Mattel unveils new doll based on Kate McKinnon's Weird Barbie (original) (raw)
Get your own Weird Barbie: Mattel unveils new doll based on Kate McKinnon character
The breakout character from Greta Gerwig's Barbie is now available as a doll.
Published on August 4, 2023 02:06PM EDT
"I had a Weird Barbie!" Gloria (America Ferrera) exclaims in the final act of Greta Gerwig's Barbie film upon meeting Kate McKinnon's disfigured doll.
"Yeah, you did," Weird Barbie replies knowingly.
If you ever missed out on that experience, fear not: Now you too can have your own Weird Barbie! On Friday, Mattel unveiled a new doll in the likeness of McKinnon's character — complete with facial markings, a mismatched outfit, and legs that can do the splits.
Mattel has a new Weird Barbie doll modeled after Kate McKinnon's film character. Mattel; Warner Bros. Pictures
As impressive as Weird Barbie's splits are, McKinnon admitted during EW's Around the Table chat with the Barbie cast (which you can watch above) that she didn't actually perform those physical feats herself. Instead, the effect was achieved through ingenius tinkering by production designer Sarah Greenwood.
"Sarah who did the set design was like, 'I've made all these holes in the wall where she can put her real leg in, and then we'll rig the other leg up,'" Gerwig said. "It was like a practical effect."
The effect is so convincing that Ferrera didn't realize the machinations until she participated in EW's roundtable discussion.
"Every single person asked if that was your leg, and so the way that you sold that, you should be proud," President Barbie herself, Issa Rae, told McKinnon.
Behold Mattel's new Weird Barbie doll. Mattel
Mattel's made-to-order Weird Barbie is now available for preorder until Aug. 18. According to Mattel, they're expected to ship on or before May 31, 2024.
These interviews were conducted prior to the start of the SAG-AFTRA strike.
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