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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Tamara Davison

Dame Helen Mirren 'blown away' as she's transformed into a Barbie doll

Dame Helen Mirren said she was “absolutely blown away” after being made into a Barbie doll.

The 78-year-old actor, who starred as the narrator of Greta Gerwig’s 2023 hit film Barbie, has been immortalised in the Mattel family with her own celebrity doll.

The doll is dressed in a blue gown that she wore to the Cannes film festival and features its own blue fan and a miniature Oscar, giving a nod to Mirren’s impressive career on the silver screen.

Mirren’s Barbie also has blue hair, emulating her iconic Cannes look even further.

Joining Beyonce and Elton John, who similarly have their own celebrity Barbies, Mirren said it was one of her favourite achievements.

Her Barbie doll recreation came as the brand named her a UK role model for wider celebrations commemorating the doll’s 65th birthday this coming weekend.

Dame Helen Mirren with her Barbie doll (Ryan Schude/Mattel Inc/PA Wire)

“I am absolutely blown away by my Barbie,” Mirren said.

“To be chosen by Barbie as a role model is a huge compliment and something I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams happening to me at this stage in my life.

“It’s a very special thing, and something I can add to my list of my favourite achievements; becoming a Dame of the British Empire, having an Oscar, having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame – and having my own Barbie.”

Last year, Mirren narrated Gerwig’s award-winning Barbie film but never actually appeared in it. However, her wit and sarcasm in the role have earned her considerable acclaim.

(Doug Peters/PA Wire)

Mirren was also thrilled that designers had chosen to recreate the Cannes look for the Barbie doll. She added: “The intricacy and detail of the doll is extraordinary; I love that the Barbie doll is wearing one of my favourite ever red carpet looks, and it was the first time I’d ever had blue hair, and it felt so exciting.

“I like to embrace theatrical fashion and the joy that having fun with fashion can bring, and I think that this joy should be ageless. And the cherry on top of the cake is my doll having a miniature Oscar. It is an absolutely perfect reproduction.”

Her career spans almost as long as Barbie's, having starred in TV and film for over 60 years. Some of her most prominent appearances include The Queen, in which she became Queen Elizabeth.

Mirren joins many celebrities who have been transformed into Barbie dolls throughout the ages, with Cher, Diana Ross, and even Prince William and Kate Middleton having had their own Barbie dolls made in the past.

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