Hollywood
Six interesting facts about Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling’s Barbie
Mumbai: Many of us have played with Barbie dolls as kids, and many of us have dreamed of living the vibrant and cheerful life of Barbie as kids. This iconic toy has been a childhood friend of almost every young girl worldwide. What if we say that Barbie and her world are no longer just a fantasy? Well, it isn’t, as the critically acclaimed director Greta Gerwig has poured life into it! Starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Micheal Cara and many other acclaimed actors of Hollywood, the upcoming live-action film Barbie has been taking over the internet. This film goes beyond just a fantasy as Barbie and her friends also get a hilarious dose of reality. The anticipation is about to end as this highly awaited movie is set to hit the screens this Friday, 21 July 2023, and can be watched at your nearest PVR INOX cinemas. While you eagerly await Barbie’s on-screen arrival, you should check out these six fascinating facts about this movie that will increase your excitement.
1. Did you know Barbie is actually a nickname?
Yes, that’s right! Known globally as Barbie, this iconic doll’s name is actually Barbara Millicent Roberts. Barbie is also the first doll to have womanly features, an idea of Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler. She supposedly created this then-unique adult-bodied Barbie doll after watching her daughter give adult roles to her paper doll. Even though the board members weren’t too thrilled about it, this genius idea made Barbie a global icon.
2. It’s a funny story about how Ryan Gosling came to play Ken.
Let’s just say Ryan and Ken are best friends now, with Ryan lighting up the room with his ‘Kenergy’. How this came to be is a funny story. On The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Ryan shared that he found his daughter’s Ken doll in a rather sorry position, face down in the dirt beside a squished tree in his backyard. That was it for him, and he took on the role of Ken to tell the world this poor guy’s story. Quite a fantasy bromance, we must say!
3. The iconic Barbie house isn’t just a fantasy.
Remember the humongous, larger-than-life and pink Barbie doll house many of us wanted but couldn’t get? Well, it’s no more just a large mass of plastic but a real-life, brick-and-mortar house! Ditto; like the fantasy toy of childhood, this Malibu Barbie house was recently up for rent by Airbnb. If only this were in India, isn’t that what you’re thinking right now?
4. Pink-only Wednesdays on the Barbie sets
Pink Wednesdays… ring a bell, right? In the spirit of Barbie and getting inspired by Mean Girls, Margot Robbie made everyone on sets, and we mean everyone wear pink on Wednesdays. It gets funnier. Those who didn’t wear pink were fined. Hilariously, the actress would personally collect the fines, and the money would be donated to charity, which we are sure must have been a lot.
5. Margot’s singing debut as Barbie
Margot is a fantastic actress with a string of hits like Wolf of the Wall Street, Suicide Squad and I, Tonya under her belt, but we never heard her sing. The actress is set to cross another significant milestone as an artist as she is about to stun us with her vocal prowess in a couple of songs in Barbie alongside Ryan Gosling. We can’t wait to hear their melodic symphony!
6. Barbie has painted the B Town pink too!
The Barbie craze has taken over B-Town in India! As the release day approaches, numerous celebrities are showcasing their pink ensembles on social media in homage to the fashion icon. Bhumi Pednekar, Mrunal Thakur, Sharvari Wagh, and Ananya Pandey recently posted stunning pictures on Instagram flaunting their Barbie-inspired looks. It’s impossible not to be entranced by their beauty!
Interesting, isn’t it? Well, don’t waste any time and dive into the magical pink realm of Barbieland this Friday at your nearest PVR INOX!
Hollywood
David Zaslav could net up to $887m as Warner Bros Discovery sells up
Media mogul strikes gold as Paramount Skydance deal triggers massive windfall
NEW YORK: While the average office worker might hope for a nice clock and a round of applause upon leaving, David Zaslav is looking at a slightly more substantial parting gift. The chief executive officer of Warner Bros Discovery is positioned to receive a windfall of up to $887 million following the company’s blockbuster $110 billion sale to Paramount Skydance.
In a twist of corporate fate that feels scripted for the big screen, the deal marks the finale of a high-stakes bidding war. It comes after Netflix, once the frontrunner, decided to exit stage left and abandon its pursuit of the HBO Max parent company.
While most people receive a standard final paycheck, the filing released on Monday suggests Zaslav’s exit package is built a little differently. If the deal closes as expected in the third quarter of 2026, the numbers break down like this:
The cash out: A severance package of $34.2 million, covering his salary and bonuses.
The equity: $115.8 million in vested shares he already owns.
The future fortune: A massive $517.2 million in unvested share awards, essentially “future stock” that turns into real money the moment the ink dries on the merger.
Perhaps the most eye-catching figure is the $335 million earmarked for tax reimbursements. However, this particular pot of gold has an expiration date.
The company noted that these reimbursements are tied to specific tax-code rules that significantly decline as time passes. If the deal hits a snag and drags into 2027, that tax payout drops to zero. With hundreds of millions on the line, the chief executive officer likely has every incentive to ensure the closing process moves at double-speed.
