- Issa Rae told The Hollywood Reporter that fans should see "Barbie" in theatres after "Oppenheimer."
- Rae refers to movie-goers who plan to see both films, which premiere on the same day.
Issa Rae has weighed in on the "Oppenheimer" vs. "Barbie" debate and says fans should see the Christopher Nolan war drama first.
Rae, who plays President Barbie in the upcoming Greta Gerwig film, shared her take at the Los Angeles premiere Sunday in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter. The outlet posted a clip of their conversation to TikTok Tuesday.
@hollywoodreporter #issarae talks #barbienheimer with #thehollywoodreporter and reveals which movie she's watching first at the #barbie ♬ original sound - The Hollywood Reporter
"I think the 'Barbie,' 'Oppenheimer' rivalry is hilarious," Rae told the outlet. She added that she appreciates the "solidarity" from fans who turned the two films into a "double-feature situation."
"Obviously, you should see 'Oppenheimer' first then cleanse your palate with 'Barbie,'" the "Insecure" creator and actress said.
When the seemingly surprised reporter reiterated that Rae was advising movie-goers to see "Oppenheimer" first, the actress said, "It's about the atomic bomb. People are going to die."
"I want to have mimosas and drinks and cocktails after 'Barbie,' I don't want to like, sulk. That's just my plan," she added. "As long as you're seeing 'Barbie,' I don't care."
Rae is referencing what has been dubbed as "Barbenheimer" by people online and, according to Variety, AMC theaters shared that "more than 20,000 AMC Stubs members" have already bought tickets to see both movies on July 21, the day they both premiere.
"Barbie," which stars Margot Robbie as the title character and Ryan Gosling as Ken, is a colorful, satirical comedy about the iconic plastic doll and is the polar opposite of "Oppenheimer," a Cillian Murphy-led film about J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who invented the atomic bomb.
Rae isn't the only "Barbie" cast member acknowledging the "Barbenheimer" phenomenon, Robbie got in on the conversation by signing a T-shirt with a split image of both films.
—barbenheimer founding member (@mjcooke) July 4, 2023
In a video posted to Twitter by @mjcooke on July 3, Robbie said, "Okay, I have to sign it on this side," gesturing to the "Barbie" side of the shirt. "I hope you meet Cillian Murphy and he can sign the other side," she added.