Chris Taylor of Love Island got caught in the thick of a heated dispute about his new film Barbie on Piers Morgan‘s TalkTV show, where he defended the film after it was slammed by the host.
The pink, glittering extravaganza, directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, and America Ferrera among others, has been lauded throughout the world for its feminist values and for promoting all women, regardless of their life goals.
However, some critics have taken issue with its depiction of the impact of patriarchy in the real world – where women are objectified and ignored by men on a daily basis, as is often the case in reality – and the way in which the Kens of Barbie Land are secondary to the Barbies.
Chris appeared on Piers Morgan Uncensored on Monday night, with the director of advocacy organisation Matriarch Nomiki Konst, TalkTV contributor Esther Krakue, and author Grace Blakeley, and warned the presenter that he was’missing the point’ of the story.
Piers, 58, had explained his views on the film, stating that in his opinion, it was ‘an assault on not just Ken, but all men’, as he added: ‘I thought feminism is about equality. Why does empowering women always have to be about trashing men?’
He also claimed that if anyone made a movie depicting women in the way that Barbie portrays its male characters, ‘they wouldn’t just be cancelled – they’d be tarred and feathered and marched through the streets’.
Chris, 32, who soared to fame on Love Island in 2019 and was cast in Barbie due to Margot being such a huge fan of the ITV2 dating competition, stayed calm and collected, bluntly telling Piers: ‘I think what you’re missing is the fact that it’s a joke.’
‘He’s got you there!’ Grace exclaimed, as the reality TV star continued.
‘No because listen right, listen,’ Chris continued, as Piers started to speak over him, before shouting across the table at his guests.
The host then added: ‘My point is, if I made the movie and flipped it, and was mocking women like this, you would be leading the charge. I’d be hung, drawn and quartered, probably executed. It’s the hypocrisy at the heart of the film.’
Earlier on the show, Chris articulately outlined the message at the core of the film, emphasising that it’s a comedy, before adding: ‘The overarching joke of the entire film is you’re looking at Barbie, which is played with by children, mostly girls, and this is how they play with Barbies and Kens.
‘Barbie is the primary character, and Ken is the secondary character who comes in and out a little bit and is widely disregarded because the girls see themselves in the Barbie and not so much the Ken.’
Later, after the Barbie part concluded, Piers went to Chris for the final word on the argument… kind of.
‘I think everyone’s just missing the point,’ Chris reiterated. ‘It’s a joke. Greta Gerwig has done a good job of navigating a potentially massive minefield.’
‘You’re right, if it flipped it would be a different story,’ he added, a statement that Piers then jumped on excitedly.
‘Right! That’s my point!’ Piers bellowed, as Chris remarked: ‘I’ll admit that.’
‘Thank you Chris,’ the broadcaster stated, while the Love Island star stressed: ‘We’re talking about a doll that was made in 1959 to empower women.’
While Piers claimed that Chris had got to a point where he ‘agreed’ with his views, the reality star emphasised: ‘That’s besides the point. It’s about women empowerment!’
Piers Morgan Uncensored airs weeknights from 8pm on TalkTV.
