Who Is Ruth Handler? Rhea Pearlman's Vital And Poignant Cameo Explained

Ruth Handler and her husband Elliot founded Mattel together in 1945 alongside their friend and partner Harold "Matt" Mattson, and in 1959, the company released the very first Barbie. Based on her daughter Barbara, the namesake for the toy, Barbie was, obviously, a huge success. The Ken doll, named for Ruth and Elliot's son, followed her soon after.

Handler passed away in 2002, so she never got to see her creation brought to life in a live-action project thanks to Gerwig. Before the film was released, TMZ spoke to her daughter Barbara, who specifically praised Robbie's performance as the doll and said that her mother likely never thought Barbie would get the big-screen treatment. Handler's creation is one of the most important toys in American history, though — and as Gerwig discovers in the movie, she represents a whole lot of contradictions to women across the world.