Barbie achieves a significant milestone by grossing $1 billion worldwide and becoming a cultural phenomenon. Three weeks into its release, the Margot Robbie-starring and -produced movie has been solidly seated in the top spot. The film, which stars Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, is directed by Oscar-nominated writer-director Greta Gerwig and follows the famous toy doll on an adventure in the real world.
In Barbie, America Ferrera plays Gloria, a Mattel employee who helps Margot Robbie’s stereotypical Barbie in navigating the real world. When she plays with Sasha’s old Barbie toys, she puts her fears and worries onto Robbie’s Barbie, which leads to Barbie having an existential crisis. In an interview, her co-star Ryan Gosling said something about Ferrera which made the cast and the director teary.
Ryan Gosling showers praise on America Ferrera
Following Barbie’s existential crisis in the “real world,” Gloria, a human whose life is intertwined with Barbie’s, delivers one powerful speech about the difficulties faced by women in modern society.
In the movie’s second half, Gloria (America Ferrera) delivers a monologue about the impossible double standards of being a woman, which is one of the highlights of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Ferrera performed the speech 30 times on the set before finally filming the scene.
In an interview for Entertainment Weekly, Ryan Gosling gave co-star America Ferrera some honest and heartfelt praise that left her (and fans) a little taken aback.
Gosling, who plays the role of Ken, offered his praise for Ferrera’s performance. He appreciated her authenticity and used one of her well-known TED Talks as a reference.
He said,
“It feels so true, and what is even more powerful about it is that it feels so authentic to you. Because you’ve had so many moments in your career where you’ve said the truthful thing at the right time. Like your TED Talk, it’s a great example.”
Gosling’s familiarity with Ferrera’s TED Talk further demonstrated his sincere enthusiasm for her work. In her TED Talk titled “My Identity is a Superpower,” Ferrera pushes for a more accurate representation of various cultures in Hollywood. She discusses her own professional journey while highlighting the need for more honesty in media portrayals.
Ferrera and the rest of the actors were all pleasantly surprised by Gosling’s compliments, possibly because we sometimes don’t think people truly take the time to get to know us instead of simply accepting the bare minimum of a compliment from someone.
America Ferrera’s Powerful Monologue in Barbie
Barbie is extremely discouraged when she finds that the real world does not support the Barbie brand’s feminist ideals. Gloria lends her a helping hand, motivating all the other Barbies in Barbieland in the process.
Gloria delivers a much-needed monologue to the Barbies on the unjust expectations and discrimination women experience.
“It is literally impossible to be a woman. You are so beautiful, and so smart, and it kills me that you don’t think you’re good enough. Like, we have to always be extraordinary, but somehow we’re always doing it wrong…”
Gloria delivers her protracted, emphatic, and powerful speech when Barbie returns to Barbie Land in the movie and learns that the patriarchy headed by Ken has taken control. At this point, Gloria’s stirring speech inspires the Barbies to seize the initiative and assert their rights.
It took them two days to shoot the scene, and Ferrera says she probably did “30 to 50 full runs of it, top to bottom.” Her favorite line, she says, is the “always be grateful” line, which she worked on together with Gerwig.
During her performance, director Greta Gerwig told,
“When America was giving her beautiful speech, I was just sobbing, and then I looked around, and I realized everybody’s crying on the set. The men are crying too, because they have their own speech they feel they can’t ever give, you know? And they have their twin tightrope, which is also painful.”
The speech resonates with the Barbies. It’s since had a similar effect on real-life viewers.
Barbie is in cinemas now.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
