Image Sources: Mattel and Photo Illustration: Ava Cruz
A week after releasing its first Barbie doll with Down syndrome [1], Mattel has unveiled an Anna May Wong Barbie for Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month [2].
Anna May Wong, who passed away in February 1961, was a Hollywood trailblazer. She's widely considered to be the first Chinese American Hollywood film star, and her acting earned her international recognition. She became known for portraying Chinese Americans in a positive and accurate light during periods of widespread and dangerous prejudice.
While many depictions of Chinese characters in US films at the time were discriminatory and racist — and many times played by non-Chinese actors in yellowface — Wong's characters often offered positive and nonstereotypical representation. She even turned down roles she felt were negative or unsympathetic. She was also the first Asian American woman to get a Hollywood Walk of Fame star for acting, in 1960.
The Anna May Wong Barbie, which is part of Mattel's "Inspiring Women" series, is based on her role in "Limehouse Blues," a movie from 1934. The doll is dressed in a red gown and has Wong's signature bangs. The depiction was approved by Anna Wong, Wong's niece, who worked closely with Mattel to develop the doll, according to a statement provided by the brand.
While a doll may seem like a small step, there's tremendous value in offering children the chance to play with a Barbie that looks like them. "Seeing is believing, and Anna May Wong's courage and perseverance allowed generations of Asian Americans to see themselves on screen [3] outside of stereotypes and typecasts," Mattel wrote in an Instagram caption [4] of the post revealing the new doll.
Mattel has released Asian Barbie dolls before, but in 2021, the company was criticized for failing to include a Barbie who appeared to be Asian in its lineup of Olympic Barbie dolls, according to NBC News [5].
The Barbie Signature Anna May Wong Doll is currently available for preorder at Walmart [6] ($35); it's also being sold at Target [7] ($35) and Mattel Creations [8] ($35), but the preorders have sold out.
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