No other movie was as successful as “Barbie” in 2023, but a few decades ago such a film adaptation apparently exceeded the imagination of the studio bosses in the dream factory. Hollywood star Sharon Stone (65) apparently had a similar idea many years ago, but it was not taken seriously. Stone made this public in a comment on an Instagram post by America Ferrera (39).
Ferrera, who plays Gloria in the hit film “Barbie,” won the SeeHer Award at the Critics Choice Awards. The award honors women who, among other things, go beyond stereotypes and advocate for gender equality and a more authentic portrayal of women and girls in the media.
Stone explains in her short comment that she wanted to make a “Barbie” film back then. “When I came up with the Barbie idea in the 90s, I was laughed at in the studio […],” writes the actress. “How far we have come. Thank you, ladies, for your courage and perseverance.”
Ferrera’s post shows her speech. In it, she explains, among other things, that her parents come from Honduras, that she loved television, film and theater from a young age “and that she really wanted to be part of a narrative legacy in which I couldn’t see myself. Of course I could see myself in strong ones and complex characters. But these characters rarely, if ever, looked like me.”
“I longed to see people like me on screen as full human beings,” Ferrera continues. Thanks to the courage of authors, directors and producers to “rewrite outdated stories and question deep-rooted prejudices,” it is possible for her and her colleagues to play fantastic female roles.
In this context, she would like to thank, among others, her colleague and “Barbie” leading actress Margot Robbie (33) and director Greta Gerwig (40), who played a key role in getting the film made. Gerwig has proven that stories by and about women “have no difficulty in simultaneously achieving cinematic greatness and making history at the box office […]”. At the box office, “Barbie” was the top performer of 2023 with international grosses of more than $1.4 billion.
