Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” is already a huge box office success. According to Variety, the film made over $155 million in its opening weekend, making it the biggest debut of the year. Besides its genius marketing campaign and star-studded cast, one of the things viewers will remember about the film is its attention to detail.
“Barbie” includes so many clever Easter eggs, from nods to discontinued toys like Midge and Sugar Daddy Ken to pop culture references like “The Wizard of Oz” and “The Matrix.” One of the movie’s most subtle Easter eggs, however, may have involved another popular doll franchise: Bratz. According to a popular TikTok theory, “Barbie” features a secret cameo from the Bratz characters Cloe, Sasha, Yasmin, and Jade. If you failed to catch it, let me explain.
Does the “Barbie” Movie Reference Bratz?
According to TikTok user Jessica Weslie, the scene in question happens at the beginning of the film when Barbie (Margot Robbie) goes to a school to find her owner. When she sees her, the teenager is seated at a lunch table with three of her friends. The group look a lot like the four original Bratz characters — Chloe, Yasmin, Jade, and Sasha — and they even act “bratty” toward Barbie when they meet her. As if that isn’t enough, we discover that Barbie’s owner is named Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt), and her mom, Gloria (America Ferrera), calls her “Bunny Boo,” which is a nickname the Sasha doll also uses within the Bratz franchise. Since there are too many coincidences, viewers are convinced “Barbie” includes a subtle nod to the popular dolls in the film.
Does the “Barbie” Movie Reference My Scene?
Since Barbie and Bratz are competing franchises and their respective companies, Mattel and MGA Entertainment, have been at odds for years, others aren’t so convinced the film references Bratz. As another TikTok user, Ceejae, points out, the four teenagers could have been a nod to Mattel’s My Scene dolls, which were created in 2002 reportedly to compete with Bratz. Similar to the competing toy franchise, My Scene dolls had larger heads than Barbies, as well as exaggerated lips and more noticeable makeup. My Scene was also made up of characters of different ethnicities like Bratz.
Is It All Just a Coincidence?
Of course, there’s the possibility the scene with the four girls doesn’t mean anything at all. While the teenagers may physically look like the Bratz or My Scene dolls, they aren’t dressed like them. Instead of the trendy outfits both franchises are known for, the girls wear casual clothes that are all black. Besides Greenblatt’s character, the other three teens also don’t appear to have names in the film. They’re played by McKenna Roberts, Sasha Milstein, and Brylee Hsu, whose characters are all credited as “Junior High Friend” on IMDb.
Whether “Barbie” references Bratz or not, it’s still a fun theory to think about for those who grew up with both dolls.