Every now and then, a film production will be so big it will have an actual impact on available resources. That appears to be the case with Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” movie.
Speaking with Architectural Digest, the film’s production designer Sarah Greenwood confirmed that so much of the pink shade of Rosco paint was used throughout the film’s ‘Barbieland’ sets that it led to an international shortage, Greenwood laughingly saying: “The world ran out of pink”.
Gerwig avoided using CGI whenever possible, aiming for ‘authentic artificiality’ which also meant hand-painted backdrops rather than CGI.
Part of achieving the illusion was that sets like bedrooms and bathrooms were 23% smaller than regular size meaning ceilings were low, and rooms were quick to cross. There are also no doors and no privacy, with the houses inspired by what they dub “Palm Springs midcentury modernism”.
A whole bunch of photos of the sets are up at ArchitecturalDigest.com. Meanwhile, the film’s male lead Ryan Gosling spoke with GQ about criticisms he’s faced that he’s ‘too old’ to play the character. His response was amusing and on point:
“I would say, you know, if people don’t want to play with my Ken, there are many other Kens to play with. It is funny, this kind of clutching-your-pearls idea of, like, #notmyken. Like you ever thought about Ken before this?
And everyone was fine with that, for him to have a job that is nothing. But suddenly, it’s like, ‘No, we’ve cared about Ken this whole time.’ No, you didn’t. You never did. You never cared. Barbie never f—– with Ken. That’s the point. If you ever really cared about Ken, you would know that nobody cared about Ken. So your hypocrisy is exposed. This is why his story must be told.”
“Barbie” also stars Margot Robbie, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Will Ferrell, Ariana Greenblatt, Emma Mackey, Alexandra Shipp, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Hari Nef, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rhea Perlman, Emerald Fennell, Sharon Rooney, Scott Evans, Ana Cruz Kayne, Connor Swindells, Ritu Arya, Jamie Demetriou and Marisa Abela.
“Barbie” is currently slated to open on July 21st.