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The talented actress Rhea Perlman delivered a memorable and significant cameo in Greta Gerwig's film Barbie. She portrayed Ruth Handler, the brilliant mind and creator of the iconic doll that was named after her daughter Barbara. The live-action movie had its highly anticipated premiere on Friday, July 21, in most regions across the globe.
Ruth Handler and her husband Elliot accompanied by their friend and partner Harold "Matt" Mattson founded Mattel in 1945. The company then debuted Barbie in 1959, revolutionizing the American toy industry.
The doll proved to be a big-time success. This was followed by the launch of the Ken doll, named after Ruth and Elliot's son.
Barbie features a number of big Hollywood names with Marbot Robbie as the titular character and Ryan Gosling playing Ken. Other actresses playing the same character in the film include Hari Nef, Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Dua Lipa, Emma Mackey, and Ana Cruz Kayne, among others.
As one of the highly acclaimed directors of this generation, Gerwig's live-action is being praised by fans and critics alike as a masterpiece for its diverse representation and inclusivity.
The film was made with a high budget of $145 million and has already earned a whopping $22.3 million in the US.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers about the movie.
Ruth Handler, a co-founder of Mattel and the brains behind Barbie, named the doll after her daughter Barbara
Ruth Handler's contributions to Mattel and the toy industry with the ground-breaking innovations of Barbie and Ken have been nothing but revolutionary and noteworthy. She and her husband Elliot found Mattel with Harold "Matt" Mattson in 1945.
This was followed by the launch of the first Barbie doll, named after her daughter Barbara, in 1959 at the annual Toy Fair in New York, followed by Ken. According to Mashable India, Ruth was inspired to create the iconic doll from two instances.
The first time was while watching her daughter Barbara and her friends play pretend with paper dolls. The girls would imagine their dolls as grown-up college-going students, cheerleaders, or grown-ups with varying careers.
The outlet mentioned that the second instance was while their family was tripping in Europe. There, Ruth allegedly came across a German Bild Lilli doll. She found the doll's "adult" physique quite captivating given that back then, most dolls were modeled to look like toddlers or babies.
Ruth Handler died in 2002, long before she could watch her creation brought to life on the big screen as a live-action work by one of the greatest directors of the era. However, in a role played by veteran actress Rhea Perlman, she is brought back to life in the film in two pivotal sequences that shape the movie.
Looper reported that prior to Greta Gerwig's Barbie premiere, TMZ spoke to Barbara Handler, who noted that her mother probably never imagined her doll making a big-screen debut. Further, Barbara particularly applauded Margot Robbie's portrayal of the titular character.
In Greta Gerwig's live-action, Rhea Perlman's Ruth Handler gives Barbie direction in her times of need
In Barbie, Margot Robbie, who plays the titular character, first encounters Rhea Perlman's Ruth Handler while on the run from Mattel executives in the Real World. She comes across Ruth's office on the building's 17th floor and finds her making tea in the kitchen.
Barbie is unaware of the mysterious woman's identity, only knowing that she is gentle, caring, and inviting. Ruth eventually helps her escape.
The two cross paths a second time towards the end of the film when Ruth shows up in Barbieland. Mattel's CEO, played by Will Ferrell, then explains that she is the original creator's ghost from the Real World.
Meanwhile, Barbie, who is still uncertain about her purpose and role, receives guidance from her creator and comes to the realization that she is prepared for her transformation into a human.
Gerwig's Barbie made its big-screen debut on Friday, July 21, 2023.
