Dame Helen Mirren expressed her delight at the unveiling of her Barbie doll, part of a new collection released by Mattel ahead of International Women’s Day. The latest lineup of role model dolls also features likenesses of Kylie Minogue, Viola Davis, and Shania Twain. This release coincides with Barbie’s 65th anniversary and is part of the Barbie Dream Gap Project, an initiative launched in 2018 to challenge gender stereotypes and empower girls to reach their full potential.
In addition to the four prominent women, the new set of dolls includes representations of creator Maira Gomez from Brazil’s Tatuyo community, Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés, German comic Enissa Amani, and Japanese model Nicole Fujita. Dame Helen Mirren, known for her narration in Greta Gerwig’s upcoming Barbie movie, expressed her astonishment at being chosen as a Barbie Role Model, alongside her other notable achievements.
Kylie Minogue and Shania Twain also shared their excitement on social media about being honored with their own Barbie dolls, reflecting iconic moments from their careers. The dolls pay homage to Minogue’s music video outfit and Twain’s status as the best-selling female country artist.
Previous Barbie Role Models have included a diverse range of accomplished women such as YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki, Olympic skateboarder Sky Brown, and COVID vaccine developer Professor Sarah Gilbert. These dolls serve as inspirational figures for girls and highlight the importance of representation and diversity.
International Women’s Day, observed on March 8th, aims to raise awareness of women’s rights issues worldwide, including gender equality, reproductive rights, and combating violence against women. The Barbie Role Model collection serves as a celebration of women’s achievements and a reminder of the progress yet to be made in achieving gender equality.
