Black University of Baltimore lecturer says he’s refused his daughter’s request to go and see Barbie movie because its trailer ‘overwhelmed him with WHITENESS’
- Dwight Watkins published an opinion piece explaining why he and his young daughter would not be
- In it, the University of Baltimore professor said the trailer ‘overwhelmed him with whiteness’
- It comes as the Barbie film grossed over $500 million in ticket sales in the first week, with analysts predicting it could reach a billion dollars
A black University of Baltimore lecturer has said he refuses to take his daughter to see the new Barbie film, because the trailer was ‘overwhelmed with whiteness’.
Dwight Watkins, who also acts as Editor at large for Salon.com, penned a commentary explaining his decision to not subject himSELF and his child to the new film.
After his young daughter expressed her interest in seeing the new film starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken, Watkins decided to watch the official trailer.
In doing so, Watkins recalled that he was ‘overwhelmed with whiteness’ and refused to go see the film.
In his article, Watkins said: ‘It’s wild that the first Barbie doll dropped in 1959, and even though Black people were everywhere, we didn’t get a Black version until two decades later.’
University of Baltimore Professor Dwight Watkins, pictured here, said after watching the trailer he decided not to take his daughter to see the film
Pictured: Ryan Gosling and Margot Robbie in a scene from the Warner Bros film Barbie
He continued: ‘But this is 2023, and the movie should be way more progressive than the company’s history, right? Wrong. I watched the trailer and was overwhelmed with whiteness.
‘Barbie, which does have a few nonwhite cast members, including Rae, America Ferrera, and Ncuti Gatwa, has one of the whitest trailers I ever saw in my life.
‘And no, I’m not that guy; I genuinely believe that artists and filmmakers can create whatever they want, but I must be cautious of what I expose my daughter to.
‘She’s too young to understand the complexities of gender, so how do you even begin to open the door to conversations about race and how movies and commercials in America act like white people have a monopoly on beauty?’
Seemingly anticipating backlash over his opinion, Watkins stresses that he is not only teaching his daughter to engage in black art.
He writes: ‘No, we are not teaching her to only connect with Black art; it’s just that everything white is always available and at the forefront of everything.
‘You don’t have to search for white content; it’s already in your face.’
Watkins concludes his commentary, writing: ‘The fact is, I can do everything in my power to keep my daughter away from the ‘white is always right’ ideology and still may not be able to protect her from that way of thinking because our country is so fixed on that message.
‘But that doesn’t exempt me from religiously teaching her that Black is beautiful, even though Hollywood is only willing to show it in small doses. Avoiding films like ‘Barbie’ is a part of that teaching.’
Despite stars Ncuti Gatwa, left, and Issa Rae, right, starring in the film – Watkins said it was full of whiteness
Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling star as Barbie and Ken in the new film that has broken box office records
Despite his comments, the film has been praised for its diverse cast and strong feminist message.
Polygon said the film was a ‘takedown of toxic masculinity tied up with a pretty pink wrapper’.
TheWrap stated the film was a movie that ‘delivers a fierce feminist statement dressed in pink.’
The film, directed by Greta Gerwig, also stars Kate McKinnon, America Ferrera, Will Ferrell, Simu Liu and Issa Rae.
The film has now also officially grossed over $529 million in ticket sales after one week.
The movie, which was released on July 21, now holds the record for Warner Bros’ best seven-day opening.
Mattel Inc., the creator of the doll, has also enjoyed a 33 percent surge in its stock price off the back of the movie and is reportedly planning a sequel.
Dwight Watkins, right, said in his opinion piece that he had to be cautious about what he exposed his daughter to
For Warner, it was also the biggest opening weekend of all time in 24 regions, including Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
The success means Barbie could join an elite club of billion dollar movies, a prediction made by industry insiders after its $360million opening weekend.
Deadline’s industry insiders have tipped the film to make at least $800million during its theatrical run.
The Barbenheimer box office battle saw Oppenheimer rake in $82.4 million domestically – and has added $98 million for a total of $180 million worldwide.
Barbenheimer weekend has absolutely obliterated box office records with an estimated $465 million in ticket sales for the two highly-anticipated films’ opening weekend
Oppenheimer – starring Cillian Murphy – raked in $82.4 million domestically – and has added $98 million for a total of $180 million worldwide
Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution Jeff Goldstein said: ‘This historic result reflects the intense heat, interest and enthusiasm for Barbie. This doll will indeed have long long legs.’
In total, Barbie and Oppenheimer drew an estimated $465 million in ticket sales following their joint release date of July 21.
If the $465 million figure is accurate, Barbenheimer weekend becomes the biggest box office weekend of all time.
Cillian Murphy starred as J. Robert Oppenheimer in the biopic Oppenheimer alongside Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh.
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