In a twisted alternate universe, Barbie and Ken aren’t the center of a multi-billion dollar franchise. It’s Midge and Allan who rule toyland It Pair. Meanwhile, in our universe, Mattel relegated the redhead couple to the background. Midge was a safer version of Barbie, and Allan… well, he was marketed as fitting into Ken’s clothes. Both Midge and Allan were basically hired and haven’t been seen in years. Where were you? Prepare for the new Barbie movie, it seems.
The eyes then return to Midge and Allan Barbie‘s new trailer was released Tuesday alongside character posters of the star-studded cast. Barbie, Barbie, Barbie and Barbie’s best friend Midge and Allan – the BFF of countless Kens – are both ready to step back into the spotlight. But when her character posters came out, a lot of people asked: Who the hell are Midge and Allan? Thankfully, Barbie fans are here to teach us Barbie’s friends set.
Who are the Barbie dolls Midge and Allan?
Mattel introduced Midge Hadley as Barbie’s best friend in 1963, ostensibly to ward off criticism that Barbie was too sexy. according to Barbie experts. They made her look a little more “mature” than Barbie. The only real difference was her head; She had bangs and a red bob with big blue eyes and a rounder face, while Barbie’s eyes looked sultry adorned with makeup. Midge, Barbie and Ken spent all their time together. Is Midge a third wheel or is the relationship a threesome? Who can tell?
Allan was introduced and credited as Midge’s boyfriend in 1964, wearing the light striped shirt that Michael Cera wears in the Barbie Fan. That was his big marketing message he could fit in Ken’s clothes, just like Midge could wear Barbie’s clothes. Of course, Allan’s introduction also meant that Barbie and Ken could double date with Midge and Allan.
Midge and Allan did not stay in the offer for long; Mattel ceased production of their original versions after 1965. Midge returned in 1988 with a new cool beach look. She had a pretty decent run in the ’90s: she got married; went camping, skating, and surfing; and then got pregnant and had a baby. Allan had a similar trajectory, although he had much fewer models leading to paternity. The family planning era was definitely when things got weird for Midge.
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Image: Mattel
In 2002, Mattel released a version of Midge who is pregnant. Her pregnant belly can be opened and inside you’ll find a baby curled up – effectively allowing a child to give Midge a cesarean. It is Midge’s second child, according to the back of the box. Walmart didn’t like that, despite Mattel’s claims that it could be an educational tool for families. Critics thought it encouraged teenage pregnancy, so Walmart pulled Midge off the shelves until Mattel made a version where she’d already had the baby — and appeared no longer pregnant.
Other retailers continued to sell Midge dolls alongside an Allan doll with a stroller. That was basically the end of the road for Allan; After that, he was essentially erased from Barbie lore, at least until Barbie Movie. Midge disappeared after pregnancy and reappeared in 2012 Barbie: Life in the dream house animated show, with a few puppets to go along with it. And in that world, Midge’s children don’t exist – and neither does Allan. Unpleasant!
The mosquito out Barbie is clearly the pregnant Midge, a nod to the doll’s controversial earlier design. Allan wears his original 1964 outfit while Midge sports a pregnant belly and her iconic purple floral dress. Of course, we don’t know much about Midge and Allan’s roles on the show Barbie movie, except they are played by Emerald Fennell (The crown) and Michael Cera (arrested development), or.
