Ahead of the highly-anticipated Barbie movie release this week, Greta Gerwig has explained how she hopes the film challenges existing stereotypes.
The actor-writer-director, 39, spoke about her new film while posing for the front cover of ELLE UK magazine.
Speaking on how she hopes that Barbie subverts sexist stereotypes, Greta said: '[Barbie is] literally plastic. She's unchanging. If you threw [her] out, she just wouldn't disintegrate. If I could give that persona some humanity, some falling-apart-ness, that – in and of itself – would be meaningful.
'In this sort of double mirror of the movie, Margot Robbie is also a person we expect to be perfect. What does that mean that we also do that? Is she allowed to fall apart and be vulnerable?'
On how Barbie was a very personal project: 'Even though it's about Barbie, it felt incredibly personal. Just as personal as anything else I've made. It starts off in a place where there is no aging, no death, no shame, no separation.
Opening up: Ahead of the highly-anticipated Barbie movie release this week, Greta Gerwig has explained how she hopes the film challenges existing stereotypes
Stunning: The actor-writer-director, 39, spoke about her new film while posing for the front cover of ELLE UK magazine
'That's an oldie but a goodie. Because I went to Catholic school, that story of Eve and Adam suddenly realising they are naked really stuck with me.
'My mom wasn't crazy about Barbie. It wasn't something that felt, necessarily, approved, which made it more intriguing. Part of the reason I think I was so intrigued [by this project] is because, not even intellectually, but from deep inside, I understand the counter-arguments. That feels rich.'
Opening up about her current stage of life, Greta added: 'I'm about to be 40 and there's something about that where you're like: 'Oh! I'm properly middle aged now.' All parts of life feel extremely activated.'
Barbie struck a high note with critics, who called the upcoming film 'dazzling' in early reviews.
Critics who viewed the flick have shared their thoughts on Rotten Tomatoes , with one describing the highly-anticipated Margot Robbie film as 'one of the most entertaining movies of the year.'
The Barbie movie is set to land in theaters on July 21, with Margot, 33, leading the cast as the eponymous Barbie doll alongside her boyfriend Ken, played by Ryan Gosling , 42.
Critics also praised director Greta Gerwig, 39, for achieving 'a pleasing balance between the silly and the serious.'
'This is a truly original work - one of the smartest, funniest, sweetest, most insightful and just plain flat-out entertaining movies of the year,' Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gushed.
On how Barbie was a very personal project: 'Even though it's about Barbie, it felt incredibly personal. Just as personal as anything else I've made'
Opening up about her current stage of life, Greta added: 'I'm about to be 40 and there's something about that where you're like: 'Oh! I'm properly middle aged now.' All parts of life feel extremely activated'
Aside from Robbie and Gosling, other members of the cast include Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Emma Mackey, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Rhea Perlman, Ariana Greenblatt, Ana Cruz Kayne, Alexandra Shipp, Ritu Arya, Sharon Rooney, Connor Swindells, Scott Evans and Jamie Demetriou.
New: The full interview is included in the new copy of Elle UK
IMDB synopsis of the movie reads: 'A doll living in 'Barbieland' is expelled for not being perfect enough and sets off on an adventure in the real world. A Live-action feature film based on the popular line of Barbie toys.'
For the Australian actress, bringing the beloved children's toy to life was slightly daunting due to mixed feelings about what the doll represents .
Speaking on a pre-recorded interview with Good Morning America on Tuesday, the actress explained: 'I was both scared and excited by the idea that people were gonna come into this movie already feeling very strongly about the protagonist.'
Robbie promised the film would be far from 'surface level' thanks to the script and direction by Greta Gerwig.
The actress continued: 'I think in a lot of other hands, a Barbie movie would remain surface level.
'But I knew Greta was gonna have a lot to say, and I knew she was gonna Trojan Horse a lot of - big issues within a very fun world.'
Dream team: Critics applauded director Greta Gerwig, 39 (pictured center) for achieving 'a pleasing balance between the silly and the serious'; The trio pictured on June 25 in Los Angeles
Barbie world: The Barbie movie is set to land in theaters on July 21, with Margot, 33, leading the cast as the eponymous Barbie doll alongside her boyfriend Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, 42
Revealing her hopes for the movie, the Wolf of Wall Street star stated: 'I hope people walk away... I hope that they feel good about themselves watching it.
'I feel like there's some sorta relief in this movie and that the message ultimately is, 'You're good. You're good as you are.''
Barbie will hit the theaters on July 21 and will see stiff competition from Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer — set to be released on the same day — which critics have hailed as a 'total knockout' and 'spectacular achievement' following its premiere in Paris.
Oppenheimer features an all-star cast and is led by Cillian Murphy, who plays the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer., also known as the father of the Atomic bomb.