Few movies have excited moviegoers as much as Director Greta Gerwig’s Barbie. Coming out in Theaters July 21, fans of the Mattel toy line will have plenty to look forward to. For fans, actor Margot Robbie’s performance will be anything but mesmerising. 

Known for her performances in films like “The Wolf of Wall Street” and “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood,” Robbie is taking on the iconic role of everyone’s favourite childhood doll in a live-action film that promises to redefine the toy’s image. Robbie, with her undeniable talent, has brought her creative energy to more than just the film itself. For her costars and crew, working with Robbie on the set of the Barbie movie was a career highlight. 

Most of the film was shot in Leavesden, UK, just a few miles north of London. A team of set designers, costume designers, and CGI specialists turned the location into a pink wonderland. “All the Barbies in their own Barbie Dream Houses can wake up in the morning and they can wave at each other,” said Robbie in an interview for Architectural Digest.  

Gosling and her team designed the set to be reminiscent of 1950s musicals as a tip of the hat to the first Barbie doll released in 1959. Like old Gene Kelly films, the Barbie movie uses artificial painted backgrounds, handcrafted props, 2-D decals, and plenty of pink design elements thrown in. 

As you would expect for a Barbie movie, the set was filled with costumes. Every generation of Barbie dolls was represented with the movie’s wardrobe, from retro ‘60s dresses to bright neon ‘80s activewear. With every costume change, the actors could get into the roles of each toy. When talking about Robbie’s transformation into her various Barbies, Ryan Gosling told iHollywoodTV, “Margot, she’s wearing all the hats. It’s an incredible thing to watch what she’s done with this film.” 

Not all of the movie was filmed on set. For several scenes in the film, the crew travelled to crowded Venice Beach, CA. Margot Robbie told Variety, “There’s probably going to be a little crowd of people who are going to take notice because, you know, we stand out a little bit in those outfits.” And stand out they did. The internet went wild when Robbie and Gosling were seen in Venice sporting bright pink outfits in public. 

The Barbie movie features a soundtrack that showcases the talents of artists such as Lizzo and Billie Eilish. Robbie pointed out that the film’s music inspired her. “There’s been a lot of emotional moments on this movie, unexpectedly emotional moments,” said Margot Robbie to iHollywoodTV. Robbie said that the music especially was tear-jerking. “Half the orchestra turned up wearing pink. Nobody told them to, they just did it cause they wanted to, that made me cry as well.”

Regarding Robbie’s performance, director Greta Gerwig told Rolling Stone, “She’s allowing herself to be vulnerable. And it’s crazy because she’s playing a doll, and yet it’s such an exquisitely human performance.” This performance wasn’t just on screen. Robbie served as one of the film’s producers and had a huge say in the film’s direction and vibe on set. 

Margot Robbie’s magnetic presence made the set of the Barbie movie incredibly fun. Robbie and her co-stars laughed, cried, sang, and danced into movie history. Although the set was non-stop fun, the movie itself is about much more. There’s no doubt Robbie’s performance will inspire her audience to the difficult conversations about representation, beauty, and being true to yourself.