Read Next: Box Office: ‘Barbie’ Breaks Ground With Biggest Opening Day of 2023, ‘Oppenheimer’ Dolling Up to

SUBSCRIBE LOG IN
$77 Million Debut

Film TV What To Watch Music Docs Tech Global Awards Circuit Video What To Hear VIP

HOME > FILM > NEWS Jul 21, 2023 2:44pm PT

MOST
Greta Gerwig Refused to Cut a ‘Barbie’ Scene
That’s the ‘Heart of the Movie,’ Told Execs: ‘If I POPULAR
Cut That, I Don’t Know Why I’m Making This Film’ Box Office: ‘Barbie’ Breaks
Ground With Biggest Opening
Day of 2023, ‘Oppenheimer’
By Zack Sharf Dolling Up to $77 Million Debut

Christopher Nolan Tells the

‘Correct Answer’ to ‘Inception’
Ending, Recalls Sneaking Into
Theaters and Hearing ‘Gasps,
Groans, Frustrations…

‘Joker 2’ Cinematographer
‘Never Even Met’ the Real Lady
Gaga on Set, Called Her ‘Lee’
While Filming: ‘I Didn’t Know
Her at All…

Greta Gerwig Refused to Cut a

‘Barbie’ Scene That’s the ‘Heart
of the Movie,’ Told Execs: ‘If I
Cut That, I Don't Know Why I'm
Making This Film…

Bill Geddie, ‘The View’ Co-

Creator and Barbara Walters'
Longtime Producer, Dies at 68

©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection

A D V E RT I S E M E N T

Listen to this article now

Powered by Trinity Audio 10 10 1.0✕✕

00:00 02:52

Popular on Variety

Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” is now playing in theaters nationwide, but one if its most
emotional scenes might not have made it to the big screen had the filmmaker
not held her ground against studio executives. In several interviews before the
comedy’s theatrical release, Gerwig revealed that it was suggested she cut out
Must Read
the scene where Barbie (Margot Robbie) meets an elderly woman on a bench
and tells her she’s beautiful.

“I love that scene so much,” Gerwig told Rolling Stone. “And the older woman
on the bench is the costume designer Ann Roth. She’s a legend. It’s a cul-de-
sac of a moment, in a way — it doesn’t lead anywhere. And in early cuts,
looking at the movie, it was suggested, ‘Well, you could cut it. And actually, the
story would move on just the same.’ And I said, ‘If I cut the scene, I don’t know
what this movie is about.'”
FILM

A D V E RT I S E M E N T COVER | Showstopper! Strikes Plunge

Hollywood Into Chaos With Pricey Movie
Delays, Pay Battles and AI Anxiety

FILM
Barbie’s Dream House Is
Available to Rent on Airbnb, and
Yes, It’s in Malibu

FILM
Box Office: ‘Barbie’ Breaks
Ground With Biggest Opening
Day of 2023, ‘Oppenheimer’
Dolling Up to $77 Million Debut

BIZ
SAG-AFTRA Strike: Negotiations
Cratered Over AI, Streaming
Revenue Sharing, Pay Hikes and
More

TV
Comic-Con 2023 Schedule
Shrinks as Some Panels
Canceled Due to SAG-AFTRA
Strike
“That’s how I saw it. To me, this is the heart of the movie,” she continued. “The
way Margot plays that moment is so gentle and so unforced. There’s the more
outrageous elements in the movie that people say, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe Sign Up for Variety Newsletters
Mattel let you do this,’ or, ‘I can’t believe Warner Bros. let you do this.’ But to me, Enter your email address SIGN UP

the part that I can’t believe that is still in the movie is this little cul-de-sac that By subscribing, I agree to the Terms of Use and
doesn’t lead anywhere — except for, it’s the heart of the movie.” Privacy Policy. // This site is protected by
reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy
Policy and Terms of Service apply.
The scene with the elderly woman has nothing to do with the plot of the movie,
per se, but it’s vital to understanding Barbie’s perception of the real world after
she leaves the perfect utopia that is Barbieland.

“The idea of a loving God who’s a mother, a grandmother — who looks at you
and says, ‘Honey, you’re doing ok’ — is something I feel like I need and I
wanted to give to other people,” Gerwig added to The New York Times about
the importance of the scene, which she describes as a “transaction of grace.”

“If I cut that scene, I don’t know why I’m making this movie,” Gerwig added. “If I
don’t have that scene, I don’t know what it is or what I’ve done.”

Executives also tried to get a scene from the movie removed where a teenager
eviscerates Barbie to her face. A cover story from Time magazine on the making
A D V E RT I S E M E N T
of “Barbie” revealed that Mattel president and COO Richard Dickson flew to the
movie’s London set at one point during production to argue with Gerwig and
Robbie about the scene because he believed it was off-brand for the company.
The director and her star convinced Dickson to keep the scene in the film by
performing it for him live on set.

A D V E RT I S E M E N T

“When you look on the page, the nuance isn’t there, the delivery isn’t there,”
Robbie said.
STRICTLY
“Barbie” is now playing in theaters nationwide from Warner Bros.
BUSINESS

Read More About:

Barbie, Greta Gerwig

COMMENTS

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Loading survey...

A Variety and iHeartRadio Podcast

Want to read more articles like this one? S U B S C R I B E T O DAY

Sponsored Stories

More People Switching to VoIP Phones Stair Lifts Might Be Cheaper than You Why Are Villas In Dubai So Cheap?
(Take a Look at the Prices) Think (See Prices)
VOIP PHONE | SEARCH ADS Search Now STAIR LIFTS | SEARCH ADS DUBAI VILLAS | SEARCH ADS Search Now

Sponsored Links by Taboola

Do You Speak English? Work a Sri Lanka: Unsold Designer Apartments For Sale in Dubai
USA Job From Home in Sri Lanka Handbags Might Be Cheaper… Might Surprise You
USA Work | Search Ads | Sponsored Designer Bags | Search | Sponsored Dubai Apartments | S… | Sponsored Search Now

3 COMMENTS

LEAVE A REPLY

Enter your comment here

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

NAME *

EMAIL *

WEBSITE

POST

Comments are moderated. They may be edited for clarity and reprinting in whole or in part in Variety publications.

Paolo July 21, 2023 at 2:49 pm

“a teenager eviscerates Barbie” Where’s the spoiler alert?

REPLY

Dan July 22, 2023 at 6:50 am

Sadly, it’s not a literal evisceration.

REPLY

Joe Coffee July 22, 2023 at 7:07 am

Now whenever I think of Barbie, I’ll think of artistic integrity.

REPLY

More From Our Brands

R O L L I N G S TO N E R O B B R E P O RT S P O RT I C O SPY TVLINE

YNW Melly Murder Trial The Tesla Cybertruck: Verstappen Aims for Seven Bowflex’s SelectTech Star Trek: Strange New
Declared a Mistrial as Jury Everything We Know About at Hungarian Grand Prix, Adjustable Dumbbells Are Worlds Recap: Lower Decks’
Deadlocks on Verdict Elon Musk’s ‘Bulletproof’ Hamilton Takes Poll 43% Off for Prime Day — Boimler and Mariner Drop by
Electric Pickup Their Lowest Price of 2023 in Bonkers Crossover
— Grade It!

About Us Legal Variety Magazine VIP+ Connect

Newsletter Terms of Use Subscribe Subscribe Instagram
Variety Events Privacy Policy Print Plus Login Login Twitter
Luminate - Film & TV AdChoices Back Issues Learn More YouTube
Advertise Accessibility Group Subscriptions FAQ Facebook
Media Kit Variety Archives LinkedIn
Careers Help
Customer Service

THE BUSINESS OF ENTERTAINMENT

SUBSCRIBE TODAY
Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. © 2023 Variety Media, LLC. All Rights Reserved. Variety and the Flying V logos are trademarks of Variety Media, LLC.
Powered by WordPress.com VIP

HAVE A NEWS TIP? LET US KNOW

: