“I’m even shocked, very shocked”: After ‘Barbie’ Gets Banned in Vietnam, Margot Robbie Gushes Over the Fan Support For Her $100 Million Movie
Margot Robbie’s Barbie is in deep trouble! On Monday Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced it was revoking the movie’s license, according to state media. Directed by Greta Gerwig, the film has ignited controversy in both Vietnam and the Philippines this week, with the former banning it outright and the latter considering a similar move. It seems that there will be no Barbie girl in Vietnam. Some of the other films to have faced a similar fate previously are Abominable, Sony’s Unchartered, 2020 series Put Your Head On My Shoulder and Madam Secretary.
Why Is Margot Robbie Starrer Barbie Banned In Vietnam?
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling starrer upcoming movie, Barbie has been banned by the Vietnamese authorities. The Warner Bros. film is one of the most anticipated movies of the summer, and was set to have been released in the country on July 21. The film has been banned as it contains a scene that depicts a map with the “nine dash line,” a representation of China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, which according to Vietnam is a violation of its sovereignty.
Vi Kien Thanh, director general of the Vietnam Cinema Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, said on Monday that the ban was decided by the National Film Evaluation Council. The state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper read, “We do not grant license for the American movie ‘Barbie’ to release in Vietnam because it contains the offending image of the nine-dash line,” citing Vi Kien Thanh.
This isn’t the first time when any film has landed in trouble over the same issue. Similar depictions of the “nine dash line” have previously caused problems for multiple films and TV series in Vietnam.
Margot Robbie Shocked By The Overwhelming Support of Barbie Fans
Margot Robbie is amazed by the amount of love and support that fans are displaying for her upcoming worldwide release in cinemas next week. Robbie who is the lead star and also the producer of the highly-anticipated film has been promoting it around the world in Barbie’s outfits.
Robbie told Reuters at the film’s world premiere in Los Angeles on Sunday, “I knew how excited we felt about sharing this movie and I had hoped that other people would feel that excitement too but it’s kind of come back at us with so much enthusiasm and excitement, I’m even shocked, very shocked.”
Issa Rae who plays president Barbie said, “Over the decades, Barbie’s been ahead of her time but she’s also been behind the times and she’s been seen as ditsy, she’s been seen as a tool to regress feminism.” The films trailer says that Barbie is for those who love her and those who hate her. Director Greta Gerwig said that she wanted each Barbie to be showcased distinctively which is why the movie features dolls of all sizes, ethnicities and professions.
Source: Reuters
