- Meryl Streep referred to Barbie as the savior of cinema, and Hollywood in 2023, at the Palm Springs Film Awards
- Barbie became the only movie in 2023 to break $1 billion
- The film marks a significant achievement in the film industry for women filmmakers
During the Palm Springs Film Awards, Meryl Streep praised Barbie, the 2023 film, as the savior of cinema and Hollywood. Not only did the movie, based on the iconic Mattel doll, become the only one in 2023 to break $1 billion, but it also marked a significant achievement for women filmmakers.
Streep made her remarks before presenting Carey Mulligan with the International Star Award for her role in Maestro. The Barbie movie grossed $1.4 billion, and Billie Eilish and Finneas earned the Chairman’s Award for their song “What Was I Made For?” from the film. Streep said in her speech that the Barbie team “saved the movies last summer and all of our jobs,” and “delivered joy to countless generations and genders of people.”
Interestingly, Barbie writer Noah Baumbach initially believed making the film was a “terrible idea” but changed his mind after reading a draft of the script. The movie eventually became a phenomenon, and one of the most successful films directed by a woman, making an important step in the cultural change within the film industry.
Director Greta Gerwig also recognized the risk involved in making the film, stating, “It was a risk for the studio to make it and for Mattel to make it.” She wanted the movie to succeed, however, “to make it easier for whatever the next thing is” for women filmmakers. Barbie now ranks 14th in the list of highest-grossing films in history, close to Frozen 2 and Top Gun: Maverick.