the film I was like "this is a very funny movie, but I don't know if I'm gonna cry" and then the ending came and oh my god, I was bawling my eyes out. Amazing movie.

[@insulaarachnid]

When the DVD comes out it better have extras of extensive bts/making of including seeing Ryan in the recording studio, singing I'm Just Ken and PUSH. Also, set, costume and makeup department stuff obv!

[@LebahG4nteng]

A Barbie movie has been in development for 15 years. From Universal Pictures to Sony Pictures to Warner Bros Pictures and then switching directors and writers that ended up being Greta Gerwig making the movie with actress playing the lead role from Amy Schumer (thank god it didn't happen, what a massive nuclear they dodged) to Anne Hathaway and ended up being Margot Robbie as Stereotipical Barbie, i'm so happy the lomg 15 year development was worth the wait. I never thought a Barbie movie could've actually work and yet here we are. So happy the movie is getting a success at the box office in being the second movie of the year hitting Barbillion. Cheers to the creative team and actors, you are Kenough 🥂😎

[@stellajama1777]

Barbillion! Gold!!

[@Davinana44]

Margot is a producer and mentioned in interviews that’s she was the one who came to Greta about directing and writing the movie. Margot told Greta that she didn’t have to play Barbie if she didn’t like but then Greta wrote it as Margot as Barbie and Ryan as Ken before they even cast him.

[@rickyrougs]

the amy schumer barbie movie was going to be completely different. no need to put her down like that.

[@LebahG4nteng]

@@rickyrougs "No need to put her down" Geez dude you have to understand that nobody would ever think Amy Schumer would be a perfect casting choice for Barbie, understand that? I have nothing against her as a person, but her as Barbie? Ridiculous

[@boneil]

@HariRasid111 you’re not in bro-land - you’re commenting on the feminist (yes) Barbie movie. Amy Schumer has been fighting the good fight her whole career - even with all the unfair backlash. She may not look like Margot Robbie, but she doesn’t deserve to be a punching bag for insecure men. Check your misogyny at the door, friend

[@danielachamorro8783]

Ryan's "ha ha ha" is so Danny Zuko from Grease!

[@ruthyvonne5240]

You nailed it Greta & great choices of the actors for all the characters.

[@LebahG4nteng]

I had hope on Barbie movie once Greta Gerwig signed on as writer and director with Noah Baumbach co-write the script with her, I fully 100% trusted them. From what could've been a big 2 hour toy commercial turned into a big cinematic movie with a solid story and excellent humor, I'm so happy the movie was worth of wait. I can't wait to see it again when it comes out in a streaming service

[@vanillaconk]

hope there’s a director’s commentary on the physical release

[@Bleech606]

Same. Greta's track record as a director is so insanely good, no matter how weird this seemed, she has to be given the benefit of the doubt.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

This Barbie made me very happy and it was great fun! 👏🏽

[@sillythingsme186]

I cried so much and I couldn’t even understand why, I was so moved by the performances at the end

[@su_el_paula]

In my opinion, the 'Yay, Space!' thing is that it is so child-like. As a child you don't know exactly how Space looks like, how does it work, but it is just cool, full of stars, rockets and flying. So that's why Yay, Space! is great, because it is nicely naive, simple and, as Greta said, delightful.

[@lushiousification]

“Lines in this movie that maybe only one person will laugh at”. When I saw it I was the only person in the theatre to laugh at the Snyder cut joke. It killed me, honestly the funniest part of the whole movie to me, and NO ONE ELSE LAUGHED, which makes it even funnier to me.

[@catsandstrawberries]

I was tearing up for like a solid two hours after the credits rolled. Amazing movie!!

[@nirmalendudhar4198]

Barbie doll is a great. Its a great character discovered long ago. But today still a great character. I❤ her.

[@chelseashurmantine8153]

I happened to be reading Proust when the movie came out! So perfectly timed lol

[@jnt6239]

I was the only one -- twice!! -- who laughed at the Proust jokes in the theater. 😆 We'll see what happens at the next show.

[@1saleha1]

The way she accidentally called Ryan Ken

[@clevergrl28]

I'm getting a necklace that says "Yay Space"😅😂

[@catiagoncalves2590]

I love Greta . Lady Bird and Little Women two my favourite movies . I haven't watched Barbie yet but i cannot wait to see it!

[@TiffanyAllen1784]

Definitely try to see it in a cinema. It’s made to be watched on a big screen, and I’ve never experienced an audience reacting the way they did to this film. Worth watching in a group setting.

Barbie is her Magnum opus, I swear. It has very similar themes and even scenes from her others movies, but everything is so heightened. She went all in with this movie

[@TiffanyAllen1784]

@ I love how well they follow each other. It's like she opened the dialogue with Lady Bird, honed the argument with Little Women and Jo and Amy's comments on womanhood throughout history, and then went in for the kill with Barbie. Can't wait to see what she does next. If she doesn't at least get a best director nomination for this, it's more confirmation that the award shows are a useless rubric.

[@pillboys]

was just thinking yesterday that i wouldnt get any more press content for barbie and then im blessed with this ❤

[@natbatrat-d7e]

*YAY SPACE!!!!!!!*

[@FinalGuyKris]

I'm a Ken who absolutely LOVED this movie

[@raffaellalisoni8515]

Amazing interview!

[@katedurr9160]

She's delightful. Incredible talent.

[@islombekkhasanov2007]

For some reason I misread the title as" How do you adOpt a doll?!"☠

[@FilmGemDigger]

You’re delight at interviewing her is everything!

[@MrJoseoz]

I love this interview ❤

[@Agent-wn7le]

I loved this movie ❤

[@BarbieRachelEvans]

Awesome interview! I watched the Barbie movie x3 times. I cried it’s SO BEAUTIFUL and I am finally grateful to feel the love from people who recognise me “Hi Barbie “! They say in London 🇬🇧 For me, as an audience member and as I am the human barbie- I see EVERYTHING about me on the movie. Yay! I’ve been saying for years. I feel so amazingly VALIDATED. Thank you 🙏

[@MrJoseoz]

Hi Barbie!❤

[@BarbieRachelEvans]

@@MrJoseoz hi Ken! ❤️⭐️💖

[@BarbieRachelEvans]

@@MrJoseoz Hi Barbie! Hi Ken! ❤️⭐️

[@stimo7060]

Yay space is my favourite 😭 like idk why no one talk about it or react on theatre but i was laughing lmfao

[@karlalolumna9453]

Why is it so funny ? I'm German. Cause it's so random ?

[@Simonesayshi]

Love Greta and loved the film ❤

[@RyanM268]

It’s crazy to think that Greta Gerwig is possibly the only current critically-acclaimed and commercially successful female director today. She’s a 3 times Oscars nominees & her last 2 films are box office successful (Little Women & Barbie). Barbie made history & surpassed $1B. The employment & opportunities disparity between male and female directors in Hollywood is still such a big issue. Besides Greta, I can only think of Sofia Coppola, Nancy Meyers, and Kathryn Bigelow who are successful female directors.

[@aninewforest]

Yes, for some reason there have always been loads of women producers, but virtually none as directors.

[@bernz3025]

Dame Jane Campion from New Zealand is another 😊

[@movingforwardLDTH]

@@aninewforest, the reason is - bottom-line - being a producer only really requires a boatload of money. (Truly good producers bring a lot more to the table, but many are given the title simply as a thank you for funding the project.) Being a director requires a producer trusting you with that $$$ & project, and we’re just now cracking through that patriarchy-installed glass ceiling.

[@gabrielaantonioli]

"You can do whatever you want with Ken, we don't care"

[@a.block.of.tofu.]

I hope the blu ray is just packed with features

[@selenaflows]

i love her so muchhhh

[@trchbrr]

I'm so in love with her fr

[@emmathompson7706]

I didn't cry. I WEPT.

[@carinaraymond2]

I love that Mattel genuinely doesn’t care about Ryan butchering Ken’s brand on his t-shirts 😂😭🤣

[@ritzaxe]

I love Greta's voice... She sounds like Alyson Hannigan.. 😂

[@StacySanseverino]

I laughed so hard and cried so hard - I loved this movie so much. I’m going to buy it so I can watch it repeatedly and I never buy movies!

[@EstebanTalero99]

So interesting to hear her very 1st response when asked about "the writing journey" 1:25 "Because we wrote so much of it in lockdown and nobody was going to the movie theaters, nobody was seeing anybody really, and there was this sort of deep isolation and fear [that] it, in a way, freed us to write something that was so wild and anarchic and joyful. I mean, there's lines in this movie [...] that I'm like 'I can't believe we're writing these jokes into this movie' and it was like so much of it felt... [You wrote it for yourself] yeah, well in a way we did, because it was like we were each other's entertainment at that moment, and I thought, 'I can't bear to let anyone else do this.'" That makes total sense now. That's why the screenplay, and overall script, are so packed at times, where you wonder why the writers - Gerwig and Baumbach namely - would keep throwing more and more stuff at the same time TO the same thing (be it a concept/joke, a sequence/scene, or just in general). Well now you know why. They did it during COVID with so much of "isolation and fear", but at the same time "freedom", "wildness", "anarchy", and "joy", that they probably overdid it. Or probably not. Either way, it was liberating for them to write in this somewhat exaggerated manner as such (watch this interview where Greta confirms that: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ-yiWqVlpeGmckfeature=shared). Because then again, that over-the-topness probably IS the point with a Barbie movie. However, this is a humanist (NOT feminist) Barbie, Greta's Barbie. So I can only defend that they perhaps wanted to have the themes be on the nose, but then turn everything on its head to make you ask why they weren't in the first place. Not sure I like it, but I certainly enjoyed the film. I definitely recommend watching this: kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZ-yiWqVlpeGmck to hear Greta and also Noah Baumbach in conversation with also director, and Oscar winner, Jane Campion.

[@terry5749]

Phenomenal! ❤🎉❤

[@MrFantasy616]

Fantastic interview he asks consistently insightful questions and of course Greta is the phenomenal human being that she is. Kudos 😊❤

[@sharonkaysnowton]

I enjoyed the Barbie the Movie. It was very nostalgic for me.

[@DrNancyLivingCoCreatively]

Although I stay home now I love laughing and crying in the dark theater with strangers. 😂

[@bmt65]

her voice sounds like "and this one time, at band camp"

[@patricenz]

I even cried at The Making of Barbie and Behind the Scenes 😶‍🌫️

[@pinkyhandle]

Greta G, you’re my hero! ✊ 3:05

[@Izzy-bk8iw]

I love the film

[@TakodaJohn]

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[@Achakkate]

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[@JackBremdom]

HE'S ALWAYS ACTIVE ON HIS TELEGRAMS APP AND WHATSAPP WITH HIS NAME AND ALSO ON WHATSAPP.

[@IcanGOwithTHEflow]

Mattel doesn't even care about ken

[@RhetoricalMuse]

Never did

[@jnt6239]

Ken has never been a moneymaker. Boys mostly don't play with Ken.

[@jeonwwww]

Barbie That's great

[@JordanFrancois178]

Interesting Informations...Thank You Bye JeanFrancois

[@brigettegarcia4623]

I love Barbie

[@priyac7054]

Greataaaaaaa

[@Daso8734]

This movie need an Oscar

[@RhetoricalMuse]

For set design, perhaps.

[@OdileOdile19]

Costumes

[@HONEY.....]

Nice

[@Agent-wn7le]

😁

[@akashsinghal4517]

Love greta gerwig as a writer- film maker, but don't get what was so great about the writing on this one. To me the performances absolutely overshadowed the writing and even the technical film-making on Barbie. Ryan gosling finally seemed to have connected with a different person within himself after decades. And Margot was absolutely oscar worthy. Had she saved even one jew on this film- she would have got an oscar.

[@Bananabear20]

you know the oscars haven't happened yet right?

[@kennethfharkin]

I really enjoyed this film but there is no way I was shedding tears during it.

[@katedurr9160]

I think Ken’s ha ha ha actually came originally from the movie Greece? Don’t you think?

[@younghan3573]

I thought Barbie was a Family Guy movie

[@qxillanote9952]

Yo

[@djraed5538]

No matter what you act or say, we all knows that you will not be dispensed + you will not advance without men and you will search for them from the next day lol

[@ThatCoalSoul]

Shame Greta is the only person who can promote this at the moment.

[@justafidemyself]

She better enjoy the acclaim before Snow White destroys it again.

[@scottfarach6734]

Never seen it😂

[@Giantcrabz]

Inb4 incels

[@brinsonopinion]

This guy gives obsequious try-hards a bad name. Congrats to Greta on her game face!

[@ruthhahn2449]

I had big hope, but it felt like she never ever played with Barbie. There is no imagination u have as a child, no play. every doll looks like she is brand new out of box, but they are telling me kids are playing with them. They missed the point that kid's do destroy the beauty standards of barbie by do not care about if the dress sits perfect, by mixing clothes that do not fit, putting stickers on their breast cause it's colorful, putting stones from the river in their dreamhouse cause this new chair is beautiful. And Kids do not have a schedule. They brushing hair for hours, forgetting to feat their barbie and they do live their emotions through their toys, it's not all happy play. So the movie is not about the toy at its play at all. it's not even about feminism. it's all about lecturing people, it feels like mansplaining. Like I know how world works u don't, instead of showing how barbies actually do construction work and build a houses. They are showing me a million times how she dresses but not letting me know how barbie president organization barbieland. poor outcome for artists that work I actually like.

[@marcoviola6741]

I really think you missed some nuances of this movie. It's lecturing, mayube: but it's a lecture about common sense against stereotypes like toxic feminism. It brings back the focus on the human side, rather than ideology.

[@beverlykrejsa5709]

Also humor. In the interview it seemed like they wrote it during Covid, for themselves, with a focus on jokes.

[@xXxlLEGENDZlxXx]

I've spoken to a couple people who have said the film came across as a bit misandrist at points - is there any truth to that?

[@e11esounds]

The guys that say that… they’re revealing themselves - not the nature of the film. If you aren’t a dumb dumb you’ll get the nuance.

[@xXxlLEGENDZlxXx]

@@e11esounds it wasn't actually men I spoke too, it was women who said it caught off them off guard

[@Largentina.]

​@@xXxlLEGENDZlxXxI have a really crazy idea. How about you make up your own opinion of the movie by watching it?

[@agliasjh]

Yes, it is misandrist, and not just a bit. I wish the ending was more about equality of genders rather than going back to a barbieland matriarchy. Being a literary foil to real world patriarchy doesn't make matriarchy a good thing. (They're both bad.) Men and women should use our strengths and weaknesses to collaborate together, rather than suppressing one sex over another.

[@e11esounds]

@@Gotoooooo is that what you took from it? Weird take honestly. But I’m fascinated by how men’s reactions to this movie really are a litmus test of how secure they are in healthy, self aware masculinity (or not)

[@braaijmakers]

See also co-wrote the new Snow White movie. A total woke disaster movie for 2024!

[@Garcelle1987]

Well considering Barbie has made over a BILLION dollars - and could also possibly overtake super Mario & Top Gun’s tallies in the upcoming months I would guess Disney will be more than happy if the new Snow White experiences even half of Barbie’s success☕️😂

[@knight4urtv775]

Just like this 'woke' disaster....

[@ThatCoalSoul]

* She *.

[@RhetoricalMuse]

@@Garcelle1987 Blockbusters making in and over a billion is standard these days. Avatar: The Way of Water $2,320,250,281 Top Gun: Maverick $1,495,696,292 Jurassic World Dominion $1,001,978,080 Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness $955,775,804 Barbie costs at least $300 million in production and marketing costs. It did well for itself, but not anything mind blowing in profit, like Avatar.

[@MondoMiami]

Hopefully Greta can use her money from this movie to get something done about that face. Yikes!

[@sillythingsme186]

Wow, how do you feel about horses?

[@denitsaradeva-petrova6722]

Absolutely brilliant!!! A masterpiece!

[@benhughes6507]

I haven't seen it, but my 8 year old daughter who loves Barbie didn't like it, but the real surprise was my girl power wife. . . Who called it a feminist nightmare 😮

[@susieusmaximus5330]

Okay.

[@e11esounds]

‘Girl power wife’ 😂

[@katiemp670]

this barbie is a pick me. this barbie is your wife.

[@benhughes6507]

@@susieusmaximus5330 picture of a cat eh? not a good sign😆

[@benhughes6507]

@@susieusmaximus5330 it might be good, I'll have to see for myself 🙂 although HER saying that makes me more interested in seeing it

[@LuaBloe]

The "2001 A Space Odyssey" reference is an outrage. She's dismaying. Just wants to make money. She has done it. Congrats Greta, thank you for this daube intersidérale.

[@RhetoricalMuse]

It's parody. Stop being a puritan.