‘Barbie’ is a star-studded and the first live-action Barbie movie after many computer-animated direct-to-video and streaming television films. Let’s meet the cast.
Directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie is led by Margot Robbie as the iconic Mattel doll and Ryan Gosling as her counterpart, Ken, but also features a slew of other Barbies and Kens — and even some humans. The Warner Bros. Pictures film has been in the works for several years and originally starred Amy Schumer as the titular character, but the comedian later backed out of the film due to creative differences.
The plot details of Barbie have been largely kept a mystery, but the trailers suggest that it centers around Barbie leaving her perfect, plastic universe and entering the real world.
In 2022, Robbie told British Vogue, “People generally hear Barbie and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t …’ “
As news of the star-studded cast rolled out, it wasn’t clear who would be playing who — but in April 2023, the film’s official Instagram account unveiled a variety of character posters. The posts revealed a diverse group of actors, including Kingsley Ben-Adir, Scott Evans, and Simu Liu as different versions of Ken, and Hari Nef, Emma Mackey, Dua Lipa, Issa Rae, and Kate McKinnon as different versions of Barbie.
The film also includes some “human” characters, played by A-listers like America Ferrera, Helen Mirren, and Will Ferrell.
Ahead, here’s everything to know about the cast of Barbie.
Margot Robbie as Barbie
- Born: July 2, 1990 (age 33 years)
- Birthplace: Dalby, Australia
Margot Robbie, 33, stars as the titular character of Barbie.
The Australian-born actress rose to fame in 2013 for playing Naomi Lapaglia, the wife of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Jordan Belfort, in Martin Scorcese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. She went on to appear in Z for Zachariah (2015) and Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016) before landing the role of Harley Quinn in DC Comics’ 2016 live-action superhero film Suicide Squad. She reprised the role in 2020’s Birds of Prey and 2021’s The Suicide Squad.
What is Magot Robbie’s net worth? Margot Robbie is an Australian actress who has a net worth of $40 million.
Instagram @margotrobbieofficial
Ryan Gosling as Ken
- Born: November 12, 1980 (age 42 years)
- Birthplace: London, Canada
Ryan Gosling, 42, takes on the role of Barbie’s boyfriend, Ken.
Born in Canada, Gosling got his start as a child actor on The Mickey Mouse Club in the 1990s and gained widespread recognition for his role as Noah in the 2004 romantic drama The Notebook. Known for his ability to play both comedic and dramatic roles, the actor’s other notable credits include Half Nelson (2006), Blue Valentine (2010), Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011), The Big Short (2015), The Nice Guys (2016), La La Land (2016), and The Gray Man (2022).
What is Ryan Gosling’s net worth? Ryan Gosling is a Canadian actor, director, and writer who has a net worth of $70 million dollars.
Issa Rae as President Barbie
- Birthday: January 12, 1985 (age 38 years)
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
Issa Rae, 38, plays President Barbie, a version of the doll that Mattel has featured since 1992.
Jo-Issa Rae Diop, credited professionally as Issa Rae, is an American actress, writer, and producer. Rae first garnered attention for her work on the YouTube web series Awkward Black Girl.
Issa Rae is an American actress, comedian, writer, producer, and director who has a net worth of $8 million.
Instagram @issarae
Kate McKinnon as Marker Barbie
- Born: January 6, 1984 (age 39 years)
- Birthplace: Sea Cliff, New York, United States
Kate McKinnon, 39, plays a version of Barbie with short, spiky hair and colorful scribbles across her face. These features, along with the doll’s tagline — “This Barbie is always in the splits” — suggests that the character represents a Barbie doll that’s been given a “makeover” by a child.
What is Kate McKinnon’s net worth? Kate McKinnon is an American actress and comedian who has a net worth of $9 million.
Emma Mackey as Physicist Barbie
- Birthday: January 4, 1996 (age 27 years)
- Birthplace: Le Mans, France
Emma Mackey, 27, will play a Nobel Prize-winning physicist version of Barbie.
Emma Margaret Marie Tachard-Mackey is a French-British actress. Her breakthrough performance as Maeve Wiley, a sardonic teenager, in the Netflix comedy-drama series Sex Education, earned her a British Academy Television Award nomination.
Emma Mackey’s net worth is estimated at $12 Million.
Instagram @emmatmackey
America Ferrera as Gloria
- Birthday: April 18, 1984 (age 39 years),
- Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
America Ferrera, 39, plays Gloria, a human character who Barbie presumably meets when she enters the real world.
Born in L.A., Ferrera is known for playing Betty Suarez in ABC’s hit show Ugly Betty and Carmen in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series. She also appeared in the NBC sitcom Superstore and the 2022 AppleTV+ miniseries WeCrashed.
America Ferrera is an actress, director, and producer who has a net worth of $16 million.
Hari Nef as Doctor Barbie
- Born: October 21, 1992 (age 30 years)
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Hari Nef, 30, plays doctor Barbie.
The model and actress, who is openly transgender, has appeared in Netflix’s You and Amazon’s Transparent as well as Assassination Nation, the 2018 film written and directed by Euphoria creator Sam Levinson. Nef also stars in Levinson’s controversial 2023 HBO series The Idol alongside Lily-Rose Depp and The Weeknd.
While the plot of Barbie remains largely under wraps, Nef told Vogue in May 2023 that she had ideas about the type of person who would own her character’s doll. “A doll collector,” she told the outlet. “A gay man in his 50s who lives in a rent-controlled apartment in the West Village.”
Nef continued: “I was given the most over-the-top, fashion-y, crazy costumes. And I was like, This is no child’s doll … I feel like every week he has his two or three friends over, maybe he’s a little lonely, and he shows them my new outfit. And I just kind of stay in my box.”
Instagram @harinef
Dua Lipa as Mermaid Barbie
- Born: August 22, 1995 (age 27 years)
- Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
Dua Lipa, 27, plays a mermaid Barbie reminiscent of the character from Mattel’s Dreamtopia cartoon web series.
Known for her dance-pop hits like “New Rules” and “Don’t Start Now,” the English singer is not only featured on the Barbie soundtrack but also making her acting debut in the film. While it’s not clear what her role will entail, the social media teasers have shown Lipa wearing a long, blue wig, blue eyeshadow, and a mermaid-inspired costume.
According to ‘Celebrity Net Worth,’ Dua Lipa’s net worth is USD 35 million.
Instagram @dualipa
Ritu Arya as Journalist Barbie
- Born: 17 September 1988 (age 34)
- Birthplace: Guildford, Surrey, England
Ritu Arya, 34, plays journalist Barbie.
For her role in Barbie, Arya told Insider she initially auditioned for a different part, so she was surprised when she heard she’d landed the journalist gig. She also said getting to work with Gerwig was “a dream come true.”
“I absolutely loved working with her,” she said. “I’m pinching myself to get to work with her and Margot Robbie, and I’m just really excited to see what the film turns out to be. It was such a surreal experience and I would just work with her again at the drop of a hat.”
Arya starred in the BBC medical drama Doctors before landing her breakout role as Lila Pitts in the Netflix superhero series The Umbrella Academy. The English actress also stars in the 2023 action comedy Polite Society.
The actress has an estimated net worth of $2 million as of 2023. Most of her wealth comes from her acting gigs and music career.
Instagram @rituarya
Alexandra Shipp as Author Barbie
- Born: July 16, 1991 (age 31 years)
- Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Alexandra Shipp, 31, plays the “celebrated author” version of Barbie.
In a 2022 Instagram post, Shipp thanked Gerwig “for trusting me to portray one of your fabulous Barbies.”
She continued, “Thank you everyone who made this experience possible ?I felt all the feels and love these humans so hard with all my strength!”
She has accumulated a net worth of $4 million as of 2023.
Nicola Coughlan as Diplomat Barbie
- Born: January 9, 1987 (age 36 years
- Birthplace: Galway, Ireland
Nicola Coughlan, 36, is playing diplomat Barbie.
In Coughlan’s character poster for Barbie, she’s described as a “diplomat” and wears a copper-red wig and sparkly dress with massive pink tulle sleeves. It’s possible that her portrayal of Barbie will reflect Mattel’s 2021 Barbie version of Julie Bishop, the first woman to serve as Australia’s Minister for Foreign Affairs.
The Irish actress starred in U.K. television shows like Harlots and Derry Girls before landing the role of Penelope Featherington on Netflix’s hit fantasy-romance series Bridgerton.
Coughlan’s net worth is reportedly around $1 million.
Instagram @nicolacoughlan
Ana Cruz Kayne as Supreme Court Justice Barbie
Ana Cruz Kayne, 33, is playing Barbie as a Supreme Court Justice.
Though Kayne’s official Barbie poster shows her wearing a polka dot crop top instead of a judge’s robe, the character is based on Supreme Court Justice Barbie, which was first created as Mattel’s 2019 Career of the Year. According to the brand, the doll had a goal of inspiring “girls to learn more about making decisions to change the world for the better.”
The actress appeared as Olivia in 2019’s Little Women, also directed by Greta Gerwig, and in TV series such as Painkiller, The Bold Type, and Blue Bloods.
American actress Ana Cruz Kayne’s net worth is estimated to be $5 million US dollars and her primary source of income is acting.
Instagram @anacruzkayne
Sharon Rooney as Lawyer Barbie
- Born: October 22, 1988 (age 34 years)
- Birthplace: Glasgow, United Kingdom
Sharon Rooney, 34, plays lawyer Barbie.
Dressed in a purple suit jacket in her character poster, Rooney looks ready to enter the courtroom. Mattel has released several business-inspired dolls over the years, as well as the 2003 Elle Woods Barbie. Dressed in all pink, the plastic depiction of Reese Witherspoon’s underdog protagonist was made when the sequel Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde premiered.
Born in Glasgow, Rooney is known for starring in the series My Mad Fat Diary and Finding Alice. She also appeared in the 2019 remake of Dumbo with Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, and Danny DeVito.
Sharon Rooney has an estimated net worth of $1 million which she collected from her work.
Instagram @sharon_rooney
Helen Mirren as the Narrator
- Born: July 26, 1945 (age 77 years),
- Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
Helen Mirren, 77, plays the film’s narrator.
In the Barbie teaser trailer, Mirren surprised fans by being the narrator. It’s not yet known how extensive Mirren’s role will be, but in a December 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, the actress said she “was fairly thrilled” that Gerwig “would ask me to be a part of” the trailer. “I thought it was an incredibly funny, fun thing to be involved in,” said Mirren.
The Academy Award-winning English actress began her career on the stage before starring in films like Calendar Girls (2003), The Queen (2006), The Tempest (2010), and Hitchcock (2012). Mirren joined the Fast & Furious franchise in 2017 and has appeared in four films, including 2023’s Fast X.
Helen Mirren’s net worth is estimated at $100 million.
Instagram @helenmirren
Will Ferrell as the CEO of Mattel
- Born: July 16, 1967 (age 55 years)
- Birthplace: Irvine, California, United States
Will Ferrell, 55, takes on the role of the CEO of Mattel, the toy company that owns the Barbie brand.
When it comes to his role in Barbie, Ferrell describes it as “a loving homage to the brand.”
“It is, in my humble opinion, the ultimate example of high art and low art,” Ferrell said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal Magazine.
“It’s a loving homage to the brand and, at the same time, couldn’t be more satirical,” he continued. “Just an amazing comment on male patriarchy and women in society and why Barbie’s criticized and yet why every little girl still wants to play with Barbie.”
Comedian Will Ferrell’s net worth is estimated to be a hefty $160 million.
Simu Liu as Ken
- Born: April 19, 1989 (age 34 years)
- Birthplace: Harbin, China
Simu Liu, 34, plays “another Ken.”
As for his role in Barbie, Liu is playing an iteration of Barbie’s plastic boyfriend, Ken.
Speaking at the 20th Unforgettable Gala in Beverly Hills, California, in February 2023, Liu said Gerwig paid special attention to diversity and inclusivity when it came to casting for the film.
“I remember very clearly about some of our big intricate dance sequences. Greta was very, very conscientious about who she cast,” he said, per Vanity Fair.
He continued, “We were able to cast people of different shapes, sizes, differently abled, to all participate in this dance — all under this message of: You don’t have to be blonde, white, or X, Y, Z in order to embody what it means to be a Barbie or a Ken.”
Simu Liu is a Canadian actor and stuntman who has a net worth of $4 million.
Instagram @simuliu
Ncuti Gatwa as Ken
- Birthday: October 15, 1992 (age 30 years)
- Birthplace: Nyarugenge, Kigali, Rwanda
Ncuti Gatwa, 30, plays a cowboy-inspired, guitar-strumming version of Ken.
Mizero Ncuti Gatwa is a Rwandan-Scottish actor. He began his career on stage at the Dundee Repertory Theatre. He was nominated for an Ian Charleson Award for his performance as Mercutio in a 2014 production of Romeo & Juliet at HOME.
What is Ncuti Gatwa’s net worth? As of 2023, Ncuti Gatwa’s net worth is $1 million.
Instagram @ncutigatwa
Kingsley Ben-Adir as Ken
- Born: February 28, 1986 (age 37 years)
- Birthplace: London, United Kingdom
Kingsley Ben-Adir, 37, is playing another version of Ken.
Kingsley Ben-Adir is a British actor. He has performed in several plays in London theatres. He played pathologist Marcus Summer in ITV’s detective drama Vera and private detective Karim Washington in the second season of the Netflix series The OA.
What is Kingsley Ben-Adir’s net worth? The British actor, Kingsley Ben-Adir has an estimated net worth of about $1.5 million approximately as of 2023.
Scott Evans as Ken
- Born: September 21, 1983 (age 39 years)
- Birthplace: Sudbury, Massachusetts, United States
Scott Evans, 39, is playing yet another cowboy hat-wearing version of Ken.
Scott Andrew Evans is an American actor. He is known for playing the role of police officer Oliver Fish on the ABC daytime soap opera One Life to Live, and the recurring role of Oliver on the series Grace and Frankie. He is the younger brother of actor Chris Evans.
What is Scott Evans’ net worth? Scott Evans is an American actor who has a net worth of $3 million.
Instagram @scottevansgram
Michael Cera as Allan
- Birthday: June 7, 1988 (age 35 years)
- Birthplace: Brampton, Canada
Michael Cera, 35, plays Ken’s best friend, Allan.
Michael Austin Cera is a Canadian actor. He is known for his awkward, offbeat characters in coming-of-age comedy films and for portraying George Michael Bluth in the sitcom Arrested Development.
What is Michael Cera’s net worth? The Canadian actor has a net worth of $20 million.
Instagram @michaelcerasource
Emerald Fennell as Midge
- Birthday: October 1, 1985 (age 37 years)
- Birthplace: Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom
Emerald Fennell, 37, plays the pregnant Midge doll. The Mattel character first appeared in 1963 as a friend of Barbie, and the pregnant version of the doll was pulled from shelves in 2003.
In her Barbie character poster, Fennell looks almost identical to the early 2000s iteration of Midge, complete with red hair, a purple dress, and, of course, her baby bump.
Emerald Lilly Fennell is an English actress, filmmaker, and writer. She has received many awards and nominations, including an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, one Screen Actors Guild Award, and nominations for three Primetime Emmy Awards and three Golden Globe Awards.
What is Emerald Fennell’s net worth? Actress Emerald Fennell has an estimated net worth of $2 million which she collected from her work.
Ariana Greenblatt as “Another Human”
- Birthday: August 27, 2007
- Birthplace: United States
Ariana Greenblatt, 15, is depicted in her character posted as simply “another human.”
Ariana Greenblatt is an American child actress. She is known for starring as Daphne in the Disney Channel comedy television series Stuck in the Middle (2016–2018). She has also appeared in the films A Bad Moms Christmas (2017), Avengers: Infinity War (2018), and In the Heights (2021).
What is Ariana Greenblatt’s net worth? Ariana is a young actress and reportedly has a net worth of roughly $500,000.
Instagram @ariana_greenblatt
Connor Swindells as “An Intern or Something”
- Birthday: September 19, 1996 (age 26 years)
- Birthplace: Lewes, United Kingdom
Connor Swindells, 26, plays a human that is described by his character posted as “like an intern or something.”
Connor Ryan Swindells is an English actor and model. He gained prominence through his role as Adam Groff in the Netflix comedy-drama Sex Education. He has since starred in the BBC One historical drama SAS: Rogue Heroes.
What is Connor Swindell’s net worth? The actor’s net worth is estimated to be around $3 million while his salary and income are still unknown. Mainly, he makes money from his acting roles in movies and modeling.
Instagram @connor_swindells
Jamie Demetriou as “A Suit”
- Birthday: November 1, 1987 (age 35 years)
- Birthplace: Friern Barnet, London, United Kingdom
Jamie Demetriou, 35, plays another human character described as “a suit.”
Jamie Demetriou is an English comedian, actor, and screenwriter. He is best known for his role as Bus Rodent in Fleabag and for creating, co-writing, and starring in Stath Lets Flats. For the latter, he won Best Male Actor in a Comedy, Best Writer of a Comedy, and Best Scripted Comedy at the 2020 BAFTA Awards.
What is Jamie Demetriou’s net worth? Jamie Demetriou has a net worth between $1 million and $5 million from her work in the entertainment industry as a comedian, writer, actor, voice actor, and media personality.
Instagram @jamiedemetriou