Photo: Elizabeth Braunstein/Mattel
Laverne Coxis aBarbiegirl!
Cox, who turns 50 on Sunday, tells PEOPLE that inspiring a doll in Mattel’s legendary lineup feels “surreal.”
As the doll debuts amid a tense political climate for transgender rights, theInventing Annaactress says that her Barbie represents so much more than a toy.
Mattel
The star says she was “very involved” in every step of the design process as Mattel brought her Barbie to life. Like Cox herself, the doll oozes glamour in an oxblood corset and tulle skirt, worn over a silver bodysuit with sky-high heeled boots. Plus, her hair and makeup are camera-ready.
“I was like, ‘Can we make her look more like me? And more African American?'” Cox recalls of feedback she gave to the creative team. “And we had a conversation about highlights and lowlights because I’m blonde most of the time now, but I’m a Black girl, so I need a dark root. And we had a whole conversation about how they can’t do that, but they could do dark low lights.”
Just as stylish as her real-life counterpart, the doll’s layered look is ready-made for mix and match play — which, of course, was Cox’s idea.
“I wanted her to wear multiple outfits, but that wasn’t cost effective. You want the doll to be affordable. So I was like, ‘What if she had one outfit that could peel off and become multiple outfits?'” she says. “So that’s what we designed and came up with.”
“We are proud to highlight the importance of inclusion and acceptance at every age and to recognize Laverne’s significant impact on culture with a Tribute Collection Barbie,” McKnight says.
When reflecting on her childhood, the memory of Barbie brings a tear to Cox’s eye. The star says she was not allowed to play with them as a child.
“I begged my mother for a Barbie doll and she said no because I was assigned male at birth,” Cox explains. “And when I was in my 30s, I was in therapy and telling my therapist that I was denied the opportunity to play with Barbie dolls. And my therapist said, ‘It’s never too late to have a happy childhood, and what you should do for your inner child is go out and buy yourself a Barbie doll.’ "
The actress did just that — and felt truly moved.
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“I played with my Barbie, and I told my mom what my therapist had said. And that first Christmas after that, my mom sent me a Barbie doll,” she reveals. “And she’s been sending me Barbies for Christmas and for my birthday.”
Saying that she “bawled” when she unboxed the first doll from her mom, Cox says it’s still emotional to think about.
“I’m just so grateful that I’ve been able to be in this process. It’s a process of reclaiming my inner child, healing her, giving her what she didn’t have the first go-round. Giving those things to her now. And Barbie is a very tangible part of that,” she shares. “So to be turning 50 years old and be transgender and have a Barbie in my life, that feels just like a full-circle kind of healing moment.”
Ahead of her next turn around the sun, Cox says she’ll keep moving towards the light — citing her Barbie doll as the ultimate birthday gift.
“And Barbie has become a symbol of that, in so many ways, that that’s healing. And I’m so grateful to Mattel for this moment, just for my own, just for my own personal healing,” Cox tells PEOPLE. “And I hope it’ll be healing for all the people who encounter the Laverne Cox Tribute Barbie.”
The Laverne Cox Barbie is available now at major retailers andMattelCreations.com, retailing for $39.99.
source: people.com
