Meet the 'Barbie' Cast: From Past Roles to Off-Screen Relationships

Here’s what to know about the star-studded cast of 'Barbie,' featuring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae and more

Barbie has made it to the big screen.

Directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie is led by Margot Robbie as the iconic Mattel doll and Ryan Gosling as her counterpart, Ken, but also features a slew of other Barbies and Kens — and even some humans. The Warner Bros. Pictures film has been in the works for several years and originally starred Amy Schumer as the titular character, but the comedian later backed out of the film due to creative differences.

While the plot details of Barbie were largely kept a mystery before its premiere, the film broke records following its debut: It earned $155 million during its opening run, marking the biggest debut ever for a film directed by a woman.

Related: Everything to Know About the 'Barbie' Movie

In 2022, Robbie told British Vogue, "People generally hear Barbie and think, 'I know what that movie is going to be,' and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they're like, 'Oh, well, maybe I don't ...' "

As news of the star-studded cast rolled out, it wasn’t clear who would be playing who — but in April 2023, the film’s official Instagram account unveiled a variety of character posters. The posts revealed a diverse group of actors, including Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans and Simu Liu as different versions of Ken, and Hari Nef, Emma Mackey, Dua Lipa, Issa Rae and Kate McKinnon as different versions of Barbie.

The film also includes some “human” characters, played by A-listers like America Ferrera, Helen Mirren and Will Ferrell.

Speaking to PEOPLE in July, the cast shared some of their favorite memories from filming the hotly anticipated movie, including a themed sleepover thrown by Robbie.

"Margot was so great. She had a sleepover with the Barbies before photography started, and the Kens were allowed to either visit briefly or to phone in and say hi," said Liu.

"So we made sure to show our support but not be overbearing with our presence. And all the Barbies and Kens got in a group chat," he added.

Ahead, here’s everything to know about the cast of Barbie.

Margot Robbie as Barbie

Margot Robbie, 33, stars as the titular character of Barbie.

The Australian-born actress rose to fame in 2013 for playing Naomi Lapaglia, the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Jordan Belfort, in Martin Scorcese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. She went on to appear in Z for Zachariah (2015) and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) before landing the role of Harley Quinn in DC Comics’ 2016 live-action superhero film Suicide Squad. She reprised the role in 2020’s Birds of Prey and 2021’s The Suicide Squad.

Robbie portrayed Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in the 2017 biographical drama I, Tonya, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. Other notable roles include Bombshell (2019), Amsterdam (2022) and Babylon (2022).

In 2019, the actress announced she would be playing Barbie in a new live-action film after Schumer backed out of the role in 2017. Robbie also serves as a producer via her company LuckyChap Entertainment, along with her husband Tom Ackerley and their partner Josey McNamara.

In an August 2021 interview with British Vogue, Robbie said that playing Barbie "comes with a lot of baggage," due to the doll’s controversial history. "And a lot of nostalgic connections," she said. "But with that come a lot of exciting ways to attack it."

Ahead of the film's release, Robbie embraced the glamour and nostalgia associated with the doll by channeling some of Barbie's most iconic looks during the press tour.

“We're finding Barbie references from decades past and just doing it really for the big Barbie fans out there, people who are actually collecting those Barbies. We're hoping to get them excited,” she told PEOPLE at the Barbie world premiere in Los Angeles.

As for her personal life, Robbie has been married to Ackerley, a British film producer, since 2016.

Ryan Gosling as Ken

Ryan Gosling, 42, takes on the role of Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken.

Born in Canada, Gosling got his start as a child actor on The Mickey Mouse Club in the 1990s and gained widespread recognition for his role as Noah in the 2004 romantic drama The Notebook. Known for his ability to play both comedic and dramatic roles, the actor’s other notable credits include Half Nelson (2006), Blue Valentine (2010), Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011), The Big Short (2015), The Nice Guys (2016), La La Land (2016) and The Gray Man (2022).

Early looks at Gosling as Ken in Gerwig’s Barbie have stirred up both excitement and criticism over the actor’s portrayal, with some saying that he looks too old for the role.

“I would say, you know, if people don’t want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with," Gosling told GQ when asked about some fans' disapproval of his casting in the upcoming movie.

“It is funny, this kind of clutching-your-pearls idea of, like, #notmyken," he continued. "Like you ever thought about Ken before this?”

Earlier in the interview, the actor also joked, “If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told.”

In his personal life, Gosling maintains a low profile with his longtime partner, actress Eva Mendes, and their two daughters, Esmeralda and Amada.

Issa Rae as President Barbie

Issa Rae, 38, plays President Barbie, a version of the doll that Mattel has featured since 1992.

The L.A.-born actress, writer and producer is best known for her HBO comedy series Insecure, which ended in 2021 after five seasons. Rae also wrote and starred in a semi-autobiographical web series titled, The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, which aired for two seasons. In 2015, the star released a memoir of the same name.

Rae also voices Jessica Drew (aka Spider-Woman) in 2023’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the sequel to 2018's Oscar-winning animated hit Into the Spider-Verse.

Speaking with PEOPLE at AT&T's Game Ball Experience in April 2023, Rae said the fan reaction to the Barbie movie has “been amazing.”

"I'm super, super excited that people are excited, and I'm just sitting back waiting for it all to come out."

As for her personal life, Rae married her husband businessman Louis Diame in 2021.

Kate McKinnon as Weird Barbie

Kate McKinnon, 39, plays a version of Barbie with short, spiky hair and colorful scribbles across her face. These features, along with the doll’s tagline — "This Barbie is always in the splits" — suggests that the character represents a Barbie doll that’s been given a “makeover” by a child.

Born in Sea Cliff, New York, McKinnon appeared on Saturday Night Live, where she became known for her outlandish characters and celebrity impressions, from 2012 to 2022. Throughout her tenure on SNL, the actress starred in films like Ghostbusters (2016), The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018) and Bombshell (2019).

At the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards in 2022, McKinnon teased on the E! Live from the Red Carpet special that the Barbie movie is "going to be incredible."

"The colors, the sets are everything, the costumes are everything, the script and story — Margot [Robbie], Ryan Gosling — are everything. America Ferrara, everything," she continued. "I'm just so excited for people to see it because it's going to be epic."

Emma Mackey as Physicist Barbie

Emma Mackey, 27, will play a Nobel Prize-winning physicist version of Barbie.

The French-British actress, who often draws comparisons to Robbie, got her breakout role playing Maeve Wiley on Netflix’s Sex Education. The show premiered in 2019, and after four seasons, the star announced her departure from the series in February 2023. Mackey also played the titular role of Emily Bronte in the 2022 film Emily.

As for her personal life, Mackey is dating director and photographer Martin Aleman. A rep for Mackey confirmed the relationship to Bustle after the couple attended the 2023 BAFTAs together.

America Ferrera as Gloria

America Ferrera, 39, plays Gloria, a human character who Barbie presumably meets when she enters the real world.

Born in L.A., Ferrera is known for playing Betty Suarez in ABC’s hit show Ugly Betty and Carmen in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. She also appeared in the NBC sitcom Superstore and the 2022 AppleTV+ miniseries WeCrashed.

Related: America Ferrera Teases Upcoming 'Barbie' Film: Fans 'Don't Have Any Idea What to Expect'

Early audiences were impressed by Ferrera's monologue in the movie, which is about the “impossible assignment” modern women face to be "all things to all people.”

When speaking with Vanity Fair soon after the film's release, Ferrera said it was “amazing” to hear about the responses audiences had to her monologue. She said the emotional speech “felt like pressure in the nicest way."

“It's one of the first things Greta mentioned to me even before I read the script,” she told the outlet. “She said, ‘I wrote this monologue for Gloria, and I've always imagined you saying this.' "

Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie

Hari Nef, 30, plays doctor Barbie.

The model and actress, who is openly transgender, has appeared in Netflix’s You and Amazon’s Transparent as well as Assassination Nation, the 2018 film written and directed by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. Nef also stars in Levinson’s controversial 2023 HBO series The Idol alongside Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd.

While the plot of Barbie remains largely under wraps, Nef told Vogue in May 2023 that she had ideas about the type of person who would own her character’s doll. “A doll collector,” she told the outlet. “A gay man in his 50s who lives in a rent-controlled apartment in the West Village.”

Nef continued: “I was given the most over-the-top, fashion-y, crazy costumes. And I was like, This is no child’s doll … I feel like every week he has his two or three friends over, maybe he’s a little lonely, and he shows them my new outfit. And I just kind of stay in my box.”

Dua Lipa as Mermaid Barbie

Dua Lipa, 27, plays a mermaid Barbie reminiscent of the character from Mattel’s Dreamtopia cartoon web series.

Known for her dance-pop hits like “New Rules” and “Don’t Start Now,” the English singer is not only featured on the Barbie soundtrack but also making her acting debut in the film. While it’s not clear what her role will entail, the social media teasers have shown Lipa wearing a long, blue wig, blue eyeshadow and a mermaid-inspired costume.

The singer is also set to star in the upcoming 2023 spy thriller Argylle alongside Henry Cavill, Bryce Dallas Howard and John Cena.

Related: 'Barbie' Soundtrack to Feature New Music from Dua Lipa, Lizzo, Ice Spice — and Ryan Gosling!

As for her personal life, Lipa has been romantically linked to multiple celebrities like Anwar Hadid and Jack Harlow. Most recently, she made her red carpet debut with her boyfriend Romain Gavras at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival.

Ritu Arya as Journalist Barbie

Ritu Arya, 34, plays journalist Barbie.

Arya starred in the BBC medical drama Doctors before landing her breakout role as Lila Pitts in the Netflix superhero series The Umbrella Academy. The English actress also stars in the 2023 action comedy Polite Society.

As for her role in Barbie, Arya told Insider she initially auditioned for a different part, so she was surprised when she heard she'd landed the journalist gig. She also said getting to work with Gerwig was “a dream come true.”

“I absolutely loved working with her,” she said. “I'm pinching myself to get to work with her and Margot Robbie, and I'm just really excited to see what the film turns out to be. It was such a surreal experience and I would just work with her again at the drop of a hat.”

Alexandra Shipp as Author Barbie

Alexandra Shipp, 31, plays the "celebrated author" version of Barbie.

Shipp first gained recognition for portraying the late singer Aaliyah in the 2014 television biopic Aaliyah: The Princess of R&B. She also starred in Straight Outta Compton (2015) and has appeared as Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019).

In a 2022 Instagram post, Shipp thanked Gerwig “for trusting me to portray one of your fabulous Barbies.”

She continued, “Thank you everyone who made this experience possible 💖I felt all the feels and love these humans so hard with all my strength!”

Nicola Coughlan as Diplomat Barbie

Nicola Coughlan, 36, is playing diplomat Barbie.

The Irish actress starred in U.K. television shows like Harlots and Derry Girls before landing the role of Penelope Featherington on Netflix’s hit fantasy-romance series Bridgerton.

In Coughlan’s character poster for Barbie, she’s described as a “diplomat” and wears a copper-red wig and sparkly dress with massive pink tulle sleeves. It’s possible that her portrayal of Barbie will reflect Mattel’s 2021 Barbie version of Julie Bishop, the first woman to serve as Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Ana Cruz Kayne as Supreme Court Justice Barbie

Ana Cruz Kayne, 33, is playing Barbie as a Supreme Court Justice.

The actress appeared as Olivia in 2019’s Little Women, also directed by Greta Gerwig, and in TV series such as Painkiller, The Bold Type and Blue Bloods.

Though Kayne’s official Barbie poster shows her wearing a polka dot crop top instead of a judge's robe, the character is based on Supreme Court Justice Barbie, which was first created as Mattel’s 2019 Career of the Year. According to the brand, the doll had a goal of inspiring "girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better.”

Sharon Rooney as Lawyer Barbie

Sharon Rooney, 34, plays lawyer Barbie.

Born in Glasgow, Rooney is known for starring in the series My Mad Fat Diary and Finding Alice. She also appeared in the 2019 remake of Dumbo with Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton and Danny DeVito.

Dressed in a purple suit jacket in her character poster, Rooney looks ready to enter the courtroom. Mattel has released several business-inspired dolls over the years, as well as the 2003 Elle Woods Barbie. Dressed in all pink, the plastic depiction of Reese Witherspoon's underdog protagonist was made when the sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde premiered.

Helen Mirren as the Narrator

Helen Mirren, 77, plays the film’s narrator.

The Academy Award-winning English actress began her career on the stage before starring in films like Calendar Girls (2003), The Queen (2006), The Tempest (2010) and Hitchcock (2012). Mirren joined the Fast & Furious franchise in 2017 and has appeared in four films, including 2023’s Fast X.

In the Barbie teaser trailer, Mirren surprised fans by serving as narrator. It’s not yet known how extensive Mirren’s role will be, but in a December 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, the actress said she “was fairly thrilled” that Gerwig “would ask me to be a part of” the trailer. “I thought it was an incredibly funny, fun thing to be involved in,” said Mirren.

As for her personal life, Mirren married her husband Taylor Hackford in 1997 after a 10-year relationship.

Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel

Will Ferrell, 55, takes on the role of the CEO of Mattel, the toy company that owns the Barbie brand.

Born in Irvine, California, the actor and comedian rose to prominence as a cast member on Saturday Night Live in the 1990s before going on to star in comedy films such as Elf (2003), Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004), Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2006) and Step Brothers (2008).

When it comes to his role in Barbie, Ferrell describes it as “a loving homage to the brand.”

"It is, in my humble opinion, the ultimate example of high art and low art," Ferrell said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal Magazine.

"It's a loving homage to the brand and, at the same time, couldn't be more satirical," he continued. "Just an amazing comment on male patriarchy and women in society and why Barbie's criticized and yet why every little girl still wants to play with Barbie."

As for his personal life, Ferrell married his wife Viveca Paulin in 2000 and the couple have three children.

Simu Liu as Ken

Simu Liu, 34, plays “another Ken.”

The actor, who was born in China and raised in Canada, is known for his role as Shang-Chi in the 2021 Marvel film Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. He also starred in Canadian television series Kim's Convenience and Blood and Water. In February 2023, the actor hinted that his Marvel character would be crossing paths with other Marvel superheroes in an upcoming film.

As for his role in Barbie, Liu is playing an iteration of Barbie’s plastic boyfriend, Ken.

Speaking at the 20th Unforgettable Gala in Beverly Hills, California, in February 2023, Liu said Gerwig paid special attention to diversity and inclusivity when it came to casting for the film.

"I remember very clearly about some of our big intricate dance sequences. Greta was very, very conscientious about who she cast," he said, per Vanity Fair.

He continued, "We were able to cast people of different shapes, sizes, differently abled, to all participate in this dance — all under this message of: You don't have to be blonde, white, or X, Y, Z in order to embody what it means to be a Barbie or a Ken.”

As for his personal life, Liu confirmed his relationship with marketing manager Allison Hsu in December 2022.

Ncuti Gatwa as Ken

Ncuti Gatwa, 30, plays a cowboy-inspired, guitar-strumming version of Ken.

The Rwandan-Scottish actor is known for starring in Netflix’s hit series Sex Education. He is also set to replace Jodie Whittaker in the titular role in the beloved British sci-fi series Doctor Who in 2023.

Kingsley Ben-Adir as Ken

Kingsley Ben-Adir, 37, is playing another version of Ken.

The British actor has appeared in TV series like High Fidelity, Peaky Blinders and The OA. In 2022, it was announced he would portray legendary musician Bob Marley in the forthcoming biopic, Bob Marley: One Love. Ben-Adir has previously played President Barack Obama on Showtime's The Comey Rule and Malcolm X in One Night in Miami.

Scott Evans as Ken

Scott Evans, 39, is playing yet another cowboy hat-wearing version of Ken.

Born in Massachusetts, the actor is the brother of Marvel star Chris Evans and has appeared in the film Almost Love (2019) and TV shows like White Collar, Insecure and Grace and Frankie.

Michael Cera as Allan

Michael Cera, 35, plays Ken’s best friend, Allan.

The Canadian actor is known for his roles in Juno (2007), Superbad (2007), Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010) as well as playing George-Michael Bluth in Arrested Development. Currently, he stars alongside Amy Schumer in the Hulu series Life & Beth.

Given his history of portraying offbeat characters and the fact that the real Allan doll was discontinued after only a few years, audiences can likely expect a hilariously awkward performance from Cera.

As for his personal life, the actor has kept his off-screen life extremely private over the years, but in 2022, Schumer accidentally revealed that the actor and his wife, Nadine, had welcomed a baby.

Emerald Fennell as Midge

Emerald Fennell, 37, plays the pregnant Midge doll. The Mattel character first appeared in 1963 as a friend of Barbie, and the pregnant version of the doll was pulled from shelves in 2003.

Fennell is known for her role on the BBC period drama series Call the Midwife and for her portrayal of Camilla Parker-Bowles in the Netflix series The Crown. The British actress has also appeared in a number of period films like Anna Karenina (2012), The Danish Girl (2015) and Vita and Virginia (2018). In 2021, Fennell won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for her directorial debut Promising Young Woman starring Carey Mulligan.

In her Barbie character poster, Fennell looks almost identical to the early 2000s iteration of Midge, complete with red hair, a purple dress and, of course, her baby bump.

Ariana Greenblatt as Sasha

Ariana Greenblatt, 15, plays Sasha, the daughter of Ferrera's character Gloria.

The young actress appeared in Disney’s series Stuck in the Middle starring Jenna Ortega and 2018’s Avengers: Infinity War. She also stars alongside Adam Driver in the 2023 action drama 65.

Connor Swindells as Aaron Dinkins

Connor Swindells, 26, plays Aaron Dinkins, an employee at Mattel. On his movie poster, his character is described as “like an intern or something.”

The English actor currently plays Adam Groff in Netflix’s Sex Education and David Stirling in BBC One’s Rogue Heroes. His film credits include The Vanishing (2018) and Emma (2020).

Jamie Demetriou as Mattel Executive #1

Jamie Demetriou, 35, plays a Mattel executive, though his character poster calls him "a suit."

Born in England, the actor and comedian is known for his role as the Bus Rodent in Fleabag. He also appeared in Paddington 2 (2017) and Cruella (2021).

Ryan Piers Williams as Gloria's husband

Ryan Piers Williams, 42, Ferrera's real-life husband, plays her husband in the film. He's featured in a few brief moments, mostly as he learns Spanish via Duolingo.

The couple, who married in 2011 and share two children, attended the European premiere of Barbie in London together. Ferrera posted a photo from the event on Instagram, captioning the snap with, "My favorite & forever Ken, you cute."

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