Barbie’s Simu Liu and Issa Rae say the film is ‘a celebration of queerness’ for gay fans
Exclusive: "This is an opportunity to celebrate, you know, what they may have been shunned for celebrating in the past," the actors told Attitude.
The upcoming Barbie film is a “celebration of queerness,” according to the film’s stars, Simu Liu and Issa Rae.
The pair star alongside Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as alternate versions of Barbie and Ken.
Robbie takes the lead as ‘stereotypical Barbie,’ who goes on a mission to the real world to discover “the truth about the universe.”
She is accompanied by Gosling’s Ken, who has a rivalry with the other Kens, including Simu Liu, for Barbie’s attention.
Speaking exclusively to Attitude ahead of the film’s release, Simu Liu discussed why the film has such a large gay fanbase.
“It’s a celebration of queerness and its pureness and its spirit.”
Liu went on to say that it was “an honour” to take part in the film which is an “unabashed, you know, celebration of individualism, of self-expression, of acceptance of oneself and others around you.”
“What’s not to love about Barbie?”
Asked for her thoughts on the connection between Barbie and the gay community, Issa Rae referred to Barbie’s icon status.
“She is confident. She can be anything. She’s aspirational. What’s not to love about Barbie?”
She also touched on the reality for some gay men that they would have wanted to play with Barbies growing up but may not have been allowed.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate, you know, what they may have been shunned for celebrating in the past.”
Also speaking to Attitude ahead of the film’s release Margot Robbie responded to fan theories that Ken is gay.
She told Attitude: “They are all dolls. So, they don’t have actually have sexual orientations because they don’t have any reproductive organs, we figured.”
America Ferrera, Emma Mackey, and more join Robbie, Gosling, Liu, and Rae in the film’s cast.
Barbie is in UK cinemas on Friday 21 July.