Why Is Barbie Everywhere?

Why Is Barbie Everywhere?

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By Andrea Delbanco

Editor in Chief, TIME for Kids

Neither my daughters nor I played much with Barbies. My oldest, a tomboy who only enjoyed “boy toys” (her words), had a few Ken dolls. Though we accumulated a few hand-me-down Barbies, I’m not sure I ever purchased one. But none of that seemed especially relevant when we were walking into the Barbie movie, which we were all excited to see. My kids loved the aesthetic, the soundtrack, and the star-studded cast. I loved all of that too, though not as much as America Ferrera’s monologue about what it’s like to be a woman.

TIME did a deep dive into why Barbie has hit such a cultural nerve and scored so big at the box office. We’ve rounded up those stories below. Side note: I also thought Oppenheimer was phenomenal, but I didn’t bring the kids.

Did you see Barbie? Has Barbie played a role in your life, or in the lives of your children? Write to me at andrea@time.com.

Best,
Andrea

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