Barbie dolls have been around for a very long time. They come in all shapes and sizes now, with various hair and skin tones, disabilities, and skills.
But one very early, lesser-known part of Barbieland is a doll named Midge, who appears in the Barbie movie as a pregnant woman (played by Emerald Fennell), along with her husband Allan (played by Michael Cera). Most people don’t know that Barbie had, at one time, a very pregnant bestie, so it makes sense that people have a lot of questions.
Turns out, Midge was so controversial at one point in the early 2000s that she was actually discontinued. But who is Midge and what’s up with all the drama surrounding her? Here’s everything to know about Barbie’s bestie:
Who is “Pregnant Barbie”?
A pregnant Midge and her husband, Allan, and their child.
“Pregnant Barbie” is actually Margaret Hadley Sherwood, or Midge, as her friends call her. Midge was created to be a less glam, more relatable Barbie, per Buzzfeed News.
The doll was launched in 1963 as Barbie’s bestie. She had freckles and red hair, and she wore less makeup than Barbie did. The first version of Midge was discontinued in 1967 and replaced with a doll named PJ, who looked more like Barbie. BTW, the original version of the doll was *not* pregnant.
By the late 1980s, Midge was back on shelves as part of the California Dream Barbie set. Then, she was re-released in the 1990s wearing a wedding dress, and again in 2002 with a detachable magnetic pregnant stomach, which allowed her to “deliver” a small plastic baby curled up inside, per CBS News. And that’s where the chaos began.
The doll was very quickly discontinued (more on that in a sec) and now, pregnant Midge sell for hundreds of dollars online.
Why was Midge controversial?
The newly pregnant Midge was sold as part of Barbie’s “Happy Family” collection, and Mattel said that she could help parents teach kids about babies, per CBS News.
But when preggo Midge hit the market in 2002, customers freaked out over the idea that little kids would be playing with a pregnant doll, and she was quickly pulled from Walmart shelves across the country that same year, according to the Associated Press. Several people interviewed for the article said they thought the doll might “glamorize” and promote teen pregnancy.
Who was Allan?
Allan, played by Michael Cera in the Barbie movie, is Ken’s best friend. Basically, he’s the male version of Midge. Allan is thought to be named after the son-in-law of Ruth Handler, Barbie’s creator. Ruth’s daughter, Barbara, was married to a man named Allen Segal for many years.
Mattel created Allan to be Midge’s husband, and he “married” Midge in 1991—on Barbieland terms, of course, per CBS News.
Did Midge have other children?
Yep. In addition to the small baby that pops out of Midge’s detachable stomach, she and Allan also have a 3-year-old son named Ryan. Together, the crew made up Mattel’s “Happy Family” collection.
Who plays Midge in the Barbie movie?
Actress Emerald Fennell! The Academy Award-winning actress gets very little airtime in the movie, but she definitely is a main character IRL. You might recognize her from her time on Killing Eve or from her role as Camilla Parker Bowles in The Crown.
You can see her become Midge in the Barbie movie, which is now in theaters.
Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Men’s Health, Women’s Health, Self, Glamour, and more. She has a master’s degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day.
