Will Ferrell reveals Barbie role in 'high and low art' blockbuster

Will Ferrell will play an "insensitive" and "weird" Mattel CEO in 'Barbie'.

The 55-year-old actor has opened up on his role in Greta Gerwig's upcoming movie - which stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken - but he doesn't want to give too much away before the film hits the big screen.

He told the Wall Street Journal: "I get to play the CEO of Mattel and be that guy who’s just insensitive but weird and then, not to spoil anything, but…”

Ferrell also heaped praise on the movie as a whole, hailing it as a combination of high and low art forms coming together for something special.

He said: "It is, in my humble opinion, the ultimate example of high art and low art.

"It’s a loving homage to the brand and, at the same time, couldn’t be more satirical — just an amazing comment on male patriarchy and women in society and why Barbie’s criticised and yet why every little girl still wants to play with Barbie.

"Boy, when I read it, I was like, ‘This is fantastic.' ”

His comments come after Margot previously insisted the movie won't be what people are expecting.

She said: "It comes with a lot of baggage! And a lot of nostalgic connections. But with that come a lot of exciting ways to attack it.

"People generally hear ‘Barbie’ and think, ‘I know what that movie is going to be,’ and then they hear that Greta Gerwig is writing and directing it, and they’re like, ‘Oh, well, maybe I don’t.' "

And the Australian actress' co-star Emma Mackey has explained how the cast - which also includes America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Issa Rae, Michael Cera and Ncuti Gatwa - bonded on sleepovers.

The 'Sex Education' star revealed: "Right in the beginning, we had a sleepover for the Barbies, which would involve playing games with Scott and Ncuti."