Netflix fans are praising a ‘beautiful’ new documentary that landed on the streaming service on Wednesday.
Black Barbie looks at diversity within the world of Mattel’s iconic dolls and those who fought hard to improve it.
The Shonda-Rhimes produced series tells the untold story of the first-ever Black Barbie and the pivotal role three trailblazing women had in creating a doll who looked like them – Beulah Mae Mitchell, Kitty Black Perkins, and Stacey McBride-Irby.
Millions of African Americans struggled to see themselves represented in the world of Barbie industry until these women helped to change the toy scene forever during America’s Civil Rights Movement.
The long-awaited documentary, which has an impressive 100 per cent score on the Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer,’ has finally arrived on Netflix to the delight of fans – and the positive reviews are already flooding in on social media.
Netflix fans are praising a ‘beautiful’ new documentary that landed on the streaming service on Wednesday
Black Barbie looks at diversity within the world of Mattel’s iconic dolls and those who fought hard to improve it
Viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to share their thoughts, writing: ‘One of the best documentaries I’ve ever seen.
‘An ambitious and deeply personal exploration of the creation & impact of Black Barbie & the complexities of race & representation. Multi-layered. Revelatory. Beautiful.’
‘#BlackBarbie on @netflix has me all emotional. What a lovely celebration of brilliant Black women.’
‘Watching #BlackBarbie on Netflix and I know it’s supposed to bright joy but I’m just sad. It’s really unfair.’
‘Ngl, I assumed this Black Barbie doc would just be fun background noise, BUT no, I am into this!!! MAXINE WATERS!!!! Sad that I cannot find a real Black Barbie gif, tho.’
‘@shondarhimes you got me in tears with this #blackbarbie.’
Other fans who are excited to watch it chimed in with: ‘Wow this looks amazing.’
‘Ayyyyy the Black Barbie documentary dropped on Netflix.’
‘Wowwwwwww I will be tuning in! Is this available for UK users as well?’
The long-awaited documentary has finally arrived on Netflix to the delight of fans – and the positive reviews are already flooding in on social media
Black Barbie looks at diversity within the world of Mattel’s iconic dolls and those who fought hard to improve it
Viewers took to X (formerly Twitter ) to share their thoughts on the new documentary
‘Oh I’m excited to see this!’; ‘Beautiful, I can’t wait to watch this.’
‘I can already tell #BlackBarbie documentary is gonna wreck me.’
‘The Black Barbie documentary I’ve been waiting to see since last March finally hits Netflix tomorrow…I think it was made back in like 2019 like Barbie as a brand has evolved so much in the time since; I wonder if that’ll be apparent.’
Black Barbie has already earned a very impressive 100 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes ‘Tomatometer,’ meaning it has only pulled in positive comments from critics so far.
One reviewer called the documentary: ‘A searing critique of what it means to be seen in mass media.’
Meanwhile, another dubbed it a ‘celebration of the talents and creativity of Black women’.
The blonde-haired and blue-eyed Barbie dominated toy shelves when it was first introduced in 1959, with Mattel also releasing a brunette version.
Beulah Mae Mitchell got a job as a toy tester at the Mattel factory and witnessed the birth of the first black Barbie.
She suggested the company create a black doll to the company’s president and co-founder Ruth Handler.
When Kitty Black Perkins became chief designer of the Barbie line, she made history by creating the first black doll in 1980, which is chronicled in the documentary.
Then, after Kitty left in the early noughties, Stacey McBride-Irby took on a major role in Mattel and helped to design the AKA Barbie Doll, which became a collector’s item.
Black Barbie: A Documentary is now available to watch on Netflix
Beulah Mae Mitchell got a job as a toy tester at the Mattel factory and witnessed the birth of the first Black Barbie
Mattel hired Kitty Black Perkins in 1976, the company’s first black designer who helped create the first black Barbie
Then, after Kitty left in the early noughties, Stacey McBride-Irby then took on a major role in Mattel and helped to design the AKA Barbie Doll, which became a collector’s item
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