A model who appears in the new Barbie film said she spent three months wearing a “fake tan and a big wig”. India Harl, 28, from Norfolk, described acting with stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as a “whirlwind experience”. She is one of hundreds of Barbies who live in Barbie Land and spent four hours in make-up every morning.
Fake tan every day, I’m in a big wig, but it was a lot of fun, said Miss Harl. The live-action film about the world’s most famous doll is out in July.
We all have different roles in Barbie Land. I’m Architect Barbie, said Miss Harl, who has appeared in adverts for Chanel and Visa. The scenes with Miss Harl’s Barbie were filmed over three months at Warner Bros’ studio in Watford.
I had a few chats with Margot. She was lovely. She was down to earth she said, describing the “epic experience” as a mixture of “glamour and hard work”. Miss Harl, who is originally from Stoke Holy Cross, near Norwich, but now lives in London, began modelling for girls’ magazines when she was a child.
I loved Barbie. I had loads of dolls growing up, and Barbie’s houses, she said. She was in Norfolk when she got a call asking if she could get to Warner Bros’ studio in three hours to audition.
I jumped on the next train I could. I wasn’t going to let anything stop me from getting on that train. That was on Friday, filming started on Monday.” The original Barbie doll was launched in 1959 and featured long legs, a tiny waist and flowing blonde locks.
In recent years, US toy giant Mattel has created dolls with a hearing aid, a prosthetic limb and a wheelchair in a bid to make the range more diverse. Miss Harl said: “It’s grown with the times. It’s so different now.”
