The summer of “Barbie” has become the year of “Barbie,” and Greta Gerwig’s movie starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu, Issa Rae and many, many more has finally arrived on Digital. Each of the Barbies has different occupations, from author to president to diplomat, while the Kens are just Kens. There is one Allan (Michael Cera), and there are also some human characters.
With such a jam-packed cast you may be wondering where you’ve seen some of these actors before, or maybe just want a complete guide to all the Barbies and Kens. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.
Margot Robbie’s Barbie dominates the narrative with an adventure to the outside world, and Ryan Gosling’s Ken accompanies her. Several big names like Nicola Coughlan (“Bridgerton,” “Derry Girls”), musician Dua Lipa, the “Sex Education” trio Connor Swindells, Ncuti Gatwa and Emma Mackey and Kate McKinnon (“SNL”) play a variety of colorful characters from Lipa’s blue mermaid to McKinnon’s doll who constantly does the splits.
Here’s a complete “Barbie” cast and character guide.
Margot Robbie plays the main character Barbie. Robbie started out her career with roles like Naomi Lapaglia in “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2013), Harley Quinn in “Suicide Squad” (2016) and “Birds of Prey” (2020) and Tonya Harding in “I, Tonya.” More recently she has played Sharon Tate in “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” (2019), Kayla Pospisil in “Bombshell” (2019), Valerie Voze in “Amsterdam” (2022) and Nellie LaRoy in “Babylon” (2022).
Ryan Gosling plays the main Ken. He began his early days of fame in The Mickey Mouse Club singing alongside Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. He is most well known for playing Dean in “Blue Valentine” (2010), the driver in “Drive” (2011), Noah in “The Notebook” (2004), Jacob in “Crazy Stupid Love” (2011) and Sebastian in “La La Land” (2016). More recently he played Six in the Netflix actioner “The Gray Man” (2022).
Will Ferrell plays a human. In addition to his storied “SNL” career, he’s known for portraying Buddy in “Elf” (2003), Ron Burgundy in “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy” (2004), Phil Weston in “Kicking & Screaming” (2005), Chazz Michael Michaels in “Blades of Glory” (2006), Brendan Huff in “Step Brothers” (2008), Cam Brady in “The Campaign” (2012), James in “Get Hard” (2015) and Brad Whitaker in “Daddy’s Home” (2015). More recently he has portrayed the Ghost of Christmas Present in “Spirited” (2022), and he voices Reggie in “Strays” (2023).
Simu Liu’s Ken competes with Ryan Gosling’s Ken for Barbie’s attention. Simu Liu is best known for his role of Shang Chi in Marvel’s “Shang Chi and The Legend of the Ten Rings” (2021). TV credits include Paul Xe in “Blood and Water,” Jung in “Kim’s Convenience” and Faaron in “Taken.” He also recently played Sam in the adaptation of Taylor Jenkins Reid’s book “One True Loves.”
Nicola Coughlan’s Barbie is a diplomat. Coughlan plays Lady Whistledown herself in Netflix’s “Bridgerton” series. Her secret identity is voiced by Julie Andrews, and her character’s real name is Penelope Featherington. She is also known for playing Clare Devlin in “Derry Girls” and Hannah Dalton on “Harlots.”
Ncuti Gatwa looks like a musical Ken. Gatwa is best known for playing Eric Effiong in Netflix’s “Sex Education” and Nick in “The Last Letter From Your Lover” (2021). He will also portray the Doctor in the upcoming version of “Doctor Who.”
Ritu Arya’s Barbie has a Pulitzer prize. Arya is known for playing Jenna in “Last Christmas” (2019), Lava in the TV show “Feel Good,” Lila Pitts in “The Umbrella Academy” and Inspector Urvashi Das in “Red Notice” (2021). She also plays Lena in “Polite Society” (2023).
Scott Evans plays a cowboy-like Ken. Evans is known for portraying Dennis Flynn in “White Collar,” Oliver in “Grace and Frankie” and Adam in “Almost Love” (2019).
Sharon Rooney’s Barbie is a lawyer. Rooney is known for playing Rae in “My Mad Fat Diary,” Miss Atlantis in 2019’s live-action “Dumbo” and Nicola in “Finding Alice.”
The one-and-only Allan will by played by Michael Cera. Cera is known for playing Evan in “Superbad” (2007), Paulie Bleeker in “Juno” (2007), Nick in “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist” (2008) and Scott Pilgrim in “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” (2010).
Kate McKinnon’s Barbie can do the splits … a lot. She is known as the Weird Barbie. McKinnon is an alum of “Saturday Night Live.” She has also appeared in “Ghostbusters” (2016), “Rough Night” (2017) and alongside costar Margot Robbie in “Bombshell” (2019) as Jess Carr.
Kingsley Ben-Adir will play another Ken. He is also dominating TV screens as Gravik, the revolutionary Skrull in Marvel’s “Secret Invasion.” He is also known for playing Karim Washington in “The OA,” Col. Ben Younger in five episodes of “Peaky Blinders,” Russell ‘Mac’ McCormack in “High Infidelity” and Wet Stick in “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.”
Hari Nef’s Barbie is a doctor. Nef is known for playing Gittel in “Transparent,” Talia in “The Idol” and Rabbi Jen in “And Just Like That.” She also appeared in “Extrapolations,” “Meet Cute,” “1UP” and “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.”
Jamie Demetriou plays a suit, Executive #1 to be exact. The “Fleabag” actor is also known for playing Gerald in “Cruella” (2021), the Headmaster in “Pinocchio” (2022) and Stath in “Stath Lets Flats.” He also played Etienne, Manservant to Shaggy Beard in “Catherine Called Birdy” (2022).
Emerald Fennell plays the Midge Barbie, or pregnant model of the toy. Emerald Fennel won an Oscar for writing “Promising Young Woman” (2020), which she also directed. She played Camilla Parker Bowles on “The Crown,” Nurse Patsy Mount on “Call the Midwife,” and she has writing credits such as “Killing Eve.”
Dame Helen Mirren narrates the film. She is known for playing Mrs. Wilson in “Gosford Park” (2001), The Queen in “The Queen” (2006), Victoria in “Red” (2010) and Alma Reville in “Hitchcock” (2012). She plays Queenie in the “Fast and the Furious” films and Cara Dutton in “1923.”
Emma Mackey’s Barbie has a Nobel Prize in physics. Emma Mackey stars as Maeve Wiley in “Sex Education,” Emily Brontë in “Emily” (2022) and Jacqueline de Bellefort in “Death on the Nile” (2022).
Issa Rae’s Barbie is President. Issa Rae is known for creating, producing and starring in “Insecure.” She also executive produces “Rap Sh!t,” “A Black Lady Sketch Show” and “The Lovebirds.” She recently brought back a reboot of “Project Greenlight: A New Generation” to help Meko Winbush direct “Gray Matter.”
Connor Swindells plays a human intern. He is known for playing Robert Martin in “Emma.” (2020), Adam Groff in “Sex Education” and David Stirling in “Rogue Heroes.”
Ariana Greenblatt plays a human. Greenblatt played Young Gamora in “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018), Minnow in “Love and Monsters” (2020) and Koa in “65” (2023). She also played young Nina in “In the Heights” (2021).
Dua Lipa plays a blue Barbie mermaid. She is also a model and a musician. She has a single in “Barbie” called “Dance the Night,” and her latest album “Future Nostalgia” came out in March 2020.
America Ferrera plays a human. Ferrera is known for playing Carmen in “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” (2005), Betty Suarez in “Ugly Betty” and voicing Astrid in the “How to Train Your Dragon” movies. More recently, she played Elishia Kennedy in “WeCrashed” and Amy in “SuperStore.”
Ana Cruz Kayne’s Barbie is a Supreme Court Justice. Kaune has appeared in “Little Women” (2019), “Partner Track” (2022) and “Another Earth” (2011). She will also be seen in “Painkiller” on Netflix.
Alexandra Shipp’s Barbie is a celebrated author. Shipp is known as playing Kim in “Straight Outta Compton” (2015), Ororo Munroe in the “X-Men” films and Sasha Arias in “Shaft” (2019). She also appeared as Susan in “tick, tick… BOOM!” (2021), Daisy Taylor in “Space Oddity” (2022), Kate in “All the Bright Places” (2020) and Abby in “Love, Simon” (2018).
