Barbie is on the verge of becoming the highest-grossing movie of the year and is, without question, the biggest movie of the year when it comes to what audiences are talking about. Its cast is so full of exciting and fun characters, it doesn’t matter that most of them have the same name. One of the most interesting, and popular, of the inhabitants of Barbieworld, however, isn’t a Barbie, but a character named Midge. But Midge isn’t just a viral star, she’s also an incredibly talented director who may have her second hit movie on the way.
Midge is played by Emerald Fennell who has a lot in common with the director in Barbie, as she is not just a talented actress, but a writer and director as well. Coming on the heels of the release of Barbie, Fennell is now focusing on her work behind the camera with her new film Saltburn, which is already making waves on the festival circuit.
Emerald Fennell In Front Of The Camera
In Barbie Emerald Fennell is one of the more easily recognizable characters when she plays Midge, a resident of Barbieworld who is pregnant, just perpetually pregnant. She’s based on a character from the line of dolls, one that Will Ferrell’s CEO even recognizes as having been discontinued, seemingly confused about how she is there. She’s also the source of one of the film’s deleted scenes, a once-planned Barbie post-credits scene where Midge finally gives birth.
While the role of a Midge may become Emerald Fennel’s most popular onscreen role, she’s far from a newcomer. She’s previously appeared in major films like The Danish Girl, The Netflix series The Crown, and had a recurring role in Call the Midwife. However, the place where Fennel has already shined even brighter is behind the camera as an Oscar-winning writer and director.
Emerald Fennell Behind The Camera
Emerald Fennel made her debut as a feature writer and director with 2020’s Promising Young Woman, and it’s hard to imagine her debut going much better. The film was nominated for five Oscars, and Fennell won the award for Best Original Screenplay. Fennell was attached to write a movie about DC Comics character Zatana, and while the future of that film is unclear, she’s back with her follow-up feature, Saltburn.
Saltburn recently debuted as part of the Telluride film festival, and while the initial reviews are not as glowing as many of those for Promising Young Woman, critics do seem to be in agreement that the film is, at the very least, an interesting one. It stars Barry Keough as an Oxford student who spends the summer at the estate of a school friend and meets his eccentric family. It’s clearly a movie with style and energy and it will be interesting to see what happens once more eyes get on it.
Whether by intent or coincidence, it is certainly interesting that Greta Gerwig, the occasional actress who is now officially one of Hollywood’s top writers and directors, cast Emerald Fennel in her movie, who may be on track for a very similar career.
