Even though the cast of the Barbie movie is already stacked, I think many of us were hoping and praying that some of Greta Gerwig’s long-time colleagues and A+ actors would make a cameo in Barbie. It turns out, the Oscar-nominated director did try to get her plas Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan into her film, and she revealed to CinemaBlend why it didn’t work out. However, just knowing that they tried to make it happen makes me happy, and if these two Little Women stars would have ended up in this bright pink movie it would have been epic.
While speaking with CinemaBlend, we asked Greta Gerwig about the planned cameo for Saoirse Ronan that didn’t work out. Earlier this year the Academy Award-nominated actress, opened up about how she felt “gutted” over not being able to pop into Barbie. Turns out, her friend and frequent collaborator was also bummed about the Lady Bird star not being able to visit Barbie Land. The director said:
Well, it was always going to have to be like a sort of smaller thing because she was actually producing at the time, which I am so proud of her for. And of course, it's brilliant. But it was going to be a specialty cameo. I was also going to do a specialty cameo with Timmy, and both of them couldn't do it, and I was so annoyed. But I love them so much. But it felt like doing something without my children. I mean, I'm not their mom, but I sort of feel like their mom.
Not only did we almost get a Saoirse Ronan cameo, we also almost got a Timothée Chalamet cameo too! To see these two reunited on screen in the Barbie movie of all movies would have been truly legendary. I could totally see Ronan as a Barbie and Chalamet as a Ken, I think they’d fit right into Barbie Land. Even if they were only in the film for a few seconds, it would have been epic.
If these cameos would have worked out, this would have marked the third time in a row the two actors and the director worked together. The terrific trio made their debut with Gerwig’s directorial debut Lady Bird, and then Chalamet and Ronan led the Little Women cast in 2019 as Jo and Laurie.
Understandably, the two actors couldn’t make it in for the shoot. They’re both mega stars who are very, very busy and sadly they weren’t able to join Margot Robbie and co. for Barbie, although they did try.
While Gerwig didn’t explain why the actors specifically couldn’t be involved, the two stars have multiple exciting films in the works which explain their busy schedules.
Chalamet likely couldn’t make it because he was off in the desert shooting Dune: Part Two. I think it's safe to assume that there are no direct flights from Arrakis to Barbie Land. Then, he was probably busy playing Willy Wonka in the chocolatier’s origin film Wonka after that. Both films are set to premiere on the 2023 movie schedule, so I get why he couldn’t go serve any Ken-ergy with the other Kens.
As for Ronan, the Barbie director noted she couldn’t make it because she was producing her first film, which is incredibly exciting. That film is called The Outrun, and she’s the star of it too. Currently, it’s in post-production.
While it's a bit of a bummer that Greta Gerwig, Timothée Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan didn’t get to keep their streak alive, I’m overjoyed they at least tried to work it out. It would have been so epic to see the two actors on screen in Barbie Land, however, that fantasy will have to remain imaginary, for now. Maybe…if there’s a sequel we could get this trio of Little Women alums back together so they can keep their history of collaboration alive, and share their takes on Barbie and Ken.
