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
Disney sells out ad slots for 98th Oscars broadcast
Strong demand for live events turns the Academy Awards into a global, multi-platform marketing moment
NEW YORK: Hollywood’s biggest night has also become one of advertising’s hottest tickets. Disney has sold out all advertising inventory for the 98th Oscars, underscoring the growing demand from brands eager to ride the cultural wave of major live events.
The sell-out marks the sixth consecutive live tentpole success for Disney Advertising. The streak includes last year’s 97th Oscars, the 59th Annual CMA Awards, and Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest, signalling strong appetite among marketers for moments that bring audiences together in real time.
For advertisers, the Oscars are no longer just a single night of glitz and gold statues. Disney’s “Content Everywhere” strategy has expanded the awards show into a sprawling, multi-platform brand playground spanning linear television, streaming, social media and digital content.
“Live continues to be one of the most powerful ways for brands to connect with engaged audiences at scale, and the Oscars represent the very best of culture, creativity and community,” said Disney Advertising SVP, entertainment and streaming solutions John Campbell. He added that the company has reshaped the show’s commercial potential into a connected experience that stretches well beyond the broadcast.
Brands such as Mazda, Pfizer and Volkswagen of America are tapping into Disney’s wider ecosystem, appearing across original content segments including Know Your Movies on Hulu and Critically Acclaimed on Disney+. Partnerships also extend to social media through TikTok Pulse Premiere and to custom brand storytelling created by Disney CreativeWorks.
The result is what Disney calls the “Oscars Everywhere” approach. Rather than a few high-profile ad breaks, advertisers now find themselves woven through a series of moments before, during and after the ceremony.
These include On The Red Carpet at The Oscars, a live pre-show syndicated across major local markets and streamed nationwide, and the After the Oscars Show, which keeps the conversation going once the final award has been handed out.
This year’s sponsors include Rolex, returning for its ninth year, and Burger King, which joins the Oscars advertiser roster for the first time. Other brands in the mix include Disney Cruise Line, Dunkin’, Eli Lilly and Company, Eucerin, Intuit TurboTax, L’Oréal, McDonald’s, Microsoft, Miebo, Paris Baguette, Peacock, Starbucks, State Farm, Toyota and Verizon.
The 98th Oscars will take place on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood. The ceremony will be broadcast live on ABC and streamed on Hulu, reaching audiences in more than 200 territories worldwide.
