Barbie Land
When the credits start rolling at the end of Barbie, there isn’t much in the way of distinction. With a great number of the cast playing either “Barbie” or “Ken”, you’re going to need a little more info to figure out who plays who. So here’s a cast list to help you out.
Margot Robbie as “Stereotypical” Barbie
The All-American blonde bombshell that everyone thinks of when they picture Barbie. Barbie lives her best life every day in Barbie Land in her Dream House. But things come crashing down when things start to get “real” for her.
Margot Robbie is an Australian actress and producer, who is widely known for her roles in The Wolf of Wall Street, I, Tonya, and as Harleen Quinzell aka Harley Quinn in the DC Extended Universe films The Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey.
Ryan Gosling as “Beach” Ken
Ken is just Ken. Made to exist as a partner to Barbie, he doesn’t really have much of a character outside of loving Barbie and enjoying spending time on the beach. Not knowing how to exist (literally) without Barbie, he stows away with her when she journeys to the “Real World”. But while she is troubled by the male-led world that awaits her, Ken is very drawn to it.
Ryan Gosling is a Canadian Oscar-nominated actor known for his roles in Lars and The Real Girl, Drive, The Big Short and Blade Runner 2049.
Kate McKinnon as “Weird” Barbie
Every girl has had one. A Barbie that was too loved. She got haircuts, makeovers with felt pens, suffered broken limbs and finally ended up in a box waiting for the next flea market. “Weird” Barbie is that Barbie – but her experiences give her knowledge of the “Real World” that might help Barbie get to the bottom of her existential nightmare.
Kate McKinnon Berthold is an American comedian who burst onto the scene on Saturday Night Live and portrayed Carol Baskin in the Peacock series Joe vs Carole.
Playing the most prominent Barbies in Barbie Land are:
- Issa Rae as “President” Barbie
- Hari Nef as “Doctor” Barbie
- Alexandra Shipp as “Writer” Barbie
- Emma Mackey as “Physicist” Barbie
- Sharon Rooney as “Lawyer” Barbie
- Ana Cruz Kanya as “Judge” Barbie
- Dua Lipa as “Mermaid” Barbie
- Nicola Coughlan as “Diplomat” Barbie
- Ritu Arya as “Journalist” Barbie
And then there are the Kens…:
- Simu Lia as “Tourist / Rival” Ken
- Kingsley Ben-Adir as “Basketball” Ken
- Ncuti Gatwa as “Artist” Ken
- Scott Evans as “Stereotypical” Ken
- John Cena as “Kenmaid” Ken
There are two other inhabitants in Barbie Land, but no one talks about them that much…
Emerald Fennell as Midge
An outsider in Barbie Land, Midge is based on the discontinued line of “Midge” dolls. Midge was positioned as a friend of Barbie’s who was pregnant. The concept of a pregnant Barbie doll didn’t fly with American consumers and the doll was recalled from shelves.
Midge is played by Emerald Fennell, who is the Oscar-winning director of Promising Young Woman as well as the 2023 smash Saltburn.
Michael Cera as Allan
Another outcast character based on a discontinued and largely forgotten line of dolls, Allan was produced as a friend of Ken’s and/or a partner to Midge.
Allan is played by Michael Cera, who is best known for roles in Superbad, Arrested Development, Juno, and as the titular character in Scott Pilgrim vs The World.
“The Real World”
When Barbie and Ken arrive in California, they come across a number of people who try to help, or hinder, how path to enlightenment.
America Ferrera as Gloria
Gloria is a Mattel employee who connects with Barbie as she herself owned a Barbie doll as a child and knows better than anyone how impossible it is to be a woman.
America Ferrera is an American actress perhaps best known for her role as the eponymous character in Ugly Betty, about an awkward young woman who attempts to navigate through her life working for a prestigious fashion magazine.
Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha
When Barbie arrives in California, she’s sure that the young women of “The Real World” will be overjoyed to meet their hero. She’s very wrong. Sasha is Gloria’s apathetic teen daughter and considers Barbie to be everything that’s wrong with the world.
Ariana Greenblatt is an American actress known for her roles in 65 and the Star Wars series Ahsoka as a young version of the title character.
Will Ferrell as the Mattel CEO
As she progresses through her journey, Barbie’s appearance comes to the attention of the Mattel company, headed by an unnamed CEO. While Barbie hopes to find some answers from them, Mattel would rather keep things quiet and are eager to put Barbie “back in the box.”
Never knowingly underplayed, Will Ferrell is a modern comedy legend and SNL alumni known for his leading roles in the films Elf, Anchorman, Step Brothers, and The Lego Movie while also working as a producer for the acclaimed series Succession.
Helen Mirren as the Narrator
As Barbie undergoes her voyage of discovery, a narrator periodically chimes in to keep the audience abreast of all the goings on… and occasionally chips in to critique the film itself.
Helen Mirren is a legend of stage and screen, with a career spanning six decades and with roles as diverse as her Oscar-winning role as The Queen and her non-Oscar nominated role as Magdalene Shaw in the Fast and Furious franchise.
Rhea Perlman as Ruth Handler
At some point, everyone meets their maker. In Barbie’s case this is quite literal, as in her quest for self-discovery, she gets to meet the inventor of Barbie and co-founder of Mattel, Ruth Handler.
Rhea Perlman is perhaps best known for her role as head waitress Carla in the iconic eighties’ sitcom Cheers.
Find out more about Barbie
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