LOS ANGELES — After the biggest summer of her life, Barbie is celebrating a major milestone: The iconic doll is turning 65 years old this month, and Mattel is celebrating the anniversary with a new collection of dolls based on iconic global role models.
In celebration of International Women's Day, Barbie created one-of-a-kind dolls made in the likeness of storytellers using their platform for good from around the world, including Viola Davis, Shania Twain, Dame Helen Mirren and Kylie Minogue, representing the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Australia, respectively.
“I am absolutely blown away by my Barbie," Mirren said of her Barbie, which is a recreation of her look at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023, complete with blue hair. "I like to embrace theatrical fashion and the joy that having fun with fashion can bring, and I think that this joy should be age-less. And the cherry on top of the cake is my doll having a miniature Oscar."
Mirren was the narrator in the 2023 'Barbie' movie.
Maira Gomez, a content creator from Brazil; Lila Avilés, a director, producer, and screenwriter from Mexico; Nicole Fujita, a model from Japan, and comedian Enissa Amani from Germany also have lookalike dolls in the collection.
“I was telling stories through my music by the time I was ten years old. Writing stories and being able to share with them with friends, family, and even the world has always been cathartic and felt like a way to manifest the future I wanted for myself," Shania Twain said. "Dreaming is wonderful, but being able to put those dreams into action is a crucial step that Barbie helps girls visualize.”
As part of the 65th anniversary celebration, Barbie also plans to release an anniversary collection that revisits some of the most popular career dolls from Barbie's history, including Farm Vet, Pop Star and Astronaut. The anniversary collection will also include a new collective doll inspired by the original 1959 Barbie doll, and a series of new Fashionistas dolls with outfits that reimagine iconic looks throughout Barbie's history.
Barbie fans should also keep an eye on store shelves for collaborations with dozens of other brands.
“Barbie’s story has never been just about her. It’s about the countless young kids she’s inspired and the millions of stories she helped them imagine along the way,” said Krista Berger, senior vice president of Barbie. “For the past 65 years, Barbie has used her global platform to empower girls to dream big, explore their limitless potential, and direct their own narrative to shape their future."
The Greta Gerwig-directed 'Barbie' movie was a massive blockbuster in 2023, shattering box office records and becoming the highest-grossing film of 2023, the highest-grossing film ever for Warner Bros. Pictures, and the highest-grossing film by a female director.
