2023’s Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has made a permanent mark in our hearts with the hilarious way in which they tackle misogyny and other glaring societal problems.
The film has smashed all records and become Warner Bros.’s most successful movie ever, earning a whopping $1.4 billion at the box office so far.
However, one particularly hilarious scene never made it to the final cut, and it had director Greta Gerwig in stitches. The Jaws-inspired scene involved Allan (Michael Cera) and a shark, and it was so funny that Gerwig kept asking to watch it repeatedly.
Cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto revealed this behind-the-scenes story in an exclusive interview with Variety. Unfortunately, we won’t get to see this comedic gem, as it was left out of the movie. Here is what Prieto said about it:
We did this shot on Allan that emulated ‘Jaws.’ 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. [Greta] could not stop laughing when we shot it and kept asking the video assistant to replay it for her just to laugh.
Allan is not as famous as Ken and Barbie, even in the real-life history of Barbie dolls. He was created as a boyfriend for Midge and a buddy for Ken, but he didn’t last long and was discontinued in 1966, just two years after his debut. Despite making some brief comebacks in the ’90s and 2000s, Allan never really stayed in the spotlight.
That’s why there is only one version of Allan in the movie. He is the odd one out among the many Barbies and Kens, who hog most of the screen time in the film and leave very little for poor Allan.
Nonetheless, he is the quirky and lovable loner who often makes us laugh with his struggles to fit in and find love.
Allan may not be a key player in the movie, but he leaves a lasting impression with his subtle wit and humor. He is different from the Kens, who are obsessed with their macho image and provide a different idea of a male, which differs from the most common stereotype.
Cera was perfect for the role of Allan in Barbie, especially after he made one scene so hilarious that even the director could not stop laughing.
About Barbie (2023)
Barbie is a 2023 film directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote the screenplay with Noah Baumbach. It is based on the eponymous fashion doll line by Mattel, and serves as the franchise’s first live-action film adaptation after several computer-animated direct-to-video and streaming television films.
The film stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken respectively. Barbie released in the United States and United Kingdom on July 21, 2023, distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.
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