Few films in recent memory have received as much organic social media buzz as Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” A steady stream of leaked pictures, reports of pink paint shortages, and cast anecdotes about delightful on-set insanity have turned Gerwig’s maximalist take on the iconic Mattel toy line into one of the most anticipated movie events of the summer.
Fans are closer than ever to seeing the film in its entirety when it hits theaters on July 21 — and cast members seem to be relishing their last few opportunities to hype up the film. In a new interview with Out, “Barbie” star Hari Nef said that the film’s combination of musical comedy with over-the-top costumes and makeup made it feel like they were filming a version of “RuPaul’s Drag Race.”
“I’ve joked before, it really did feel like ‘Greta Gerwig’s Drag Race,’” Nef said. “Because I was doing acting, dancing, comedy, and the whole time I was cinched, wigged, painted from head to toe, padded, heels.”
The actress went on to explain that the self-contained toy world of the film was the perfect canvas for the kind of performative femininity for which drag shows are known.
“It’s a very specific kind of femininity,” she said. “It’s not a kind of femininity that I live every single day of my life in, but it’s one that I come back to time and time again. It’s also one that I feel very comfortable wearing in public, and when the cameras are on and when people are watching.”
Nef’s comfort with the distinct brand of humor that Gerwig brought to “Barbie” was apparent from the beginning of the casting process. In a 2022 interview, the director recalled being elated by Nef’s audition for the film and cited it as an early example of her vision being solidified.
“I saw Hari’s audition tape for ‘Barbie’ and just flipped out,” Gerwig said. “I ran into the producer’s office with a computer and pressed play and said, ‘That is it. That is our movie.’ She had a joyfulness and playfulness and twinkling intelligent humor, which was exactly the tone: knowing but not snarky, buoyant but not vapid.”
