Venus Williams Finally Has Her Own Barbie Doll: \201cI’m Honored To Be Recognized\201d

\201cI’ve always been driven by the idea of shattering glass ceilings and staying true to myself.\201d

Venus Williams attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Tennis great Venus Williams is officially a Barbie girl living in a Barbie world.

On Wednesday, May 22, Mattel announced that in celebration of their iconic Barbie doll's 65th anniversary, the brand will "will honor nine athletes around the world," including Williams, with their own "one-of-a-kind role model doll made in their likeness."

"Knowing that girls involved in team sports are more likely to believe they are smart enough for their dream career, have high opinions on their abilities and competencies, increased leadership aspirations and enjoy higher levels of self-confidence, Barbie is bringing together these inspiring stories that are shaping the future to show girls that anything is possible if you relentlessly pursue your passions," the brand announced in a press release.

Williams said that Barbie's mission aligns with her own personal and professional goals.

"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,” Williams said in the same 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.”

Venus Williams attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City.

Venus Williams attends The 2024 Met Gala Celebrating "Sleeping Beauties: Reawakening Fashion" at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 06, 2024 in New York City.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Mattel says that "by recognizing athletes that have broken barriers for women in sports, Barbie hopes to help amplify the voices of women in sports to commemorate their accomplishments on and off the field."

"The sports one-of-a-kind role model dolls serve as an embodiment of our shared values of passion, empowerment and individuality," Krista Berger, Senior Vice President of Barbie and Global Head of Dolls for Mattel, said in a press release. "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.”

The announcement comes in the wake of a historic year for women's sports, especially women's NCAA basketball. After becoming the highest-scoring player in NCAA history—and helping to bring in a record-breaking 18.9 million women's championship game viewers—Caitlin Clark inked a $28 million Nike deal as a WNBA rookie.

Meanwhile, two-time WNBA champion A'ja Wilson is now an official Nike signature athlete, landing herself her own coveted Nike sneaker.

A post shared by Venus Williams

A photo posted by venuswilliams on

"I'm so glad that we're ready for the moment," Wilson recently told Marie Claire. "We're not new to this. We're true to this.'"

"So it's really, really, just been amazing just to be a part of this growth, and just to flourish within it," she continued. "Now all eyes are on us. Now we can really perform."

The announcement that Williams will be forever memorialized in Barbie form comes just one month after the tennis great told People that she''ll be releasing a new health and wellness book, titled STRIVE, on Sept. 10.

“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.

“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."

Danielle Campoamor
Weekend Editor

Danielle Campoamor is Marie Claire's weekend editor covering all things news, celebrity, politics, culture, live events, and more. In addition, she is an award-winning freelance writer and former NBC journalist with over a decade of digital media experience covering mental health, reproductive justice, abortion access, maternal mortality, gun violence, climate change, politics, celebrity news, culture, online trends, wellness, gender-based violence and other feminist issues. You can find her work in The New York Times, Washington Post, TIME, New York Magazine, CNN, MSNBC, NBC, TODAY, Vogue, Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, InStyle, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Glamour, The Daily Beast, Mother Jones, Prism, Newsweek, Slate, HuffPost and more. She currently lives in Brooklyn, New York with her husband and their two feral sons. When she is not writing, editing or doom scrolling she enjoys reading, cooking, debating current events and politics, traveling to Seattle to see her dear friends and losing Pokémon battles against her ruthless offspring. You can find her on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and all the places.

Read more
Serena Williams
Serena Williams's Next Act? Designing the Cutest Children's Clothing for Future GOATs
Serena Williams at the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show wearing a tennis outfit
Serena Williams Surprises the Super Bowl 2025 Halftime Show Wearing Her Tennis Style Staples
Serena Williams on the 2025 Oscars after party red carpet wearing a dolce & Gabbana dress
Serena Williams Pairs Her Sultry Dolce & Gabbana 2025 Oscars After-Party Dress to a Luxurious Piguet Watch
Meghan Markle shares playdate Princess Lilibet had with auntie Serena Williams
Meghan Markle's Daughter Princess Lilibet Just Had an Adorable Playdate With Serena Williams
a press shot of natalie nakase holding a basketball and wearing a black suit
After Setting Many Historic Firsts in Basketball, Natalie Nakase Wants to Open As Many Doors As She Can
Simone Biles
Simone Biles’ Jumbo Goddess Braids Make Me Want to Book a Flight to Miami
Latest in Celebrity
Jonathan Davino in a blue shirt and gray blazer and Sydney Sweeney in a black and white patterned dress at the InStyle and Kate Spade dinner in October 2018
Sydney Sweeney Deletes Instagram of Fiancé Jonathan Davino, Further Fueling Breakup Rumors
Meghan Markle in a beige shirt on stage at SXSW in March 2024
Meghan Markle and Gwyneth Paltrow Open Up About Their "Rift" Over Pie
Princess Madeleine of Sweden wearing a tiara featuring emeralds
Why Princess Madeleine of Sweden Can't Use Her Royal Title to Promote Her New Skincare Line
Queen Camilla has blonde hair and is wearing a dark green shirt dress
Why Queen Camilla Has Been Issued a "Strict" Warning Regarding Her Meeting With the Pope
Benny Blanco in a purple shirt with a white tank top underneath and Selena Gomez in a black dress backstage at The Tonight Show in March 2025
Selena Gomez Says She’s "Excited" to Become a Mom Someday in Joint Interview with Benny Blanco
Meghan Markle wears blue denim jeans
Meghan Markle Confirms Skinny Jeans Are Back by Finally Revealing Her Favorite Frame Denim
Latest in News
Model with barely there makeup, glowy skin, and long coily hair.
Everything You Need to Know About Marie Claire’s Skin and Hair Awards
Two men (Ike Barinholtz and Seth Rogen) sit at a conference table with a script in front of them, as two women (Kathryn Hahn and Chase Sui Wonders) stand behind them, in 'The Studio.'
The Cast of 'The Studio': Your Guide
Bella Hadid walks into a studio wearing an oversize leather jacket with a pair of capri leggings and ballet sneakers
The Ballet Sneaker Trend Is Bella Hadid's Undisputed It-Shoe of 2025
Keke Palmer in a brown cutout dress and long copper hair
Keke Palmer Returns to the Dark Side With Deep Espresso Hair
Jonathan Davino in a blue shirt and gray blazer and Sydney Sweeney in a black and white patterned dress at the InStyle and Kate Spade dinner in October 2018
Sydney Sweeney Deletes Instagram of Fiancé Jonathan Davino, Further Fueling Breakup Rumors
Jennifer Lawrence
The Jennifer Lawrence-Approved Adidas Sneakers Everyone's Talking About Are Secretly On Sale at Nordstrom