Barbie Star Reveals How the Fan Response to the Film Has “Inspired” Her

Alexandra Shipp spoke about what Barbie has represented this year.

December 8, 2023, 12:36am

While some had wanted to write off the live-action Barbie movie as nonsensical, the actual film has been nothing short of a phenomenon. The film grossed over $1 billion at the global box office, with its pop culture impact reverberating far beyond that. Alexandra Shipp, who starred in the Barbie movie as Writer Barbie, recently addressed the Barbie hype in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

“I think what’s most important about Barbie is what she represents, and I think that she represents possibilities,” Shipp explained. “And I think that seeing how the world has embraced the idea of all the multifaceted ways that we can be human has just really inspired me.”

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Will There Be a Barbie Sequel?

According to a recent report from The Hollywood Reporter, there are currently no options or deals in place for director and co-writer Greta Gerwig and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling to return for a Barbie sequel. Robbie, in particular, is reportedly not obligated to return to her role of Stereotypical Barbie, but could return as a producer on a Barbie sequel if she wanted to. As the report outlines, Warner Bros. Pictures “made overtures” about Gerwig possibly returning to direct a Barbie sequel, but her team delayed those talks until the first film’s debut. With negotiations around new projects on hold until the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes are over, there’s a chance that Gerwig, Robbie, and Gosling could return for a new Barbie movie — but they would probably have to negotiate much more lucrative contracts, in response to the film’s box office performance. Gerwig has indicated that she currently does not have any ideas for a sequel film.

“At this moment, it’s all I’ve got,” Gerwig revealed. “I feel like that at the end of every movie, like I’ll never have another idea and everything I’ve ever wanted to do, I did. I wouldn’t want to squash anybody else’s dream but for me, at this moment, I’m at totally zero.”

What Is Barbie About?

In Barbie, to live in Barbie Land is to be a perfect being in a perfect place. Unless you have a full-on existential crisis. Or you’re a Ken. From Oscar-nominated writer/director Greta Gerwig comes Barbie, which hit theaters on July 21st. Barbie stars Oscar-nominees Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, alongside America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Ariana Greenblatt, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, and Will Ferrell. The film also stars Ana Cruz Kayne, Emma Mackey, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Jamie Demetriou, Connor Swindells, Sharon Rooney, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Dua Lipa and Oscar-winner Helen Mirren. Gerwig directed Barbie from a screenplay by Gerwig & Oscar nominee Noah Baumbach, based on Barbie by Mattel.