Finally,Greta Gerwig’s long-awaitedBarbiestarringMargot Robbieis here, and unsurprisingly,it’s been a smash hit at the box office. To say excitement for the movie was high is an understatement; fans have been preparing cosplays, crafting hilarious memes, and even preparing to do a double feature withOppenheimer(which has led tothe clever portmanteau of “Barbenheimer"as well as sold out screenings). It’s surprising thatit took this long for a Barbie film to be made, as Barbie has become a major part of pop culture over the years. She’s spawned an entire line of direct-to-DVD films. Shows includingThe SimpsonsandSaturday Night Livehave parodied the entire concept of Barbie. But prior to her big screen debut, Barbie played a role in one of the biggest movie series of all time:Toy Story.
It’s hard to overstate the impact of the originalToy Story. The 1995 film not only helped lay the foundation forTom Hanksto take the title of “America’s Dad,“but it also helped Pixar step onto the stage. Even if it wasn’t the first film to extensively use computer-generated imagery to create a character,Toy Storyproved to have Pixar’s signature mix of a high concept (what do toys do when their owners aren’t around?) as well as a truly touching emotional story (both Woody andTim Allen’s Buzz Lightyear are searching for their place in the world — Woody feels like his place has been upended and Buzz suffers a major identity crisis when he learns he’s a toy). Believe it or not, Barbie’s had a major role throughout theToy Storyfilms. But that wasn’t always the case.
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Barbie Could Have Been Part of the First ‘Toy Story'
There was a time whenToy Storyalmost didn’t make it to the big screen. Pixar struggled withseveral rewrites of the script, including changing Woody from a puppet to a cowboy doll (as well as changing him from being an absolute tyrant). The biggest change, however, revolved around the presence of Barbie.Toy Story’s original climax called for Barbie to rescue Woody and Buzz from the clutches of Sid Phillips.Joss Whedon, who helped shape the final version of the script,apparently wrote this version of Barbieto be modeled off ofLinda HamiltoninTerminator 2: Judgment Day. But the cameo was nixed by Mattel, as the toy company was strict about which characters would and would not appear.
Barbie’s scrapped appearance actually makes sense, given Whedon’s ovure. Prior to his fall from grace, Whedon was best known for his work on theBuffy the Vampire Slayertelevision show, which featured a blonde, kickass heroine in Buffy Summers. Likewise,The AvengershadScarlett Johansson’s Black Widow tricking Loki (Tom Hiddleston) into revealing his master plan. It’s no surprise that he’d thought about giving Barbie, who’s usually regarded as a “toy for girls,” an action based role. Mattel did eventually lend one of its characters for use in the film: Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles), who would go on to play a major role in all four films. Mattel is even lampshaded in the scene where Buzz meets the other toys. After he delivers a stirring speech, Rex the dinosaur (Wallace Shawn) replies: “And I’m from Mattel! Well, I’m not actually from Mattel.”
Barbie (And Later Ken) Showed Up in the ‘Toy Story’ Sequels
Barbie would end up playing a bigger role in theToy Storysequels, namelyToy Story 2andToy Story 3.Toy Story 2featured not just one, but a wholeaisleof Barbies in Al’s Toy Barn. One of them is even a tour guide who helps Buzz and friends on their quest to find Woody. Later, Andy’s sister Bonnie would get her own Barbie, but she, along with the rest of the toys, ended up at Sunnyside Day Care after their owner departs from college. At Sunnyside, Barbie’s shellshocked to learn that there’s a Ken doll(voiced by the greatMichael Keaton, of all people) and she connects with him before learning that he’s in cahoots with the sinister Lotso (Ned Beatty). Barbie eventually gets her time to shine in a sequence where she interrogates Ken —by ripping up his many, many outfits. It may have taken roughly a decade, but the original vision of Barbie saving the day did come into play in aToy Storymovie.
Barbie also shares a link with another Disney movie, as she is voiced (in all of her various incarnations) byJodi Benson. That’s right, Barbie is voiced by none other than The Little Mermaid herself. This isn’t the first time that Benson has voiced another Disney character, but she managed to give Barbie an entirely different personality than Ariel. Ariel is a somewhat flighty, big-hearted dreamer who yearns for a life on the surface, while Barbie is highly adaptable and resourceful which is fitting given that she’s had a number of identities over the years. The difference between the two characters also lets Benson draw on her voice-acting skills, which results in a pair of distinct performances.
Though Greta Gerwig’sBarbieprovides its own spectacular take on the worldof the titular doll, theToy Storyseries gave its own unique look at a character. It wasn’t plastic, but it was definitely fantastic. So before fans throw on their hot pink outfits and head to the theaters, they should give Barbie’s role in this series another look.
Barbieis in theaters now.Toy Story, Toy Story 2,andToy Story 3are available to stream on Disney+.
