*Barbie spoilers ahead!*
Barbie is finally in cinemas (alongside Oppenheimer), with audiences now getting to discover the joy, colour and unexpected emotional depth of Margot Robbie as the iconic titular doll and Ryan Gosling as her boyfriend/accessory Ken.
Directed by Greta Gerwig, this summer blockbuster film has been hotly anticipated by fans thanks to the antics of its mammoth press tour as well as the detail and fun that seems to have gone into the making of it – and now its stellar reviews.
Alongside that, Barbie boasts an epic cast of plenty of Barbies, in the shape of Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Sharon Rooney, Emma Mackey and Hari Nef among others, as well as Kens played by the likes of Simu Liu, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Ncuti Gatwa.
And that’s not even mentioning the various human roles taken on by the likes of America Ferrerra and Will Ferrell.
However, if you thought that was all, you’d be wrong as the movie makes sure to keep the surprises coming (for example, did you know that Matilda actress Rhea Perlman stars as Barbie creator Ruth Handler?) with some of its cameo and celebrity casting in smaller roles.
Let’s take a look…
Rob Brydon
It turns out Margot Robbie is a big fan of Gavin and Stacey, and Rob’s lovable character Uncle Bryn in particular, which the Welsh actor and comedian, 58, reckons led to his hilarious cameo in Barbie.
Speaking to Virgin Radio, he said: ‘I had a message a few years ago that Margot Robbie was a big Uncle Bryn fan and would I record a message for her birthday.’
He continued on, saying he recorded the birthday video for her, and implied that the time he took to do it might have been what landed him his Barbie cameo role.
‘I think maybe this part is her way of saying thank you,’ he said, after his appearance at the film’s premiere surprised some fans.
He also gave details about the Wolf of Wall Street actress’ special birthday video: ‘I said, “Hello Margot. I’ve loved you in all your films and I’ll tell you for why…”‘
So in classic Bryn style – we’d expect nothing less. But who does he play?
In Barbie, Rob pops up in one scene with a few lines, as a real discontinued Ken doll – Palm Beach Sugar Daddy Ken.
Surprisingly, he was only introduced in 2009 as part of the adult-targeted Barbie Collector Line and his name refers to the little puppy he comes with called Sugar – and nothing else.
Dua Lipa
Now, many people might be away that Dua Lipa has provided one of the popular songs for the film – and its iconic soundtrack.
Her effort, Dance The Night, which appears on the album alongside songs from Sam Smith, Billie Eilish and Nicki Minaj, has so far peaked at number 13 on the UK official charts – but did you know she also plays a character?
The 27-year-old musical artist has been given the distinction of portraying Mermaid Barbie, seen in character posters with glorious blue hair.
However, she also has pink hair and green hair and so on as she actually plays every different version of the doll herself, happily living in the ocean off the shore in Barbie Land.
Love Island’s Chris Taylor
We may have heard about Love Island star Tasha Ghouri’s almost-role in Barbie, but did you know that a Love Island star did actually make it into the movie?
Former Islander Chris Taylor, who appeared on the show in 2019 and dated Maura Higgins for six months later on, again has Margot herself to thank for his cameo in the upcoming movie.
‘I know she’s got a secret account that follows Love Islanders, so hopefully she would have seen that,’ he told Cosmopolitan UK. ‘I saw her on the red carpet and I got to say a quick thank you, but I didn’t really get a chance to see her after that.’
Back in 2020, he and some fellow Love Island alumni got to meet famous show fan Margot at the Birds of Prey premiere, and apparently the big screen star was ‘gassed to see them’.
They subsequently got an invitation to the after-party, where Chris was able to have a more in-depth chat with the ‘really down to earth and cool’ Suicide Squad actress.
A year and a half later Warner Bros got in touch asking him to audition for Barbie, and despite thinking he was a prank, six months later he was at the studio for costume fittings – but who does he play?
Chris’s scene appears in the middle of the movie, where he briefly depicts one of the multiple versions of Ken – his is an emcee.
John Cena
This is certainly a surprisingly star-powered cameo that’s been largely kept under wraps.
In fact, no public glimpse of John in character was offered up until the week of the film’s release in a behind the scenes featurette – many had only known he was even in the movie after pausing the trailer on its credits page to try and absorb all of the names.
But not only is wrester-turned-actor John very much in the film, he has an iconic cameo – that of ‘Kenmaid’.
The star pops up briefly during a scene with many other Barbies and Kens, showing off majestic flowing blonde hair and a shell necklace.
He appears alongside Dua as the male version of the Barbie mermaid, and we love him for it.
Nicola Coughlan
Now, Nicola Coughlan did feature in all her glittery-dressed finery as a Barbie in the amazing character posters released back in April.
However, so many were shared that we reckon there’s a good chance people might not have remembered the Bridgerton star has been cast as a Barbie.
The 36-year-old features as Diplomat Barbie, seen handing out Nobel Prizes to many of the Barbies early in the movie.
She also pops up again a few times later on in Barbie Land as the film reaches its climax.
Colin Firth (kind of)
Oh yes, Colin Firth is technically in the Barbie movie!
Well, a very famous version of him is at least…
It happens during a part of the movie that acts like a spoof trailer for a rather… despondent version of Barbie that would never make it to market, even if many fans could relate – which is very much the point of the joke.
During this, the film plays a snippet of the famous proposal scene featuring him as Mr Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet in the much-celebrated 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
And that’s how Colin Firth as Mr Darcy came to appear in Barbie.
Marlon Brando (sort of)
In another surprise for the books, late Hollywood star Marlon Brando also features in the live-action Barbie movie.
The famous method actor, known for turns in films like A Streetcar Named Desire and On the Waterfront in the 1950s, appears in a fun scene towards the end of the movie.
Kingsley Ben-Adir’s Ken is seen enjoying his performance as Don Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather in the famous ‘I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse’ scene.
In a fun reference to mansplaining, Ken is keen to wax lyrical on his favourite film – and all it means – to Sharon Rooney and Emma Mackey’s Barbies.
Barbie (and Oppenheimer) is in cinemas now.
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