HOME / NEWS / CELEBRITY NEWS

Trans star Hari Nef wrote emotional letter to Greta Gerwig and Margot Robbie to keep role in 'Barbie'

Hari Nef has revealed how she managed to keep her role in 'Barbie' despite scheduling issues

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Trans actor Hari Nef reportedly persuaded Greta Gerwig to reschedule the filming schedule for 'Barbie' by writing her a heartfelt letter. Nef, 30, revealed that she was unable to work on the movie due to scheduling difficulties and that she ultimately chose to write a letter to Gerwig and Margot Robbie to help with the situation.

Nef tweeted a first glimpse of her character in the movie Barbie on Tuesday, April 4, with the caption, "Okay so i'm a #barbie this is Wild." She admitted in a reply to her initial tweet that she became aware of schedule issues after being initially cast and worried that she might not be able to work on the film. She then published an excerpt from a letter she had sent to Gerwig and Robbie "essentially begging them to fudge the schedule a bit."

READ MORE

'Barbie' unveils posters for Netflix's 'Sex Education', here are characters who won't return

The many faces of Dalia Naeem: Trolls attack 'real life' Barbie as she reveals face after 43 surgeries

'Identity politics and cinema aren't my favorite combination'

Nef acknowledged that Gerwig and Robbie, among others, "played no small role in cultivating my love of sitting in the dark in front of big screens for an hour or two," but that was only a portion of why she needed to be in the movie. 

Nef wrote, "Identity politics and cinema aren't my favorite combination, but the name BARBIE looms large over every American woman. Barbie's the standard; she's The Girl; she's certainly THE doll." She went on to say that she and her "other transgender girlfriends" began referring to themselves as "the dolls" a few years ago while pointing out that the words have their origins in Ballroom culture.

Nef stated, "Maybe it's a bid to ratify our femininity, to smile and sneer at the standards we're held to as women." She claimed that the term is a bit of a joke, but it also relates to "the shape of a woman who is not quite a woman — recognizable as such, but still a fake."

Nef wrote, "Doll' is fraught, glamorous; she is, and she isn't. We call ourselves 'the dolls' in the face of everything we know we are, never will be, hope to be. We yell the word because the word matters. And no doll matters more than Barbie."

'I'm very glad it worked out for you!!'

Fans reacted to the tweetes made by Nef with one person writing, "So beautiful and heartfelt. I'm very glad it worked out for you!! can't wait to watch the movie." Another person wrote, "This is just so beautifully written & means so SO much to all trans girls i just know it!"

A third person wrote, "We love you Hari. Can't wait to see you in the movie." The Canadian actor Simu Liu even tweeted, "You are so undeniable as barbie i cannot wait for the world to see you!!!!!!!!" One fan wrote, "I can't wait to see you in this movie."

Who is Hari Nef?

Nef was born on October 21, 1992, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and she eventually started her career as an actor and producer. She is known for role in 'Assassination Nation,' 'Transparent' and 'And Just Like That...' She subsequently became IMG Models' first openly transgender woman to be signed. She is currently based in New York City.

Nef's inclusion in the cast, which consists of diverse and A-list stars, was first made public about a year ago. She was originally suspected of being one of numerous Barbies, along with 'Insecure' creator Issa Rae, while Margot Robbie has long been confirmed as the main Barbie and Ryan Gosling as the primary Ken. Simu Liu and Ncuti Gatwa are also suspected to play different Kens.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.