New Barbie doll honors ‘Selma’ director

LOS ANGELES: Though famously snubbed for Best Director at Oscar time, filmmaker Ava DuVernay and her otherwise Academy Award winning “Selma” made history last year. DuVernay wasn’t just the first African American woman to direct a movie nominated for Best Picture; she helmed what is arguably the highest-profile film about Martin Luther King Jr. to date.
But there is always another mountain to climb. DuVernay announced that a Barbie Doll made in her image will go on sale Monday — and, despite Barbie’s bad name among some concerned about how the dolls affect young girls, the director and her fans are psyched.
“Wild (plus) wonderful,” DuVernay tweeted.
“Am I too old to put this on my Santa list?” one Twitter user wondered.
DuVernay’s Barbie has been in the works for some time. The doll, part of Barbie’s “Sheroes” line, was announced this past spring.
“Barbie has always represented that girls have choices, and this Spring we are proud to honor six Sheroes who through their trade and philanthropic efforts are an inspiration to girls,” said Evelyn Mazzocco, Barbie’s general manager, said at the time. “Started by a female entrepreneur and mother, this brand has a responsibility to continue to honor and encourage powerful female role models who are leaving a legacy for the next generation of glass ceiling breakers.”