"It kinda left me speechless": Issa Rae opens up about watching Margot Robbie's Barbie

Issa Rae revealed in a recent interview that she got to watch the upcoming film Barbie in its entirety, remarking that it left her "speechless." Directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie is one of the most anticipated films of the year and stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. The fantasy comedy film is slated to hit the big screens on July 21, 2023.

Issa Rae, who plays a variation of the beloved Mattel fashion doll called President Barbie, told The Hollywood Reporter that she felt that the film was well made and that it stayed true to the script, lauding Gerwig's vision and Robbie's performance. She added that she got to see the dance numbers that she couldn't witness up close on sets and that the film was humorous, calling Barbie a "satisfying watch."

"Yeah, I got to see it at Margot Robbie and Tom Ackerley’s house in their little theater. It kinda left me speechless. It’s so well done and true to the script, which I thought was brilliant," she said.

Issa Rae continued that the movie made her laugh out loud.

"It was amazing to see what Greta was able to accomplish visually, what an incredible performer Margot is, and to relive how the dance numbers played out, which I didn’t get to see up close. It was just a really, really satisfying watch and so fun. I was literally laughing out loud by myself in a dark room," she added.

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Issa Rae admires Greta Gerwig's ability to accommodate and incorporate cast members' input

Issa Rae weighed in on the creative process of working with Greta Gerwig on Barbie, noting that the Lady Bird director was "respectful" of everybody's opinions and worked with people "whose opinion she values." Rae admired Gerwig's ability to take the input she received from the cast and add it to her vision, further accentuating it.

The Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse star also recalled how Greta Gerwig heard out her suggestions on her character President Barbie's clothing and traits, adding that she did the same for her co-star Kingsley Ben-Adir and other artists.

"With someone like Greta, she’s so respectful not just of my opinion, but of everyone else’s opinions. She collaborates with people whose opinions she values, and she wants to make sure that she’s hearing everyone out. She’s so great about funneling those thoughts through her own vision and heightening and elevating them."

The 38-year-old actor continued that all the cast members had ideas of how they wanted to play Barbie or Ken, and Gerwig made "them her own in the best possible way."

"She does that so well. There were definitely parts of the costume and the way that President Barbie carries herself that she was deferential to me about, and I saw her be that way with Kingsley Ben-Adir. Everyone had versions of how they wanted their Barbies or Kens to be, and I saw her take those ideas and make them her own in the best possible way," Issa Rae added.

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Barbie's opening weekend numbers are expected to significantly outweigh Oppenheimer's

Barbie is scheduled to be released on the same date as filmmaker extraordinaire Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. The biographical thriller starring Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., and Florence Pugh, among others, was expected to give Barbie tough competition, but recent reports seem to indicate otherwise.

Preliminary tracking, according to sources with access to various online polls, indicates that Barbie is expected to emerge victorious in the July 21–23 weekend race at the box office. The Margot Robbie starrer has also turned into a social media phenomenon in recent times, which further supports the belief that it will beat Oppenheimer.

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Starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Kingsley Ben-Adir, and Simu Liu, among others, Barbie is set to be released exclusively in theaters on July 21, 2023.