Barbie’s Margot Robbie Recalls Being ‘Mortified’ By Those Viral Set Photos

Margot Robbie as Barbie
(Image credit: Warner Bros)

Unless you’ve been off the Internet for the last several months, chances are you know about the Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie. Specific plot details on Greta Gerwig’s new movie are being kept close to the vest, but prospective viewers have already gotten plenty of looks at the movie by way of set photos. The snapshots, some of which feature Robbie and Ken actor Ryan Gosling in bright duds, went viral in seemingly no time at all. While the pics brought enjoyment to many across the web, Robbie was “mortified” by the situation.

The Barbie set photos sparked a cavalcade of memes from social media users, with each arguably cleverer than the last. But with all the hype, I guess it would be easy for one to not even consider how those involved with the production would feel about the photos. Margot Robbie opened up about the pics while promoting her latest film, Amsterdam, on The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. She revealed that while her and Ryan Gosling’s characters seem to be having the time of their lives, she was personally experiencing a very different kind of feeling: 

I can't tell you how mortified we were by the way. We look like we're laughing, having fun, but dying on the inside. I was like, 'This is the most humiliating moment of my life.' So embarrassed.

When you really think about it, that is pretty scary. Actors are, of course, not unfamiliar with performing in front of people. However, the thought of sporting brightly colored rollerblading gear in front of a crowd while filming a movie on location is a bit nerve wracking. During her interview, the Wolf of Wall Street alum provided a bit more insight how things played out during that leg of the film shoot:

I knew that we had some exteriors to shoot in LA. Once you're doing exteriors, you're gonna get papped. There's probably going to be a little crowd of people there who are gonna take notice because of the fluro — we stand out a little in those outfits. And so I knew there would be a little bit of attention and probably some photos would get out there but not like it did. It was mad. It was like hundreds of people watching.

Talk about suffering for your art. I suppose, if there’s any consolation, fans are more than here for Margot Robbie living it up in a pink (and I mean very pink) world. There have also been some visceral responses to Ryan Gosling’s chiseled Ken, who also also sports platinum blonde hair in the movie. It’s certainly a look and one that many will likely be eager to see up on the big screen.

Earlier this summer, Ryan Gosling opened up about “break[ing] the Internet” with his abs. The actor provided some cheeky thoughts, saying that the web has been “trying to break [him] for years,” so he had “no other choice” but to return the favor. One particular person who’s been enjoying his new look is his partner and mother of his kids, Eva Mendes. Amid rare critiques of Gosling’s Ken, Mendes asked that people remember that her man is not playing a real person. And on a separate note, Mendes also requested the underwear that Gosling was sporting in the official pic Warner Bros. released. So yeah, it’s safe to say that she’s a fan.

It’s that kind of passionate fan love that Margot Robbie can certainly draw from ahead of Barbie’s release. It’s going to be a while before any of us actually get to see what Greta Gerwig has in store but, given her track record, it’s sure to be worth the wait. Until then, send the cast some love as you wait for more (official) sneak peeks.

Barbie is one of the biggest titles on the schedule of 2023 new movie releases and will arrive on July 21 of that year.

Erik Swann
Senior Content Producer

Erik Swann is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He began working with the publication in 2020 when he was hired as Weekend Editor. Today, he continues to write, edit and handle social media responsibilities over the weekend. On weekdays, he also writes TV and movie-related news and helps out with editing and social media as needed. He graduated from the University of Maryland, where he received a degree in Broadcast Journalism. After shifting into multi-platform journalism, he started working as a freelance writer and editor before joining CB. Covers superheroes, sci-fi, comedy, and almost anything else in film and TV. He eats more pizza than the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.