What is the real story of Barbie? Who invented Barbie, who was she based on - and how old is Barbie?

The hype around the Barbie movie has reached new peaks as one of the most anticipated films of the year has dropped in UK cinemas.

Fans will finally be able to see the doll brought to life by director Greta Gerwig (Little Women), with Margot Robbie (Suicide Squad) and Ryan Gosling (La La Land) starring as the duo, Barbie and Ken. Reviews of the Barbie movie are in, with Rotten Tomatoes giving the film an impressive score of 89%.

Barbie is the world’s most famous doll and in a nod to her creator, there is an emotional cameo appearance alongside Robbie from the doll’s namesake. So, who invented Barbie and is she based on a real person? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who invented Barbie?

Barbie was invented by Mattel co-founder Ruth Handler. The famous toy company began life as a start-up in 1945 set up by Handler, along with her husband Elliot and Harold “Matt” Mattson, with the name Mattel being a combination of Elliot and Matt’s names. However, it wouldn’t be until 1959 that the company launched the doll that would seal their success.

The idea for Barbie came while Handler was on holiday in Europe with her 15-year-old daughter Barbara. Whilst there, she spotted a doll called Bild Lilli which was a joke gift aimed at adults. Handler bought three of them, taking them back to America and started working on a design of a similar doll aimed at children. According to the Barbie website, she wanted to create “a doll that showed girls they had choices”, after discovering toys for her daughter were aimed at “being a mom or caregiver”.

The first Barbie doll was released at the American Toy Fair on March 9, 1959. She was dressed in a black and white striped swimsuit and had her signature ponytail. The look has been recreated for Robbie in the Barbie movie.

Is Barbie based on a real person?

Whilst Barbie is not based on a real person, she is named after Handler’s daughter, Barbara, with the doll's full name being Barbara Millicent Roberts. The inspiration behind the doll makes a quick cameo in the Barbie movie, starring alongside Robbie in a sentimental nod to her mother’s creation. Reported by TMZ in April, Barbara, who does not go by Barbie, said it was “great to see her mother’s legacy live on”.

Is Ken based on a real person?

The name for Barbie’s other half came from Handler’s son, Kenneth, although as reported by Time Magazine, the only similarity the pair shared was their name. In an interview with the New York Times in 1989, Kenneth Handler explained: “Ken doll is Malibu, He goes to the beach and surfs. He is all these perfect American things.” He added that as a teen he “played the piano and went to movies with subtitles. I was a nerd - a real nerd”.

In the Barbie movie, Ken is played by Gosling, and the La La Land actor shared why he felt compelled to tell Ken’s story in an interview with GQ. Gosling explained that his daughters play with the doll, saying: “I did see him, like, face down in the mud outside one day, next to a squished lemon”, adding: “and it was like, this guy’s story does need to be told, you know?”

How old is Barbie?

Barbie was launched in 1959, making the doll 64 years old, however Barbie’s age is timeless; launched as a 19-year-old, she is frozen in time and does not age.

Where can I see the Barbie movie?

The Barbie movie dropped in UK cinemas on Friday 21 July - which is the same day as Christopher Nolan’s epic Oppenheimer starring Cillian Murphy (Peaky Blinders). The striking contrast between the two has coined the term “Barbenheimer”, on social media, with film fans debating which movie to see first and creating mash-up memes showcasing the two contrasting stories.