What to Watch the Week of Sunday, July 16: Sweet Magnolias S3, the Barbie Movie, and More

Barbie casting directors Lucy Bevan and Allison Jones are spilling the tea on how they landed with the perfect set of Barbies and Kens.

Margot Robbie has said she was teased by her friends for not having a kissing scene with her Barbie co-star Ryan Gosling.In the film directed by Greta Gerwig, Barbie (Robbie) and Ken (Gosling) never share a kiss on screen, which became a source of ridicule in Robbie’s circle of friends.Asked by People whether she was happy she didn’t have to fully kiss Gosling in the film, Robbie, who also served as a producer, said: “Uh no! That didn’t feel like a win for me.“All of my girlfriends were like, ‘Well you did a whole movie with him and you don’t kiss? What’s wrong with you? I thought you were kind of in charge on this one!’”She added: “I was like, ‘I know, I can’t check that one off [my list].’”Gosling, however, was happy with how they navigated their relationship. “It was so funny trying to figure out what their idea of kissing might be,” the actor said.

Greta Gerwig had a clear vision for the story she wanted to tell with Barbie and rejected the idea of cutting a scene with Margot Robbie and an older woman on a bench.

Barbie and Christopher Nolan’s epic yet introspective, all-star cast biopic Oppenheimer spawned the summer’s most unlikely double feature.The teams behind both films were smart enough to catch on to the public’s pitting the world’s most famous doll against the man who birthed the Bomb.And the team behind this dual review, having completed the double feature in Barbie–Oppenheimer order, can report that both films are smart enough to recognize, respectively, the stereotypical girlishness that Barbie represents, and the inarguably patriarchal society that J. Robert Oppenheimer both represented and at times resisted.Barbie, co-written by Ladybird and Little Women Oscar nominee Gerwig and her Oscar-nominated husband Noah Baumbach, actually turns examining the toy’s impact on generations of girls and women into its whole raison d’être.

America Ferrera was very sincere in a new round of interviews. While promoting her new film “Barbie,” which premieres July 21st in theaters, Ferrera revealed to her costars one of her guilty pleasures, claiming that she would regret her admission later. America Ferrera and Margot Robbie fangirl over Nicki Minaj at ‘Barbie’ premiere: ‘That was iconic’Margot Robbie and America Ferrera matching in red: See pics of their Barbie looks in LondonA post shared by America Ferrera (@americaferrera)The video inteview was conducted by Vanity Fair and showed some of the cast members of “Barbie” alongside their director Greta Gerwig playing a game of asking each other questions to test how well they know each other.

America Ferrera might “regret” sharing her guilty pleasure with the world.

Emily Longeretta SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers from Season 2 of “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” The teen drama isn’t a new genre — it’s been around for decades. But on television, the offerings have been lacking in recent years, with shows feeling pressure to add something more — usually in the from of a supernatural creature — than just relationship-based storytelling. Many shows appear to be afraid to do just that, despite the fact that it’s what The WB (RIP) and The CW (RIP x2) were built on. The word “ship” started circulating more on social media during “The Vampire Diaries,” which thrived when it leaned into Stelena, Delena, Klaroline, etc., rather than the bloodsucking. Years later, the remake of “Roswell” succeeded most when Malex’s growing love was examined, rather than the aliens in town.

This Barbie is a body-positive queen — and her name is Issa Rae.

Jordan Moreau “Barbenheimer” is finally here. The biggest box office battle in years has begun, with Warner Bros.’ “Barbie” making $22.3 million at the domestic box office in Thursday previews. Universal’s “Oppenheimer” made $10.5 million in previews. The “Barbie” preview haul is the biggest of the summer box office, beating the previous best of $17.5 million from “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3.” “Barbenheimer” won’t be much of a showdown, however, as Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie’s “Barbie” is expected to have a huge debut of well over $100 million in its opening weekend — with some estimates as high as $140 million, thanks to its massive marketing efforts. The large preview gross suggests the opening weekend may be closer to the high-end of projections.

channel your Ken-ergy and strap on your roller skates my babies, we’re in the midst of a Barbie summer.Greta Gerwig’s hotly anticipated fantasy comedy “Barbie,” premieres July 21 with Cancer queen Margot Robbie playing the titular role alongside Issa Rae, Kate McKinnon, Emerald Fennell, America Ferrera, Will Farrell, Dua Lipa, Helen Mirren and Ryan Gosling as the hot, hapless, beach venerating, Ken.In honor of the film’s release and six decades of the doll’s domination we are taking a look at Barbie’s birth chart.Standing pert on tip toes with the modern equivalent of a Mona Lisa smile, Barbie, full name Barbara Millicent Roberts was introduced by Mattel Inc. at the American International Toy Fair in New York City on March 9, 1959.Fun fact; astrology applies not only to human beings but to global events, animals, the incorporation of cities, and the introduction of iconic toys.

Barbie looks set to become one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.Directed by Greta Gerwig (Little Women), the satirical comedy marks the first live-action film based on Mattel’s Barbie dolls.Led by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken respectively, the film’s ensemble cast also includes America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae and Will Ferrell.A sequel hasn’t been officially announced. Judging by the film’s projected box office success however, and the positive critical reception, it’s likely a follow-up will be on the cards.Speaking to Time, Robbie said she’d been involved in conversations around a potential sequel.

Barbie starring Margot Robbie has been released – check it out below.Directed by Greta Gerwig (Little Women), the satirical comedy is the first live-action film based on Mattel’s Barbie dolls.Led by Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken respectively, the film’s ensemble cast also includes America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae and Will Ferrell.The soundtrack is curated and produced by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt. As noted in an interview with Time, Ronson and Gerwig created a “dream list” of musicians they wanted to include – including Nicki Minaj and Charli XCX. Every artist they approached was shown the scene from the film where their track would feature.The first single from the album was ‘Dance The Night’ by Dua Lipa, followed by tracks from Karol G and PinkPantheress.

The Simpsons writers have remarked on the plot similarities between episode Lisa vs. Malibu Stacy and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.In the episode, which aired in February 1994, Lisa challenges the creators of Malibu Stacy (Springfield’s equivalent of Barbie) to create a less sexist doll, which results in the development of Lisa Lionheart, a doll designed to positively influence young girls.As noted by Vanity Fair in an interview with the episode’s writers Josh Weinstein and Bill Oakley, it shares many themes with the live-action Barbie.

Ryan Gosling is revealing the most embarassing role of his life, one he regretted bringing up the minute he spoke about it. While promoting “Barbie,” Gosling and his co-star Margot Robbie opened up about some of the most embarassing things they’ve done over the course of their career.Eva Mendes says Ryan Gosling is the most outstanding actor she’s ever worked withAll Barbie looks worn by Margot Robbie: See the original dollsIn an interview with BBC One, Gosling and Robbie spoke about some of the most ridiculous moments over the course of their lives. “I’ve looked very ridiculous my entire life,” said Gosling, cracking up.

That “2001: A Space Odyssey” allusion in the teaser trailer for “Barbie” was not just a silly gimmick. Without the full context of the film, casting Margot Robbie’s incarnation of the iconic toy doll in the role of a Kubrickian monolith felt like a wink from filmmaker Greta Gerwig that she had not sold her soul entirely to Mattel.

There were pop-up cafes, a Forever 21 clothing collaboration and viral Instagram filters galore. Running time: 114 minutes. Rated PG-13 (suggestive references and brief language).

3 stars (out of 4)

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter “Barbenheimer” is officially here, and the battle between the bomb and the bombshell is about to ignite the box office. Greta Gerwig’s cotton candy-colored “Barbie,” starring Margot Robbie as the plastic, fantastic doll, is expected to generate a huge $95 million to $110 million from 4,200 North American theaters over the weekend. Given the omnipresence of “Barbie” (the marketing is practically inescapable, with enough memes and marketing tie-ins to last a lifetime), initial estimates are all over the place. Warner Bros. is projecting a more conservative $75 million to start, while rivals and exhibitors believe the PG-13 movie could make as much as $140 million between Friday and Sunday.

Barbiecore is the trend of summer 2023, and for good reason. We’ve all fallen in love with Margot Robbie, Issa Rae, Dua Lipa and the rest of the long list of Barbies in Greta Gerwig’s soon-to-premiere film. They’ve all been seen rocking pink looks on the red carpet (and in film snippets), but they’re not the only ones.

impatiently wait for new weekly episodes of “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” Jenny Han has another show and a set of movies available to stream. “XO, Kitty” and the “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” films contain similar themes of teenage love and coming of age.

Greta Gerwig’s much-anticipated “Barbie” movie — which opens in theaters on Friday — “Insecure” actress Issa Rae brings some black power to the iconic doll’s pink world as President Barbie.But it was another African-American woman, Louvenia “Kitty” Black Perkins, who designed the first black Barbie — released in 1980 in a box that touted “She’s black! She’s beautiful! She’s dynamite!”Rather than the long, straight blond tresses and pastel-colored fashions of the traditional white Barbie, the brown-skinned beauty rocked short, curly black hair and a glittering red dress complete with matching dangling earrings.“Everything Barbie [typically] was, I wanted to do the opposite,” Black Perkins, now 75 and based in Los Angeles, told The Post. “I knew exactly how black women wear their hair, how their clothes were different from … all of Barbie’s ball gowns.“Basically,” she continued, “I wanted my black Barbie doll to look more like me.” Although Mattel had introduced a black Christie doll as Barbie’s friend in 1968 — and Cara would follow her in the ’70s — this was the first time an African-American bore the name of the leading lady herself.Not relegated to being an “accessory to Barbie,” this was a main-character creation that Black Perkins made on her way to becoming chief designer of the fashion doll line in the mid-’80s.Coming 21 years after Barbie made her debut in 1959, it was a barrier-breaking move for Mattel as doll demand was changing.“The collectors are the ones that really made a difference because every convention that they had, they were looking for black dolls,” said Black Perkins.

With thousands of Hollywood actors and writers on strike, some are wondering how reality TV will be affected.

draws closer, fans are eagerly anticipating getting a look inside Barbie Land — and what happens when the titular doll is forced to venture into the Real World.Not only that, but the film features a star-studded cast, packed with Barbies and Kens beyond just the central couple, played by Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Just like in the toy stores, there's a Doctor Barbie, a President Barbie, a Mermaid Barbie and many more! (All the Kens are just Kens, though.)From an MCU hero to a star to a world-famous pop icon, fans will have a blast seeing the who's who of pop culture as they frolic through the hot pink world of Barbie in the film, directed by Greta Gerwig and co-written by Gerwig and Noah Baumbach.Read on to learn more about all the Barbies, Kens — and a few humans — who will be gracing the big screen when the movie premieres on July 21.

“The Chosen” is the first known TV series to have been granted a waiver from SAG to continue filming amid the strike.

Rachel Seo This article contains spoilers for “The Summer I Turned Pretty” Season 2. All interviews with actors were conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike. It’s not summer without “The Summer I Turned Pretty.” Prime Video’s hit teen drama has returned for Season 2. The first three episodes, which dropped on July 13, re-introduced its rabid fanbase to the world of 16-year-old Belly Conklin (Lola Tung), who spends summers with her family and friends at an idyllic house in Cousins Beach. Caught in a love triangle between two brothers, Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) and Conrad Fisher (Chris Briney), Belly navigates romance and friendship — and, in Season 2, grief, for the first time.

Do you feel like the genre aspect of the film Meko had to make presented certain challenges, and at the same time, benefits for viewers to see inside the process?Rae: As a producer, that was a learning lesson. I felt like we were really ambitious on our side to one, I think that finding a talented female filmmaker wasn’t a challenge at all, it’s more just having them produce something with a limited budget in a limited amount of time.

Find out which stars will not be back for The Summer I Turned Pretty season 2 – Just Jared Jr Jordyn Woods sizzles in a hot look in the desert – Egotastic Sofia Wylie is revealing what happened to her High School Musical wardrobe – Just Jared Jr

may be beloved as much for its teen love triangle plot as for the songs that go with it. The fan-favorite Amazon Prime Video show released the first three episodes of its highly anticipated second season on Friday, complete with a concert-worthy soundtrack. Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Tyler The Creator and Caroline Polachek all make returns to the song list for season 2.  author Jenny Han recently revealed on TikTok that the second season will feature nine of Swift's songs — in the first episode of season 2, the lineup begins with Swiftie-favorite «Last Kiss (Taylor's Version)» from Swift's recently released .Last year's installment included five tracks from Swift, including «Cruel Summer» and «The Way I Loved You (Taylor's Version).» The show's season 1 teaser debuted «This Love (Taylor's Version)» from Swift's still forthcoming rerecording of.

The Summer I Turned Pretty fans couldn’t help but notice a sweet connection between Belly and Conrad’s relationship and that iconic Pride and Prejudice moment.

The Summer I Turned Pretty is a universal coming-of-age story — and one that depicts what happens when a girl finds herself caught between two brothers.  

What to watch: 7 movies and shows to stream this week - June 23What to watch: 7 movies and shows to stream this week - June 30What to watch: 7 movies and shows to stream this week - July 7Based on Jenny Han’s series of YA novels, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” follows Belly, a teen who travels once a year to her family friends’ beach house, reuniting with her best friends and prompting love triangles and teen shenanigans. Despite the cookie-cutter premise, Han’s work is earnest and real, with protagonists that are carefully crafted.

Anna Tingley If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission. After earning a wide fanbase upon its first season, “The Summer I Turned Pretty” is finally back. The second season of the coming-of-age romance story, based off Jenny Han’s 2009 book of the same name, arrives on Prime Video on Friday, July 16.

took things up a notch with the main love triangle in season 2.The season's second episode, «Love Scene,» brought the story back via flashbacks to an impromptu date night between Belly (Lola Tung) and Conrad (Christopher Briney) the previous Christmas. In the present day, Belly and Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno) raced back to Cousins Beach to find Conrad, who had unexpectedly disappeared after engaging in a tense phone call. The parallels between then and now weren't lost on Belly, who had a bit of déjà vu (as soundtracked by Olivia Rodrigo's song of the same name) while sitting in the jeep next to Jeremiah as they looked for Conrad.

Just one week before Greta Gerwig‘s “Barbie” hits theaters, which is sure to be the summer’s biggest movie. And the film boasts a sizable ensemble cast beyond Margot Robbie‘s Barbie and Ryan Gosling‘s Ken.

may be beloved as much for its teen love triangle plot as for the soundtrack that goes with it. The fan-favorite Prime Video show quickly won viewers' hearts last year with its season 1 playlist, boasting multiple hits from Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo and more from Phoebe Bridgers, Cardi B, BLACKPINK, Bleachers, Carly Rae Jepsen and Jack Harlow. Based on a trilogy of novels by Jenny Han, follows a search for romance between Isabel «Belly» Conklin (Lola Tung) and brothers Conrad (Christopher Briney) and Jeremiah Fisher (Gavin Casalegno) during their family trips to the idyllic beach town Cousins Beach. Sean Kaufman stars as Steven, Belly's brother, and Jackie Chung plays the children's mother.

The Summer I Turned Pretty's of —titled “Love Scene”—features quite possibly the most romantic moment ever on TV between two star-crossed lovers: and . Set to a sweeping score of a full orchestra, the two—via flashback to the previous winter when Conrad's mom, Susannah, was still alive, and so much sadness and drama didn't exist—make love in front of the fireplace at the Fisher summer house on Cousins Beach. It's sensual, it's romantic, and it's the kind of scene that you want to rewatch over and over again. (Btw, when Belly whispers to a sleeping Conrad that “… there's only you.