Joey Magidson
As much as as I adore Barbie, it wouldn’t have been the same with America Ferrera. She grounds the film with her subplot, which in lesser hands than Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig could have been a misfire. Together, however, they make Ferrera’s mother character just as memorable as Margot Robbie‘s title character or Ryan Gosling‘s scene stealing Ken. That’s just one of the reason that she was nominated in Best Supporting Actress on Oscar morning. Previously, I spoke to Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt here about the movie’s music. Today, it’s Ferrera’s turn, and yes, we discuss her monologue about how hard it is to be a woman. After all, it’s one of the year’s iconic cinematic moments…
In my rave review of Barbie (here), I spoke about the cast like so:
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling are phenomenal here, each as good as they’ve ever been. Gosling is a comedic goldmine and deserves legitimate Best Supporting Actor consideration. The amount that he throws himself into this role is staggering and staggeringly delightful. The commitment itself is hilarious, let alone his comic timing. Robbie is funny too, but has the dramatic high points, potentially making you roll a tear by the end. I know I did. The other Barbies and Kens have their moments, for sure, but Gosling and Robbie are the highlights. America Ferrera grounds things well, while Will Ferrell is amusing in a very silly role. In addition to everyone mentioned above, the cast also includes John Cena, Scott Evans, and Ncuti Gatwa as other Kens, alongside Ritu Arya, Nicola Coughlan, Ana Cruz Kayne, Dua Lipa, and Sharon Rooney as fellow Barbies. The supporting players are rounded out by Michael Cera, Emerald Fennell, Annie Mumolo, and Rhea Perlman, among others. Helen Mirren narrates impeccably.
Below, you can hear my conversation with Ferrera. Excuse the music in the background, but we had to do this interview in a Starbucks (over Zoom), since I was just out of a very early Dune: Part Two screening (yay corporate synergy). We made it work, however, and she was lovely. I obviously was moved by her monologue, like everyone else, but especially in the third act, when Barbie becomes a surprise mom movie, I lost it. Having lost my mother shortly before seeing it, I was in a fragile place, but it spoke to just how powerful the work is. She has a ton of fascinating things to say, so be sure to dive in to this chat, and while you’re at it, revisit Barbie, the best film of 2023!
Here now is my interview with Academy Award nominee and Barbie co-star America Ferrera. Enjoy:
Barbie is available to watch right now!
Comments
Loading…