Watch: New Barbie live-action trailer released — and first look at Nicola Coughlan's role

Barbie today unveiled a number of high-profile stars and their roles in the upcoming release with a range of posters on their social media platforms
Watch: New Barbie live-action trailer released — and first look at Nicola Coughlan's role

Nicola Coughlan, Dua Lipa and Helen Mirren all star in the new Barbie live-action film

Galway actress Nicola Coughlan will star as a diplomat Barbie doll in the hotly anticipated live-action film from director Greta Gerwig.

Barbie today unveiled a number of high-profile stars and their roles in the upcoming release with a range of posters on their social media platforms, with Helen Mirren set to voice the narrator in the film.

Nicola Coughlan will play a diplomat Barbie
Nicola Coughlan will play a diplomat Barbie

We also got a new glimpse at the live-action film, with a new trailer released, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling in the leading roles.

Singer Dua Lipa is to make her film debut as a mermaid Barbie, while Sex Education star Emma Mackey will portray a Barbie with a Nobel Prize in physics and Issa Rae will play a president Barbie. 

Michael Cera will appear as Ken’s friend Allan, while a number of other actors have been given roles as varying versions of Ken including Doctor Who actor Ncuti Gatwa, Scott Evans, Simu Liu and Kingsley Ben-Adir.

Dua Lipa will play a mermaid Barbie
Dua Lipa will play a mermaid Barbie

Human characters will be played by Will Ferrell, Ugly Betty actress America Ferrera,
Stath Lets Flats star Jamie Demetriou and Sex Education’s Connor Swindells

The stars, who announced their roles mainly on Instagram, will join Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling who play the starring roles of Barbie and Ken Doll.

Helen Mirren will narrate the film
Helen Mirren will narrate the film

Gerwig co-wrote the script with her husband, the filmmaker director Noah Baumbach, who directed 2005’s The Squid And The Whale and 2019’s Marriage Story.

The film is set for release on July 21 and a trailer released in December opened with a comical parody of classic science-fiction epic 2001: A Space Odyssey.

Michael Cera will star as Ken's best friend Allan
Michael Cera will star as Ken's best friend Allan

Filmmaker Gerwig, 39, was nominated for the best director and best original screenplay at the Academy Awards for 2017 coming-of-age drama Lady Bird and scored a nod for best adapted screenplay with 2019’s Little Women.

The film is a joint project between Warner Bros and Barbie manufacturer Mattel.

The brand, which was launched in 1959, has previously seen animated adaptations including Barbie In The Nutcracker, Barbie As Rapunzel and Barbie Of Swan Lake.

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