Every ‘Barbie’ actor’s best performance to date

After exactly one month in theaters, Barbie has grossed over $1 billion, overtaking Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight as Warner Bros.’s highest-grossing movie of all time. As it stands, Barbie is still around $100,000,000 behind The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which would also make it the highest-grossing movie of 2023. It took an ensemble cast of over 20 actors to embody various versions of Barbie and Ken, Mattel executives, everyday citizens, and extras, all of whom are ridiculously talented and seasoned veterans of the industry.

For quite some time, Barbie might be the biggest project associated with many of these names, but they were making headlines long before their stint as live-action dolls. Let’s run through every Barbie actor’s best performance, spanning the length of their careers thus far.

Margot Robbie: Birds of Prey (Harley Quinn)

Before Barbie, Margot Robbie had become a household name due to her portrayal of Harley Quinn in the DCEU, now known as the DCU. After debuting in 2016’s Suicide Squad, she reprised the role two more times in 2020’s Birds of Prey and 2021’s The Suicide Squad. We’d argue that Birds of Prey was a turning point for Robbie’s Harley, one which showcased the extent of the Australian’s emotional range.

Ryan Gosling: The Notebook (Noah Calhoun)

You might have been expecting La La Land in this spot, but if we’re being honest with ourselves (and no disrespect to La La Land, it was incredible), Damien Chazelle’s musical romance was just a reinvention of Gosling’s performance in The Notebook, but switching out Rachel McAdams for Emma Stone. The Notebook walked so La La Land could run, but we’ll never find such electrifying chemistry elsewhere, nor such a moving performance.

Will Ferrell: Elf (Buddy)

We could have chosen Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Step Brothers, or even Daddy’s Home for Ferrell’s spot, but which role of his has stood the test of time? It might be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, but Elf never goes out of style. Every holiday season, you’ll be treated to Will Ferrell’s Buddy the Elf all over your screens, and what’s more, you can’t help but love it. We might not get another Christmas classic as near and dear to our hearts as Elf.

Emma Mackey: Sex Education (Maeve Wiley)

Emma Mackey, who has often been likened to Margot Robbie based on physical appearance, had her breakout performance as Maeve Wiley in Sex Education, and no other role has ever quite topped it — not even in Barbie. The British-French actress is still making strides to stand apart from the crowd, but at 27 years old, she’s got a whole career ahead of her. Perhaps, later down the line, she’ll outdo herself with an even better part.

Simu Liu: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Shang-Chi)

It was a toss-up between Kim’s Convenience and Shang-Chi, but in the end, the Marvel role takes the cake. Plus, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings made history for being the first Marvel movie with a superhero of Asian descent, so that’s a huge deal, both for Liu and the larger Asian community. His performance in Barbie was a strong contender too, but Shang Chi wins based on cultural impact.

Michael Cera: Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Scott Pilgrim)

There aren’t too many people who don’t know who Scott Pilgrim is. Although the movie itself was a box-office bomb that failed to break even, it has gathered a cult following in the last decade. Besides, it helped further establish Michael Cera, who had garnered some popularity for his roles in Superbad and Juno. Although we can’t help but compare Superbad’s story to that of American Pie, so Scott Pilgrim wins points for originality.

Kate McKinnon: Ghostbusters (Jillian Holtzmann)

If SNL didn’t teeter on the fine line between a singular ‘role’ and multiple ‘roles’ within a ‘role,’ she would absolutely be nominated for her various skits. That being said, since we’re looking for a singular performance, there’s only one option. Although 2016’s Ghostbusters (an all-female cast) wasn’t as well received as it should have been, McKinnon was the saving grace as Holtzmann, a quick-witted and smart-mouthed inventor. No doubt, she was the funniest part of the movie.

America Ferrera: How to Train Your Dragon (Astrid Hofferson)

Our first and only animated role goes to America Ferrera, who provides the voice of Astrid Hofferson in the How to Train Your Dragon franchise. We were so close to going with Ugly Betty, but Ferrera’s portrayal of Astrid has reached a much wider audience. HTTYD is one of Dreamworks’ most beloved trilogies, which also spawned numerous spin-offs and one-shots. Not only does it appeal to children, but adults find themselves flocking to the theater too. Astrid is a multi-faceted character with a complicated history, but Ferrera nails it.

Ariana Greenblatt: A Bad Moms Christmas (Lori)

At just 15 years old as of this writing, Ariana Greenblatt is still in the early stages of her career. She’s one of those child stars that you’ve seen more often than not, you just don’t know it. Her feature film debut came in A Bad Moms Christmas, which also happens to be her best role to date. As Lori, she’s a hilariously witty addition to the cast, despite being just 10 years old at the time of its release. You might also know her as Young Gamora in Avengers: Infinity War or Daphne Diaz in Disney’s Stuck in the Middle.

Issa Rae: Insecure (Issa Dee)

It was a YouTube channel that launched Rae’s successful acting career. She garnered attention for her web series Awkward Black Girl back in 2011. Her 2015 memoir, based on the influential web series (also titled The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl) became a New York Times bestseller. Rae voiced Jess Drew / Spider-Woman in Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, but nothing compares to Insecure, the comedy-drama loosely based on Awkward Black Girl, which takes Rae’s misadventures and gives them the live-action makeover.

Alexandra Shipp: X-Men: Apocalypse (Storm)

As an actor, any Marvel or DC role is guaranteed to be up there with your best. Alexandra Shipp began to gain traction after starring in Love, Simon. Since then, she’s appeared in Tick, Tick, Boom! and 65. But nothing could compare to her short-lived stint as Storm in X-Men: Apocalypse. Certainly one of the more famous X-Men, Shipp had some big shoes to fill when succeeding Halle Berry, but she did the character justice. She reprised the role in Dark Phoenix and there are talks of her returning once more.

Hari Nef: Barbie (Barbie)

In the Spring 2015 New York Fashion Week, model Hari Nef became the first openly transgender woman signed to IMG Models. We could have selected Nef’s role in The Idol for consideration, but we’d argue that her true colors shine in Barbie. Although she might not have a pivotal role in the storyline, she’s a single piece of the puzzle, just like the other iterations of Barbie. She brings her own flair and style to the “Doctor Barbie” role and stands apart from the crowd.

Sharon Rooney: My Mad Fat Diary (Rae)

Scottish actress Sharon Rooney started out as a stand-up comedian, but her first-ever television role happens to be the most exemplary study of her acting prowess. Playing Rae Earl, an overweight teenager, Rooney’s character tackles the ins and outs of puberty and romance all while struggling with a crippling eating disorder and low self-confidence. It’s a bold move to portray an ED so conspicuously on-screen, but Rooney doesn’t shy away from the more mature themes and delivers a powerful take on a person’s own insecurities.

Emerald Fennell: The Danish Girl (Elsa)

Writer-director Emerald Fennell is just as much behind the camera as she is in front of it. Perhaps best known for working on the BBC spy-thriller Killing Eve, Fennell has a filmography comprising both acting and executive roles. In Barbie, she plays Midge, the “pregnant” Barbie doll who’s made an outcast in the movie due to being discontinued. Fennell had another substantial role in The Danish Girl, which stars Eddie Redmayne as the first transgender woman to receive gender-affirming surgery.

Kingsley Ben-Adir: Secret Invasion (Gravik)

It might be too soon to judge Ben-Adir’s performance in Secret Invasion against his other roles, but we’re doing it anyway. Say what you will about Secret Invasion, but Gravik is undoubtedly one of the selling points. We weren’t expecting too much from Marvel’s latest show, but we found ourselves pleasantly surprised by the compelling interactions between Nick Fury and Gravik. Although the series itself didn’t receive such favorable reviews, Ben-Adir’s portrayal was praised alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Ben Mendelsohn.

Ncuti Gatwa: Doctor Who (The Doctor)

Here’s one for the Brits. Doctor Who might not be as popular in the States, but it’s had such an enormous global reach that even the mere mention of the show’s title will perk some ears. You might not be able to name every single Doctor there is (I’m British and even I can’t do that), but you’ll have heard certain names on the grapevine. Serving as the fifteenth doctor overall, Gatwa hasn’t even started his run as Doctor Who yet, but we know for certain that this will be his time to shine. As the first Black actor to assume the role, Gatwa’s debut will come in late 2023.

Rhea Perlman: Matilda (Mrs. Wormwood)

Rhea Perlman is a national treasure, let’s just get that out there. Known as the long-time ex-wife of Danny DeVito, 75-year-old Perlman has truly done it all. she’s appeared in the sitcom Cheers, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and even animated movies like Sing. But one movie that’s guaranteed to turn heads is 1996’s Matilda, starring Mara Wilson. Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman star as Matilda’s parents, Harry and Zinnia Wormwood. There are so many laugh-out-loud moments in Matilda, but it’s worth noting that many of them come from DeVito and Perlman, so that must mean something.

John Cena: Peacemaker (Peacemaker)

No, unfortunately, John Cena’s wrestling career doesn’t count as acting, although that’s essentially the gist of WWE. Instead, we direct you to Peacemaker, a character who received enormous attention in 2021’s The Suicide Squad. Apparently, Cena’s portrayal was so significant that DC demanded a spin-off series dedicated to him. If we thought Cena stole the show in The Suicide Squad, then he certainly stood out in Peacemaker. It’s a well-made show in general, but Cena’s lively portrayal is the icing on the proverbial cake.