Venus Williams Made into a Barbie Doll for Mattel’s New Campaign: ‘Honored to Be Recognized’

Venus Williams is a Barbie girl!

The tennis icon, 43, has been transformed into a Barbie doll along with eight other athletes as part of a project encouraging girls to stay in sports in celebration of Barbie’s 65th anniversary, Mattel announced on Wednesday, May 22. 

Williams’ Barbie leads the pack of new dolls honoring women role models in sport and is made to the sports star’s likeness with a white tennis dress and visor, a racket in hand and her signature gold hoop earrings she famously wore on the court. 

In response to having her own Barbie, Williams said that she is “honored to be recognized.” 

“Throughout my career, I’ve always been driven by the idea of shattering glass ceilings and staying true to myself, and Barbie’s mission couldn't resonate more deeply with that ethos,” she said, per Mattel’s press release.

“I’m honored to be recognized as a sports role model and join forces with Team Barbie to continue empowering the next generation of young girls to never stop believing in their dreams,” she added.

The other trailblazing athletes being honored as Barbie dolls are soccer star Mary Fowler (Australia), Olympic champion boxer Estelle Mossely (France), gymnast Alexa Moreno (Mexico), Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade (Brazil), paratriathlon athlete Susana Rodriguez (Spain) and swimmer Federica Pellegrini (Italy).

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Mattel’s Senior Vice President of Barbie, Krista Berger, said of Mattel’s latest project, “Barbie is thrilled to continue the brand’s 65th-anniversary celebration by recognizing the impact of sports in fostering self-confidence, ambition, and empowerment among the next generation.”

 “... The sports one-of-a-kind role model dolls serve as an embodiment of our shared values of passion, empowerment and individuality,” Berger continued. “By shining a light on these inspirational athletes and their stories, we hope to champion the belief that every young girl deserves the opportunity to pursue her passions and turn her dreams into reality.”

Williams' new Barbie comes a month after the tennis ace exclusively announced the release of her new health and wellness book, STRIVE, with PEOPLE. The book is set to be released on Sept. 10.

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“As an athlete, I know the perseverance and consistency it takes to accomplish your goals and get true results. With STRIVE, my goal is to share the tips and tricks that helped me in my own personal wellness and nutrition journey,” Williams said in a press release in April.

“These are the tools that kept me from burning out on a lifestyle that I wanted and believed in, a lifestyle that helped me feel confident, powerful and capable."