This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the film being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Barbie has earned the title of the highest-grossing movie of the year, and as such, has also been released into IMAX theaters with some “special new footage,” as filmmaker Greta Gerwig describes it, included with the screening.
In an interview with Variety, cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto shared that many funny moments didn’t make it into the final cut of the film. One of those included Ken’s friend, Allan (Michael Cera), emulating a scene from Jaws.
“We did this shot on Allan that emulated Jaws,” Prieto said. “He’s terrified [when] Ken hits a wave and then flies in the air. There’s a moment where the police officer sees someone being eaten in the water. The camera does this push-in, it’s a move where you use a zoom and you’re dialing into the character while zooming back at the same time. The effect is that the background changes—the shot, and his performance, [were] very dramatic.”
Cera’s antics were also dramatically funny, it seems, as Prieto also added that Gerwig couldn’t stop laughing at the scene.
Prieto also shared that they shot a scene where Barbie’s pregnant friend, Midge (Emerald Fennell), gives birth, replete with Helen Mirren providing voiceover. “It was a little additional moment [where] Helen Mirren then blocks the camera,” he said, adding that he “can’t really say much more.”
And, of course, there are also lots of bloopers relating to Will Ferrell’s performance as Mattel’s CEO. “With Will Ferrell, come on—they should have bloopers from that because he just came up with the craziest stuff,” Prieto said. “All the actors around him couldn’t avoid laughing. We were all playing, and so many moments of improvisation had to be taken out.”
Barbie is still playing in theaters, including a new IMAX version with additional footage.
