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Natalie Portman Reveals How Margot Robbie's Barbie Helped Her Teach Her Daughter About Patriarchy
Natalie Portman recently talked about how she taught her daughter about patriarchy through Margot Robbie’s movie Barbie. Read ahead to know more.
It’s been a year since the release of Barbie, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, directed by Greta Gerwig. The film received mixed reviews for its approach to addressing societal issues, but its thematic elements continue to spark conversations. Recently, Natalie Portman shared how the film helped her initiate a discussion about patriarchy with her seven-year-old daughter, Amalia.
Portman, known for her advocacy of women’s rights and close friendship with Gerwig, reached out to the director after her daughter raised questions about patriarchy following their viewing of Barbie. The actress expressed gratitude to Gerwig for sparking meaningful conversations through her directorial choices.
How Natalie taught Amalia about patriarchy using Barbie as a reference
In the recent episode of The View, Natalie Portman spoke about the movie Barbie and its impact on her daughter, Amalia. On the night of the premiere, the actress brought her daughter to watch the movie. She said, “[Amalia] loved it so much and afterward, she was like, ‘Mommy, what’s the patriarchy?'” Natalie then added how she immediately thanked Greta for opening this conversation with her daughter.
Portman further explained how she answered her daughter’s question. She shared, “I was like, ‘You know how in Barbieland, women do all the roles? That’s a matriarchy. You know how in the real world, that’s not the case? That’s the patriarchy.'”
In the movie Barbie, Margot Robbie who portrays Barbie, moves from Barbieland (a place where women rule) to the real world which is quite the opposite. The film explores how she adapts and finds her footing amidst the complexities of the real world.
Natalie Portman’s view on a cultural shift
The actress reflected on a significant moment when she observed her son appreciating women athletes: “My son’s really into soccer. I saw him watching the women’s World Cup with as much fervor as the men’s World Cup and I thought, ‘Oh, wow. If little boys grow up looking up to female athletes, what a different culture we would have.' Of course, little girls, obviously. But when you see boys looking up to female athletes, that’s when you feel an entire culture shift.”
She further cited how there has been massive pay inequity among the athletes. While male players earn millions, female athletes are forced to take up other side gigs to survive the off-season. Natalie Portman said, “We were like, OK, women’s World Cup is really popular. But the home teams — most people don’t even know they exist. What if we just blast the spotlight on home teams and the home league?”
Barbie has really stirred up the matriarchy and patriarchy issues that it still spills a conversation. What are your thoughts about Natalie Portman’s opinions regarding the whole issue? Let us know.
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