Barbiemania is in full effect! The highly-anticipated Barbie movie is just days away from its release, and fans cannot wait to see the movie on the big screens.
Margot Robbie stars in (and executive produced) the Greta Gerwig–directed film also starring Ryan Gosling (as Ken), America Ferrara, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae and Simu Liu.
HipHollywood sat down with Robbie about playing the titular role and put her and Gosling to the test to see how much they really know about Barbie. Watch the video below and scroll for five fun facts about Barbie.
Her birthday is March 9, 1959
Ruth and Elliot Handler tell security analysts about their Toy Making company, Mattel, Inc.; (Photo By Ed Maker/The Denver Post via Getty Images)
Barbie was “born” the day Mattel president and Barbie inventor Ruth Handler debuted the doll at the American International Toy Fair in New York.
Her full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts
‘No. 1 Barbie’, one of the first swimsuit-clad models from 1959, the year that Barbie, ‘Barbara Millicent Roberts’, made her debut at the New York International American Toy Fair. AFP PHOTO / JOHN D MCHUGH (Photo credit should read JOHN D MCHUGH/AFP via Getty Images)
Barbie was named after Ruth and Elliot Handler’s daughter, Barbara. Barbara took part in the ceremony immortalizing Barbie’s hand and footprints in cement on Hollywood Boulevard in 2002.
Barbie and Ken were named after siblings
A girl in pigtails sings along with a 7″ record called ‘Barbie Sings’ which plays on a portable phonograph player, 1961. Two dolls, Barbie and Ken, stand on the phonograph. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
Ken was named for the Handlers’ son Kenneth — meaning Barbie and Ken, one of the most famous fictional couples in the world, were actually inspired by a brother and sister.
Barbie’s a Wisconsin girl
American businesswoman Ruth Handler is credited with the creation of the doll using a German doll called Bild Lilli as her inspiration. (Photo by: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
No wonder she’s got that Midwest charm! Barbie was “born” in the fictional town of Willows, Wisconsin.
Her BFF Christie is the first African American Barbie
Barbie doll models from the 1960’s, including an example of black Barbie, one of which was issued with every new set, on display at Christie’s in London on September 26th (Photo by Fiona Hanson – PA Images/PA Images via Getty Images)
Christie, the first African American Barbie doll, made her debut in 1968 with Talking Christie. She’s been part of the Barbie squad ever since and she’s also Barbie’s oldest and dearest friend.
