Barbie: The Subtle Reference To Bratz Dolls You Likely Missed
Greta Gerwig's record-breaking "Barbie" is, of course, a paean to Ruth Handler's iconic line of dolls that debuted in 1959. In creating the colorful, plastic world of Barbieland, Gerwig sought to achieve an "authentically artificial" feel, as she put it to the New York Times Magazine in July 2023. For all of the vivid surreality and neon set pieces, Barbieland bumps up against reality. Pop culture references persist in "Barbie," with its doll-like characters alluding to Zack Snyder and (to correctly capture the pronunciation) "The GodFATHer," among other phenomena.
Conversely, references to other toys are few and far between, especially ones outside of Mattel's toy empire. Some "Barbie" fans, however, have noticed a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference to Bratz dolls. One TikTok user theorized that the four teenage girls that Barbie visits in the real world are meant to represent the four original Bratz dolls — Sasha, Yasmin, Chloe, and Jade. Furthermore, Sasha's (Ariana Greenblatt) mom, Gloria (America Ferrera), lovingly calls her daughter "bunny boo," which fans point out was the doll's official nickname.
The Bratz versus Barbie rivalry rages on
The Barbie versus Bratz doll faceoff is baked into the Bratz origin story. They were created by a former Mattel employee, Carter Bryant, and debuted in 2001 courtesy of MGA Entertainment. The New Yorker dubbed the dolls "Barbie's new rival," in 2006 and indeed, they served as a sassy, sultrier counterpart to the mid-century Barbies. While Barbies were prim and willowy, Bratz dolls had a discernible attitude — making them the perfect stand-ins for the sneering, anti-Barbie teens in "Barbie."
The Easter egg theory made the rounds on TikTok, with users chiming in to endorse the reference. "Both Bratz and Barbie meant everything to me as a kid," wrote one TikToker. "It's so cool seeing this little reference."
The theory extended beyond the annals of TikTok, too, with writer Emily Nussbaum tweeting, "My mind is blown: just found out that the 4 tween girls in Barbie are named after the first Bratz dolls from 2001." The teenagers are credited on IMDb as "Junior High Friend," but it's entirely possible that they are referred to as the Bratz doll names in the film.
The Bratz dolls may not be getting their own live-action movie anytime soon, but the company made an appropriately tongue-in-cheek jab at the Barbenheimer phenomenon. An official Bratz TikTok shows the dolls excitedly getting ready to go to the movies, coordinating pink outfits, only to reveal they're seeing "Oppenheimer." Stay bratty, Bratz dolls.