People now give me their heart instead of laughing in my face’

Rachel Evans, ‘human Barbie’ THE GUARDIAN article Mon 24 July 2023

Pictured: Rachel Evans: ‘This film is such a gift.’

I think it’s a work of genius. It’ll go down as one of the best movies of all time. It’s exceptional. I love everything about it.

It’s finally made me feel validated. Some people have said the creation of Barbie didn’t help feminism. I think it did, but it’s just feminism batting your eyelashes rather than burning your bra.

The misconception was that you couldn’t be a human Barbie, as I am, because she’s a toy who’s flat and plastic and not multifaceted. Yet Margot Robbie brought that character to life and showed how she could be human.

In the past, I’ve had to explain the history of Barbie and how I relate to her personality; that that’s why I dress like her and why I’ve spent 18 years changing my facial aesthetics. People used to ridicule me and give me dirty looks on the train. They’d look at me and smirk. Now I don’t need to justify myself, and I feel an abundance of pure love.

The movie did that for me, and it’s such a gift. People smile and approach me. Men say: “Hi Barbie!” Young girls tell me my dress is beautiful. I was going up the escalator in a shopping centre and a woman looked at me in awe. I just smiled and waved and her face lit up. To connect with people’s hearts has always been my dream, and people are now giving me their heart instead of laughing in my face. It’s been overwhelming and profound.

Other people now treat me with respect, too: press and producers as well as the public. I don’t know if it’s going to mean I can give up the day job. I work in a Mayfair fashion boutique as well as being a real-life Barbie; I juggle both. I’ve always had different careers, just like Barbie!

I’ve seen the film twice now and I cried both times.

When I saw the film on Saturday, I was sobbing. I was like: “Oh, I shouldn’t cry that hard because my makeup is gonna look wrecked.” But it was just so beautiful.


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