When I was a kid, my classmates and I were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up. Some said they wanted to be an astronaut, others said Britney Spears, and one even said mechanical engineer (which in hindsight for a seven-year-old was very impressive). At the time, due to a probably worrying obsession with Toy Story, I said I wanted to be a toy. The class burst out in laughter. I burst into tears.
For about six months, I was called ‘toy boy’ on the school playground. Which, looking back, was probably not the most appropriate thing for seven-year-olds to be calling one another. But eventually, I learnt to embrace it.
Unfortunately (and rather surprisingly) I never actually got around to being a toy. Despite the consistent flood of letters I sent to Hasbro and Mattel, my requests were never accepted.
Now, these (plastic) tables have turned quite dramatically. Since the release of Barbie, the world has changed. Everyone’s wearing pink, you can barely get a seat at the cinema and we’re having conversations we never thought we would ever have.
And now, Jodi Alexander, an extra who appeared in Barbie has given us an insight into just how fantastic it was to be plastic for the day. She’s literally living my dreams.
Ms Alexander (or Extra Barbie) has revealed the day started at 6am when the group of Barbies would arrive on set. Awaiting them upon their arrival were sparkly pink golf carts, with pink fluffy steering wheels.
Next, the Barbies would head to the dressing room where they would slip into a pink robe. They would then receive their sheet which would reveal which kind of Barbie they would be transforming into for the day.
After this, the Barbies would start the long process of becoming plastic for the day. In the video, Alexander was surrounded by a large hair and makeup team, revealing it “took a village” to transform her into Barbie. After they became Barbified, the Barbies would then head to set and await the saviour of the universe, Greta Gerwig‘s call.
Ms Alexander also revealed that in between takes the Barbies would gossip, drink coffee and sun-bake (sounds awful). In the afternoon, the Barbies were treated to a crepe truck and waffles sent personally by Stereotypical Barbie herself, Margot Robbie. And then after a long day of shooting and “belly laughs” the Barbies would remove their wigs, costumes, and makeup and become humans again. Only to do it all again the next day.
The whole entire shoot looks and sounds like it was heaven. Quite honestly, I have never watched a video and have been more jealous in my life. But who knows, with Mattel announcing they have more toy-based films in development, maybe I too will be able to live my lifelong dream of being a toy.
