MANILA, Philippines — Now that the controversial movie "Barbie" can screen on Philippine theaters, fans of the iconic doll are excited to see the movie that inspired generations of children.
Apart from its star-studded cast basking in Pinklandia, there is one interesting character for many Filipinos who have been keeping tabs on the movie.
In some of the stills, a character wears a dress with the familiar butterfly sleeves typical of the Filipino national costume Terno. That character is no less than Filipino-American actress Ana Cruz Kayne.
1. Ana Cruz plays a supreme court justice in 'Barbie.'
In the "Barbie" movie, Ana plays a supreme court justice.
In an interview with The Messenger, Ana said her being cast as a justice in the Margot Robbie starrer might have something to do in her previous roles. She appeared on the Netflix legal drama "Partner Track" and is set to star in another Netflix limited series on the birth of the opiod crisis "Painkiller," premiering in August.
"I always play a lawyer. I am a woman who, I guess, projects justice. It might be my deep voice, I have no idea," Ana said to The Messenger.
"It was just so powerful to get to sit there as a woman of color, as the head of the Supreme Court. It was everything you'd hope for. And because it's Barbie, it's power with a wink. So it felt very fitting. And so, I was honored… Your Honor," she added.
2. Ana is Filipino-Jewish.
Ana's Instagram page has photos of her Filipino family. One photo showed a throwback of her family when she was a little girl. Another was a photo of her Filipino grandparents.
In March 2020, Ana posted Bat Mitzvah, a coming-of-age ceremony for Jewish girls.
3. She proudly wears her Terno.
Ana is no stranger to the Terno. In a couple of her Instagram posts, she can be seen wearing the Terno in some occasions. One time, she wore one to a funeral.
In "Barbie," her character wore one designed by their costume designer Jacqueline Durran.
"I don't know how they came up with it so fast, but it felt so special and so unique to my Barbie. And so that was my favorite outfit, I would say my favorite part of Barbie," Ana said.
She again donned the Terno by Dennis Lustico at Barbie's world premiere in Los Angeles and London.
At the LA premiere, she wore a coconut Terno, while in London, Ana wore a nude Terno top with leaf applique.