In Barbie Lore, Michael Cera's Allan Is The Father Of 'Pregnant Barbie' Midge's Baby
The "Barbie" movie is finally out, and just like the toy line it is based on, it's taking the world by storm. Not only is the film earning the big bucks at the box office alongside the other half of Barbenheimer, but it received rave reviews, with our own BJ Colangelo calling Greta Gerwig's film one of the best of the year and an "absolute marvel hiding within the plastic pink confines of Barbie, making it a phenomenal reflection of the iconic doll that serves as source material."
As suspected since the first trailer came out, this is not just a pink-colored party, but a deeply weird and meta exploration of an American phenomenon, the effect Barbie had on girls everywhere, the patriarchy, and capitalism — while still being a fun pink-colored party where Ryan Gosling sings a pop ballad.
While the film is filled to the brim with Easter eggs and references to the decades-long history of Barbie, perhaps no reference is as funny or weird as Allan. Michael Cera plays a character with a tragic real-life history — a discontinued toy marketed as Ken's best friend and little else. But Allan has another life outside of Ken, one involving another lesser-known citizen of Barbieland — Margaret Hadley Sherwood, or Midge. We meet Midge early on in "Barbie," as a pregnant woman played by Emerald Fennell. Turns out, Allan is the father of Midge's baby, which raises more than a few questions.
Allan and Midge
Allan and Midge have a long history in the Barbie canon. Both characters were introduced as friends of Barbie and Ken, as more "normal-looking" dolls compared to the big two, and as boyfriend and girlfriend. By 1991, Allan and Midge tied the knot and got married, but it wouldn't be until the early '00s that the two figures were re-introduced to the market, now with kids. There even was a 2002 Midge doll released with a magnetic pregnant stomach, which you could detach so Midge could "deliver" a plastic baby hidden inside. Unsurprisingly, parents panicked, thinking the doll promoted teen pregnancy, and it was discontinued, dragging Allan along as a casualty of the controversy.
And yet, as strange as Allan's history is, and as unappreciated as he may be by the rest of the residents of Barbieland, he has two things that set him apart from the Kens — he is the only man in Barbieland to actually get married rather than forever be just a boyfriend. And, of course, it logically follows that if Midge is pregnant, then Allan is the only man in Barbieland with genitals. Sorry, Kens.
That's right, he may be quiet, and a bit weird, but for all the talk of patriarchy in "Barbie," and for how much the Kens think of themselves as manly men who love horses, Allan is apparently the only one of them to actually have sex. There may be dozens of Kens, but as "Barbie" narrator Helen Mirren notes, there are no multiple Allans, there is "just Allan."
An unexpected star
While Ryan Gosling is a perfect casting choice for Beach Ken, Michael Cera feels like the biggest discovery in "Barbie." We already know that Cera is one of the best comedic actors of his generation, but he is perfectly utilized in "Barbie," appearing at the right moment to deliver a hilarious quip in the most deadpan way possible. Allan is not just Ken's best friend, he is surprisingly the Barbies' best ally too.
Allan helps the Barbies fight back against the Kens and take back their world, but even before that, Allan shows he is the only Ken capable of actual fighting. When Gloria and Sasha are stopped on their way out of Barbieland by a group of construction workers, Allan goes berserk and politely beats the crap out of them all like he's powered-up Scott Pilgrim. Never mess with Allan.