This Is Why Ruth Is the Heart of 'Barbie'
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Warning: This article contains major spoilers for the Barbie movie. Read at your own risk!
The Barbie movie is filled with a star-studded cast. From minor characters to leads, the Greta Gerwig-directed film has nothing but strong performances throughout. In fact, there's so many characters, it may be a little hard to keep track beyond the myriad of Kens and Barbies and recall who other characters in the film are.
Throughout the film, we get to meet various staff within Mattel, all of whom one way or another seek to locate Barbie (the Margot Robbie "Stereotypical Barbie" version, that is). In Barbie's adventure through the bowels of Mattel, she enters an antiquated room and comes face to face with a mysterious woman in a very "The Oracle in The Matrix" style scene. Barbie has to run before we get the woman's name, but later on in a pivotal moment, the truth comes to light. The woman may at first seem like a very minor character, but her importance can't be overshadowed. And once you realize it, it adds an emotional weight to the overall film.
At the end of the film, as BarbieLand is put back to the way it originally was, the Mattel employees finally meet up with Barbie after an entire movie of chasing her down. And with them is the woman Barbie met in that room. Who is she, and who is she played by? We have all the answers to those questions below in case you need a reminder after watching the film, or for some reason want to spoil yourself (seriously, go watch it!).
Who Is Ruth in Barbie?
The character Ruth is meant to be Barbie creator Ruth Handler.
In 1945, she co-created Mattel with her husband, Elliot. According to TIME, Ruth became inspired in the 1950s to create a doll to help young girls imagine who they could be when they grew up. Her main inspiration? Her daughter, Barbara Handler. Get it? Barbara, AKA Barbie.
Barbie debuted in 1959 wearing a black and white bathing suit (as seen in the movie). Ken debuted two years later in 1961 (Ruth's son is named Kenneth). He debuted with red bathing suit trunks.
As for that tax evasion joke? In 1978, Handler and other Mattel execs were indicted by a federal grand jury for mail fraud, conspiracy, and giving the Securities and Exchange Commission false financial documents. Handler was fined $57,000 and was ordered 2,500 hours of community service.
Handler passed away in 2002, hence her appearance as a ghost in the film.
Handler appears later on in the film when Barbieland is put back together, but Robbie's Barbie is still lost and confused about her role in the place. Handler explains the purpose of Barbie and why she created it (and says a great line about mothers standing still so their daughters can look behind them to see how far they've come). Barbie then asks if she can leave BarbieLand and become human, and Ruth tells Barbie she always had the power to do it if she wanted to. As a creator, she just wants what's best for her progeny.
Who Plays Ruth Handler in Barbie?
Ruth Handler is played by Rhea Perlman in Barbie. The actress rose to fame as a waitress on the iconic sitcom Cheers, which she appeared on from 1982 to 1993. She's guest starred on many television shows since, including Ally McBeal, Frasier, and The Mindy Project.
She's also married to actor Danny DeVito, and has appeared alongside him on various shows including Saturday Night Live and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. They also starred together as parents in the 1996 movie adaptation of Matilda.
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