Greta Gerwig Refused to Cut a ‘Barbie’ Scene That’s the ‘Heart of the Movie,’ Told Execs: ‘If I Cut That, I Don’t Know Why I’m Making This Film’

Greta Gerwigs Barbie is now playing in theaters nationwide, but one if its most emotional scenes might not have made it to the big screen had the filmmaker not held her ground against studio executives. In several interviews before the comedys theatrical release, Gerwig revealed that it was suggested she cut out the scene where Barbie (Margot Robbie) meets an elderly woman on a bench and tells her shes beautiful.

I love that scene so much, Gerwig told Rolling Stone. And the older woman on the bench is the costume designer Ann Roth. Shes a legend. Its a cul-de-sac of a moment, in a way it doesnt lead anywhere. And in early cuts, looking at the movie, it was suggested, Well, you could cut it. And actually, the story would move on just the same. And I said, If I cut the scene, I dont know what this movie is about.'

Thats how I saw it. To me, this is the heart of the movie, she continued. The way Margot plays that moment is so gentle and so unforced. Theres the more outrageous elements in the movie that people say, Oh, my God, I cant believe Mattel let you do this, or, I cant believe Warner Bros. let you do this. But to me, the part that I cant believe that is still in the movie is this little cul-de-sac that doesnt lead anywhere except for, its the heart of the movie.

The scene with the elderly woman has nothing to do with the plot of the movie, per say, but its vital to understanding Barbies perception of the real world after she leaves the perfect utopia that is Barbieland.

The idea of a loving God whos a mother, a grandmother who looks at you and says, Honey, youre doing ok is something I feel like I need and I wanted to give to other people, Gerwig added to The New York Times about the importance of the scene, which she describes as a transaction of grace.

If I cut that scene, I dont know why Im making this movie, Gerwig added. If I dont have that scene, I dont know what it is or what Ive done.

Executives also tried to get a scene from the movie removed where a teenager eviscerates Barbie to her face. A cover story fromTime magazineon the making of Barbie revealed that Mattel president and COO Richard Dickson flew to the movies London set at one point during production to argue with Gerwig and Robbieabout the scene because he believed it was off-brand for the company. The director and her star convinced Dickson to keep the scene in the film by performing it for him live on set.

When you look on the page, the nuance isnt there, the delivery isnt there, Robbie said.

Barbie is now playing in theaters nationwide from Warner Bros.