Karma Masselli awoke on Thursday morning with a sense of anticipation. The long-awaited “Barbie” movie was finally here.
Masselli, a 26-year-old, gathered with her group of approximately 25 friends to celebrate the occasion. Each person meticulously put together their outfit, representing a different Barbie doll: Cowgirl Barbie, Sporty Barbie, Vintage Barbie, Malibu Barbie, Mermaid Barbie, and more.
The celebration began with a “Barbie brunch” at a friend’s apartment in Brooklyn. The menu consisted of various pink foods, such as pink deviled eggs, pop tarts, pasta salad with beets, and pink salsa.
“Our ‘Barbie brunch’ felt like the Super Bowl,” Masselli exclaimed. “It was a holiday dedicated to embracing femininity.”
Later in the afternoon, the group made their way to the AMC in Kips Bay, Manhattan, to watch the highly anticipated film. Although the screening had a slight delay, the packed theater erupted in applause once the film began. The audience clapped, cheered, and laughed as the pink Warner Bros. logo appeared onscreen and Barbie made her entrance.
Masselli emerged from the theater, overwhelmed with emotion. “It was incredible,” she said, tears in her eyes.
Wearing a hot pink tank top and sparkling pink pants, Masselli was just one of the many New Yorkers flocking to see the opening weekend of “Barbie,” Greta Gerwig’s blockbuster film starring Margot Robbie as Barbie and Ryan Gosling as Ken.
From Thursday onward, theaters across the country were filled with audiences dressed in vibrant colors, with pink being the dominant hue. Some held their beloved Barbie dolls, while others greeted friends with cheerful “Hi, Barbie!”
Many fans opted for a double feature, watching both “Barbie” and Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” a biopic about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb. This unexpected combination resulted in a summer movie event and the most successful box office weekend since 2019.
“The theater was filled with excitement, energy, and pure joy,” said Stephen Solomon, 24, who watched “Barbie” at the AMC Lincoln Square.
Mary Albus, 28, brought her vintage Barbie doll, a cherished gift from her 21st birthday, to the AMC Kips Bay theater. Albus and her friends, known as the “sisterhood of the Traveling Barbie,” share the doll, passing it from one friend to another, bringing it along on various adventures.
Coincidentally, the premiere of the “Barbie” movie aligned with Albus’s turn to have the doll. “They insisted that I bring her to the Barbie movie,” Albus explained.
For May Haaf, watching the movie with her 9-year-old daughter, Arya, was a special moment of bonding and celebrating female empowerment. Both mother and daughter donned matching white and pink “Barbie” T-shirts.
Haaf expressed her admiration for the movie’s portrayal of women as individuals who don’t need to conform or settle. “It’s a new generation of movies that empower women and promote the idea of limitless possibilities,” she said.
Other moviegoers resonated with the film’s themes of female empowerment.
Sadie Veach, 23, wearing a pink pantsuit and pink eyeliner, found the movie to be a profound commentary on the complexities and beauty of womanhood. Her friend, Taylee Mathis, 25, sporting a pink shirt, pants, and carrying a skateboard, grew up loving Barbie dolls, watching the animated movies, and emulating Barbie’s style.
“Barbie represents more than just pink,” Mathis stated. “With Barbie, you can embody any persona you desire.”
Reporting by Maansi Srivastava
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