But Nef is much more than her role as a doll come to life.
So, who is this cool chick and where did she come from?
IMG boasts an impressive roster that has included stars like Gigi Hadid, Gisele Bundchen, and Hailey Bieber.
And that was only the beginning.
“I always joke that I’m a better actress than I am a male actor.”
Hari Nef was no exception, although her Barbie of choice was actually in a computer game.
“It was Barbie’s Magic Hair Styler,” she explained toOut.
“It was mostly about her face and the glam.
You could give her the right hairstyle and the right makeup for an occasion.”
One of Nef’s bffs is Hollywood powerhouseLena Dunham.
In fact, Dunham gave the young actress a piece of advice that resonated deeply.
Along with being pals, the two talented women have worked together on several projects.
But the actress admits that she hasn’t always possessed the It-girl level coolness we see in her today.
She also described her high school self as very pop in-A but with a twist.
She’s also always loved to party and “Dance the Night” away like a Barbie.
The two ended up collaborating on ideas for Nef’sBarbiewardrobe, a concept that utterly thrilled the star.
She explained, “I told them straight up, ‘I want the highest heel every time.
I want the waist tiniest every time.
I want the biggest hair every time.
I want to put big things in my hair.'”
But does her cool-girl persona extend to her taste in movies and music?
“Shania Twain!”
“In Boston with my mom.
She was playing a lot of Shania Twain in the car …
I felt like a woman,” Nef said.
We love the versatility, Ms. Nef!
However, she’s wary of the notion of wellness as it pertains to our culture at large.
And for Nef, feeling good includes a vegan diet.
“My relationship with food in the past has not always been perfect or easy.”
She emphasized that her veganism is not political and is limited to what she eats.
“If I avoid processed foods and stick to veganism the healthy way …
I feel great about nourishing myself.
It’s just something that works for me,” she said.
For instance, she created a very specific backstory for her Barbie role in the “Barbie” movie.
She toldVoguethat she’d decided a doll collector owned her Barbie.
“I was given the most over-the-top, fashion-y, crazy costumes.
And I was like, ‘This is no child’s doll.'”
And I just kind of stay in my box," she said.
She toldThe Guardian, “I think that often my work is obscured by my gender identity.
I don’t want it to be a big deal …
Identity is a dead end.
It’s a snoozefest.”
“It was accidental, being an activist,” she said.
“But I am outspoken.
I am not passive [about] the injustice that I’ve seen.”
Nef has also expressed her frustration with how she’s been referenced in the media.
He just knew that I got the tone of what they were going for," she told Out.
As of 2023, things have been working out in Nef’s favor.
But what’s her advice for others on a similar journey?
