When making Barbie, Gerta Gerwig didn’t hold back on the surprises. From a ton of star cameos to surprising jokes she didn’t think she could get away with, there’s something unexpected in practically every scene. Now, we’re learning that Olivia Colman was also supposed to make an appearance, but ultimately her scene was cut. While I would’ve enjoyed seeing her in the pink-tastic chaos that is Barbie, I really just love her funny response to seeing the positive side of the situation.
Effortlessly bouncing around genre and shining in roles that show off her dramatic talents and impeccable comedic timing throughout her career, Olivia Colman’s best movies and shows prove that she can do anything. Her role in Barbie would’ve been another epic one as we would’ve seen her get gritty in a drunken fight with the voice of the movie, Helen Mirren. And who wouldn’t have wanted to see the two British queens of television and movies duke it out to see who’s the best of the best?
While talking to IndieWire, Colman spoke about this scene, and why cutting it turned out to be a win-win for her. She said:
I never saw it. They had arranged a call between me, David Heyman, the producer, and Greta Gerwig. I thought, ‘Oh, I know what this must be [for]. It made perfect sense, because it didn’t add to the story, it was just fun. Maybe they were running over, I don’t know. But it was kind of perfect for me, because I got paid for the job, and then no one could say I was shit in it.
I can’t help but give her props for her hilarious honesty. She seemed happy to just be involved, and her answer actually does make sense. With an almost two-hour runtime, Barbie is jam-packed with memorable moments from beginning to end. So, depending on various factors, there might have been a need to trim some scenes. Either way, I’m just glad it all worked out for her.
Mirren, who played the narrator in the Barbie cast, also talked about the cut fight scene. She mentioned that it “was really funny,” and she said it was supposed to be a parody of British people, who are normally very supportive of each other’s wins. If the scene had happened, that would’ve been the only time Mirren appeared on screen.
Besides Colman, there are a few other cameos that didn’t happen and audiences would’ve loved. While speaking to CinemaBlend, Gerwig mentioned that a planned appearance from Saoirse Ronan didn’t happen because of scheduling conflicts. In the same conversation, she also said Timothée Chalamet was supposed to have a specialty cameo, but he couldn’t do it. Schitt’s Creek’s Dan Levy was almost a Ken, but he also couldn’t get away from his extremely busy schedule.
There has been debate about the possibility of a Barbie sequel. So, if one were to happen, hopefully, Olivia Colman could come back and have her time as a drunken grande dame or something totally new. As long as she and Mirren are involved together, I’d be down for anything. In the meantime, it’s time to binge-watch Fleabag, Wicked Little Letters, and the rest of her CV so I can rewatch some of her funniest on-screen moments.
You can check out Barbie with a Max subscription, and also catch some behind-the-scenes action and cast interviews. Then, be sure to take a look at our 2024 movie schedule to see what Olivia Coleman and Helen Mirren are working on next.