Barbie honors Hollywood trailblazer Anna May Wong with new doll for AAPI heritage month

With the first Barbie doll with Down syndrome introduced by Mattel this year, the toy company is determined to set a benchmark of inclusivity. The venerable toy business has succeeded in generating excitement once more, but this time, to celebrate the debut of a significant doll. Anna May Wong Barbie doll has been released by Mattel in recognition of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, reported News Nation. It is amongst the most awaited release as the company has consistently launched dolls of great ladies from across the world, in addition to her cultural importance and all the societal obstacles Wong faced during her life. For the record, she also received the title of "world's best-dressed woman" in 1934 for being a style icon.

Also, she was referred to as the "world's most beautiful Chinese girl" by Look Magazine. Wong's commanding appearance and Hollywood glitz make her the ideal candidate to be turned into a Barbie doll, as reported by The Hill. The pioneering cultural icon Anna May Wong is dressed in a sophisticated crimson gown with a metallic gold dragon overlay and a sheer cape inspired by her appearance in the 1934 movie "Limehouse Blues," as reported by News Nation.

During her time, Anna May Wong overcame prejudice and discrimination to become the first Chinese American actress to have a significant impact on the box office. This conflict involved far more than just competing with other actresses for roles. Interracial couples were not allowed to appear on television or in movies at the time due to legal restrictions. Asian roles were typically played by white females. She had to overcome the "Dragon Lady" or "Butterfly" archetype in order to stand out in the field.

Over 60 films and television shows were featured in Anna May Wong's impressive career, which lasted from the silent era to the 1960s. She performed on Broadway, became the first Asian American to host an American television program, and performed in one-woman vaudeville shows all over the world.

According to News Nation, Anna May Wong's Barbie doll is a part of the "Inspiring Women" series. It features pioneering women whose previous inspirations include Frida Kahlo and Amelia Earhart. "As the first Asian American actor to lead a U.S. television show, whose perseverance broke down barriers for her gender and AAPI community in film and TV, Anna May Wong is the perfect fit for our Barbie Inspiring Women Series," Lisa McKnight, an executive vice president at Mattel, said in a statement.

Wong was born in Los Angeles. She started out during the silent movie era in the 1920s and gained international recognition in films like "The Thief of Bagdad" as well as for her fashion sense. In the 1930s, Anna May Wong acted opposite stars like Marlene Dietrich in "Shanghai Express." Moreover, in the following decades, she went to Europe to pursue her dream of acting but later returned to the U.S. Also, Wong was the first Asian American woman to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for her impressive acting in 1960. She died a year later at the age of 56.