Black Barbie

You Can’t Make This Up

Netflix

True Crime, Documentary, Tv & Film, Society & Culture, Film Interviews

4.2 • 1K Ratings

🗓️ 19 June 2024

⏱️ 35 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In 1959, Barbie changed the way girls played with dolls - taking them from babies to beauty queens, fashion mavens, and professional role models. But girls of color didn’t see themselves represented by the blonde haired, Malibu-tanned figurine. It took 20 years for Mattel to finally release Black Barbie. But in the subsequent years, Black Barbie’s place in the Barbie universe - and in the real world - is still evolving and sparking conversation. Black Barbie traces the doll’s journey from creation to its impact on children of color and its influence in contemporary culture. We hear from the former employees who labored to bring diversity to the famous toy line. The film asks whether - this Barbie is everything - OR could be something more? In this episode of You Can't Make This Up, host Rebecca Lavoie interviews writer & director Lagueria Davis. SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched Black Barbie yet, make sure to add it to your watch-list before listening on. Listen to more from Netflix Podcasts.

Transcript

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0:00.0	I'm Rebecca Lervoy and this is You Can't make this up is the podcast where we uncover the true stories behind your favorite
0:19.2	Netflix documentaries and films.
0:21.4	On today's episode, we take a closer look at the Netflix film Black Barbie, a documentary.
0:27.0	When I designed this doll, there was a need for the little black girl to really have something she could play with that
0:37.4	look like her. Today we're talking to writer and director Lageria Davis. In 1959, Barbie changed the way kids played with dolls, taking them from babies to beauty
0:48.5	queens, fashion mavens, and professional role models.
0:52.4	But girls of color didn't see themselves represented
0:54.9	by the blonde-haired Malabutan figurine. It took 20 years for Mattel to
1:00.5	finally release Black Barbie, but in the subsequent years, Black Barbie's place in the
1:05.6	Barbie universe and in the real world is still evolving and sparking conversation. Black Barbie,
1:12.3	a documentary, traces the doll's journey from creation. in We hear from former employees who labor to bring diversity to the famous toy line.
1:25.2	The film asks whether this Barbie is everything or could be something more.
1:30.6	When Black Barbie came out, I was like, no, I think it is possible for me.
1:34.3	So I, I don't, all the haters out there can kick rocks because it did a lot for me.
1:38.3	Black Barbie did a lot for me. And I'm joined now by writer and director, Lageria Davis.
1:43.0	Welcome to your camp make this up. And I'm joined now by writer and director, Lageria Davis.
1:52.8	Welcome to your camp make this up.
1:54.4	Hi, thank you for having me.
1:56.9	So you've been working on this documentary for a long time,
1:59.8	and then last summer, the Barbie feature film came out and took over everything, dominated pop culture.
2:06.5	What were you thinking about how that film could make an impact on your film?
2:10.9	Oh, you know, I was thinking a lot of different things and you know before it was
	...

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