Featured Image Credit: Warner Bros
Topics: Ireland, News, TV and Film, Barbie
Conor Paterson
It’s just a little over a month until one of the most highly-anticipated movies of 2023 is released. And no I don’t mean Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, but Barbie with an all-star cast featuring Margot Robbie as the world's most famous doll.
The movie features some of Hollywood’s most famous actors with Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu and Michael Cera starring alongside Robbie. Despite the release of the film's trailer earlier this year, much of the plot of the film has been kept well under wraps.
However, fans have been treated to the Barbie posters giving us a glimpse into the roles of the star-studded lineup. Ryan Gosling takes the role of the famous Ken while Kate McKinnon has landed the role of gymnast Barbie and Sex Education’s Emma Mackey is physicist Barbie.
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Spotted among the posters is an almost forgotten Barbie doll which has had a long and sometimes controversial past. It is none other than Midge, the Irish-American friend of Barbie who is played by Emerald Fennell in the upcoming movie.
Despite the doll being discontinued today, Midge has quite the story. First launched way back in 1963, she drew criticism early on for looking too adult-like and the toy company Mattel had to change the doll to make it more child-like with softer features before she was discontinued in 1967.
She returned briefly over twenty years later in 1988 as several different versions such as Cool Times Midge, All Stars Midge and Wedding Day Midge.
However, it was her 2003 version which kicked up all the fuss. In the new happy family line, Midge was released with three children along with a male doll Alan. Amazingly, the doll was pregnant with one of the children, Nikki, who came inside of Midge's magnetic, removable womb.
This drew plenty of criticism as people said it was inappropriate for children and encouraged teen pregnancy. Also, there was a controversy that Midge didn't have a wedding ring.
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The backlash against the doll was so strong that Walmart removed the Happy Family line from their shelves, never being seen again. That is until the movie posters feature none other than a pregnant Midge herself!
Social media users and Barbie fans were quick to spot the inclusion with many celebrating her return. One Twitter user said “Living for the fact that they included the banned Midge doll,” while another commented, “I am ECSTATIC that pregnant Midge is part of the film.”
So we can expect to see a lot of Emerald Fennell in the upcoming movie as she plays Barbie's Irish-American best friend. Alan is also featured in the movie played by the amazing Michael Cera so we are certainly in for a treat!