Margot Robbie has an impish smile and a glint in her eye when taking on the title role in Barbie. The Oscar-nominated actor is the first person to portray the Mattel icon in live-action form, in a movie that transports Barbie from her own candy-coloured world to our own. Fortunately, she has the amusingly bone-headed Ken (the scene-stealing Ryan Gosling) along for the ride, and if he's not quite sharp enough to provide emotional support, then he certainly cuts a mean selection of classic outfits.
Co-written and directed by Greta Gerwig, the all-singing, all-dancing movie unleashes a whole host of Barbie and Ken iterations in a kind of Mattel variation on the multiverse. The likes of Emma Mackey, Issa Rae, Dua Lipa, Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa are all lining up to deliver maximum sass and attitude. But of course, Robbie's Barbie Prime (as we're calling her) is the anchor point of the whole show.
Here are five clips of Margot in real life that prove she has the bearing, comic timing and attitude to become the definitive Barbie for our age.
1. Unveiling her inner Potterhead to Daniel Radcliffe
Talk about being in touch with your inner geek. Margot is so dedicated to her love of the Harry Potter lore that she can't help but be shocked when Daniel Radcliffe says he hasn't read the final book. We think she speaks for all of us.
2. Losing it over Harrison Ford
Consider this a dry run for the Barbie giggle. Even A-lister Margot can't keep it together when sharing Graham Norton's couch with the laconic Harrison Ford. Once again, Margot, you are all of us in that moment.
3. Bringing the sass with Will Smith
One cannot play Barbie without demonstrating a certain amount of attitude. Margot certainly does so in the BBC Radio One Playground Insults section opposite Suicide Squad co-star Will Smith.
4. Making a total fool out of herself on Saturday Night Live
One also requires a certain amount of ironic self-awareness and humour to play Barbie, which is, of course, a character that lends itself to comical extremes. Margot's hilariously morbid and bizarre appearance on SNL skit 'The Librarian' shows an admirable lack of vanity as she camps it up.
5. Playing the Barbie dress-up challenge with her movie co-stars
This clip seals the deal. You can truly sense Margot (and her fellow actors) engaging with the invincible brand that is Barbie and having a great time in the process. That's the glee and enthusiasm we're expecting to see in the movie.
The time has come. Click the link below to get your Cineworld tickets for Barbie. The movie opens on July 11th.
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