Barbie movie: Former employee describes what it was like to work for Mattel

‘That was just like the opposite of what it was like working there,’ woman says of Barbie movie

A former Mattel worker has detailed her experience working for the creators of the 1959 Barbie doll.

Following the release of Great Gerwig’s Barbie movie, which has already broke box office history after being in theatres for less than a week, TikToker Lara Weber has revealed what it was like to work for the toy company. In her 25 July video, Weber spoke positively about her time in Mattel’s Australian offices, noting how the work environment was completely different than what was portrayed in the movie.

“That was just like the opposite of what it was like working there,” she admitted. Not only was every room in the office “toy themed”, but Weber confessed that the staff had both Barbie and Hot Wheels meeting rooms.

“It was the most fun, vibrant office,” Weber said.

The TikTok user went on to explain that the majority of leadership roles in her office were filled by women. Her boss was a woman, and the department heads were women too. Not only did Weber say she enjoyed the workplace culture, but it was “one of the best” she’s ever been a part of.

“To this day I maintain, [that Mattel] was one of the best workplace cultures I have ever experienced,” she said.

In the Barbie movie, Gerwig’s male-dominated Mattel offices were painted in a bad light - causing viewers to wonder if the director’s portrayal was accurate. After hearing Weber’s experience, fans were pleased to find out that the workplace was inviting and inclusive.

“Aw, this is actually so nice to hear,” one woman commented, while another wrote: “I want to work at Mattel.”

“I’VE ALWAYS WONDERING [sic] ABOUT THIS WHEN I WATCHED BARBIE. Thank you for sharing,” someone else noted.

A former employee at Mattel’s Los Angeles office commented: “The Aussie Mattel office sounds more fun. I was in the HQ tower in LA and had no themed offices. We just got to put some toys around our desks.

“Honestly feel like Australia just has better work environments than US!” one social media user agreed.

“They put it on the movie so we can understand what struggles women faced before and after,” another viewer pointed out.

The Independent reached out to Weber for a comment.

Since the Barbie movie hit the big screen, there has been nonstop discussion over the film’s honest portrayal of what it’s like to be a woman. America Ferrera’s monologue has specifically resonated with women who have felt the pressure of high expectations.

Spoiler’s ahead.

Ferrera plays Gloria in the film, the only female worker at Mattel who helps Margot Robbie’s character confront her internal feelings of worthlessness.

“It is literally impossible to be a woman,” Ferrera begins her monologue. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants actor continued to list all the contradictions that are embedded in society’s “rules” for women, such as “being thin, but not too thin”. She then admits that she’s exhausted from watching herself and “every single other woman tie herself into knots so that people will like us.”

Needless to say, Ferrera’s speech broke the internet. Many women admitted that they cried upon hearing the monologue, while one woman tweeted: “Reading America Ferrera’s monologue in #Barbie before I go to bed every night like it’s my Bible.”

Another wrote: “People in my movie theatre started clapping when she was finished and I thought that was beautiful.”