Some said the relationship dissolved because the pressure of being in the public eye became too great — even after 43 years. Others gossiped that Ken's ambiguous sexuality and Barbie's disproportionate figure finally took their toll.
Barbie and Ken felt it was “time to spend some quality time apart” with Arons hinting that Ken's reluctance to put a ring on it may have played a part in their breakup. Still, the two swore the breakup was amicable and they would remain friends.
In February 2004, Mattel announced a split for Ken and Barbie, with Russell Arons, vice president of marketing at Mattel, saying that Barbie and Ken "feel it's time to spend some quality time – apart...Like other celebrity couples, their Hollywood romance has come to an end", though Arons indicated that the duo would " ...
Ken went on to star in many more animated Barbie movies, playing a different role each time. In 2004, Barbie and Ken broke up on Valentine's Day. In 2009, Barbie and Ken attended the New York Fashion Week to celebrate Barbie's 50th Anniversary. It was their first appearance together in years.
That Barbie had really left Ken for Blaine -- a boogie-board, boy-toy Aussie -- that Ken, at long last, was coming out of Barbie's dream closet.
Upon release, Blaine dolls were widely popular and the Australian remained the main man in Barbie's life for two years, before Ken slowly returned to shelves (and popularity — well, as popular as a Ken can be) in the years following 2006.
But the real-life Barbie and Ken were never a couple. The plastic dolls were actually named for a sister and brother – the children of Mattel cofounder and Barbie creator Ruth Handler.
Originally released in 1959, Barbie is two years older than Ken who was launched in 1961 in the markets. In the Barbie movie, however, people have a problem with Hollywood's old ways, as the actor Ryan Gosling is 10 years older than Margot Robbie.
While some on social are wondering how Barbie snagged a girlfriend before them, or when exactly she came out, Aimee Song weighed in to make the relationship Twitter-official. “I am the girlfriend,” Aimee tweeted, alongside a photo of herself and her Barbie likeness wearing her “Love Wins” t-shirts.
Barbie® doll's boyfriend, Ken®, debuted two years after Barbie® in 1961. Ken® doll's official birthday is March 11, 1961 – making Ken® 2 days and 2 years younger than Barbie®. Starting out with nine outfits, a skinny frame and fuzzy crew cut, he's always stood by Barbie.
According to the 1960s Random House books, Ken's full name is Kenneth Sean Carson.
But consumers so pushed for a boyfriend doll that Mattel finally released it in 1961.
"By the early 1960s, Mattel was flooded with fan mail from girls asking for Barbie to marry her perpetual boyfriend, Ken, and have a baby," read a recent article in Hadassah Magazine by Renée Rosen. "Handler refused, not wanting to reinforce the idea that young girls should aspire only to marriage and motherhood.
Kelly was introduced in 1995 and retired in 2010. She was replaced by Chelsea in 2011. According to Chelsea's official Mattel introduction, Kelly and Chelsea are the same character, only with a new name. Kelly's body style changed around late 2008 to have less short and stubby arms and look older.
During the “Armchair Expert” podcast interview, Barbie explained that her departure from Euphoria was mostly due to the fact that her character had no real direction. “I don't think there was a place for her to go,” she said. “I think there were places she could have gone.
Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts. Barbie was named after Ruth Handler's daughter, Barbara, and Ken after her son, Kenneth. She is from (fictional) Willows, Wisconsin, where she attended high school.
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.
Fans had no way of knowing that Barbie had an even more adult side: She was closely related to a German novelty toy. Barbie had a sister—Bild-Lilli, a racy doll marketed to men.
In March 1959, a doll named "Barbie" launched onto the American toy market, sporting a black-and-white striped bathing suit, pouty red lips and a sassy blonde ponytail. The leggy, 11-inch plastic figure—full name: Barbara Millicent Roberts—was the first mass-produced toy doll in the U.S. with adult features.
Barbie, formally known as “Barbara Millicent Roberts,” was born in 1959, which would technically make her 63 years old — except for the small fact that she was born as a 19-year-old. Yep, that's right: The first ever Barbie was officially 19 years old, which would make her age closer to 82-83 years old.
The iconic doll that has inspired little girls and boys across the globe for decades has officially turned 60 years old.
One of her siblings eventually went missing.
Tutti and Todd are twins—or they were, until Tutti mysteriously disappeared in 1971. Stacie, who was introduced in 1992, is also Todd's twin, to add to the whole twin mystery.
Chelsea Roberts is Barbie's youngest sister. She was originally named Kelly, but she was known as Shelly in Europe. She was renamed Chelsea in 2010 so that she could be known worldwide by one name.
Margaret Roberts is Barbie's mom.
The Chelsea doll is Barbie's younger sister and was launched in 2011. At age seven, she's meant to be the youngest sister of the Barbie family and was designed specifically for younger children. The Chelsea doll line also includes a doll in a wheelchair.